Role: Head of Product Design and Research
Company: Property Finder
As a part of the recruitment process for the Head of Product Design and Research position at Property Finder, I was asked to complete a challenge: 'What would you do in your first 100 days?" based on the current challenges.
Property Finder Design Strategy - The First 100 Days
As a part of the recruitment process for the Head of Product Design and Research position at Property Finder, I was asked to complete a challenge: 'What would you do in your first 100 days?" based on the current challenges.
This strategy outlines a bold, structured plan to scale and operationalise design across Property Finder in the first 100 days of leadership. It tackles one of the company’s key challenges: how to elevate the design function to deliver value at scale, align with business needs, and influence strategic direction.
Core Objectives
* Align design with business goals across products and teams
* Establish a scalable design language (PFDL) and team rituals
* Improve product communication and usability across markets
* Embed strategic design into culture, not just output
* Establish a scalable design language (PFDL) and team rituals
* Improve product communication and usability across markets
* Embed strategic design into culture, not just output
Strategic Foundations
* Balance between deep thinking (research, strategy) and expert doing (prototypes, systems)
* Use Lean UX and Service Design to accelerate decision-making and deliver fast wins
* Design is positioned not as decoration, but as a competitive business asset
* Use Lean UX and Service Design to accelerate decision-making and deliver fast wins
* Design is positioned not as decoration, but as a competitive business asset
People Strategy
* Understand the design team’s experience, culture, and needs
* Develop individual career plans and OKRs
* Introduce design rituals (critiques, drills, offsites)
* Prioritise hiring based on capability gaps
* Develop individual career plans and OKRs
* Introduce design rituals (critiques, drills, offsites)
* Prioritise hiring based on capability gaps
Product & Process
* Define product success metrics and run usability benchmarking
* Identify “moments that matter” for customers and internal teams
* Run workshops and interviews to inform process and capability development
* Recommend process and design strategy shifts aligned to business impact
* Identify “moments that matter” for customers and internal teams
* Run workshops and interviews to inform process and capability development
* Recommend process and design strategy shifts aligned to business impact
Design Language System (PFDL)
* Create a testable, scalable design language across platforms
* Document existing components and define the visual direction
* Align with leadership on brand and design goals
* Deliver a working prototype with adoption and contribution models
* Document existing components and define the visual direction
* Align with leadership on brand and design goals
* Deliver a working prototype with adoption and contribution models
Execution Phases
1. Stage 1 – Design Strategy (People, Products, Process)
2. Stage 2 – Property Finder Design Language (PFDL strategy, roadmap, sprint prototype)
2. Stage 2 – Property Finder Design Language (PFDL strategy, roadmap, sprint prototype)
Key Principles
* Human-centered and agile from day one
* Strategy must be embedded in execution
* Design must measure and demonstrate impact
* Bring stakeholders along the journey at every step
* Strategy must be embedded in execution
* Design must measure and demonstrate impact
* Bring stakeholders along the journey at every step
To request a copy of the full strategy deck, please reach out to me directly.
More examples of strategic design initiatives can be provided upon request.
