Weekly syncs

Weekly syncs have been a core part of my management style for years, not only to keep us on track but also to strengthen team culture.

We use FigJam for real-time collaboration, visually organizing ideas, tracking progress, and solving problems together. This interactive method fosters teamwork and makes meetings more engaging.

Everything is documented in Notion, from meeting notes to action items, ensuring nothing is overlooked. This system keeps us focused and ensures discussions lead to actionable outcomes.

Design planning is a critical part of how I manage our work, ensuring that we set clear goals, manage tasks effectively, and align our efforts with both immediate and long-term objectives. Over the years, I’ve refined this process to be more streamlined, especially at Arcadia, where making the most of our resources is crucial for our small but mighty team.

Quarterly planning in Notion
In Notion, we start by outlining our quarterly goals, breaking them down into smaller, actionable tasks. Each task is then assigned to team members, making it clear how their work contributes to our overall objectives. This high-level planning in Notion helps everyone see the bigger picture and ensures that all initiatives are aligned with our strategic goals.

Tracking and managing in Jira
Once the quarterly goals are set, we move to Jira for detailed tracking and management. Jira allows us to manage the specific tasks, review timelines, and monitor progress across different projects. It’s here that we keep an eye on deadlines, adjust workloads as needed, and ensure that everything is moving forward smoothly.

Design support requests
In addition to tracking ongoing work, we’ve also established a clear process for handling requests for design support. These requests are submitted through Jira, where we can prioritize them based on urgency and align them with our existing plans. This process ensures that our design team can respond effectively to new needs while staying on track with our planned initiatives.

Supporting my team’s career growth has always been a priority for me. Over the years, I’ve developed a career growth template to help structure our career conversations. This tool has been continuously improved, to better meet the needs of my team.

The career growth template helps guide discussions about strengths, areas for improvement, and career goals, providing a clear path for both short-term and long-term development. In our one-on-one meetings, I give personalized advice to help each team member grow in their career.

I’ve adapted this tool to align with the company’s opportunities and culture, ensuring that each person has the support they need to reach their full potential.