Leading a team
Raising the bar, together
How I lead through questions, critique, and shared decisions.
Topic
Leading a team
Reading time
3 minutes
Covers
Critique, growth, rhythm
Visuals
Original illustrations
How a critique runs
1
Share context
The designer states the problem and who it is for.
→
2
Questions first
The team asks before giving opinions.
→
3
Options
Two or three directions are explored out loud.
→
4
Decide and assign
One decision, one owner.
→
5
Written follow-up
A short note captures what was decided.
Where it happens
Team critique
Designers share work early and learn from each other.
Cross-functional design review
Product, engineering, and sometimes clients decide together.
Engineering check-in
Feasibility and quality stay aligned before, during, and after design.
A critique loop that ends in a decision and a written follow-up.
Lead with questions
When a designer shows me work, I start with questions: what were you trying to achieve, what did you consider, what worries you most? Questions help people find the gaps themselves, which builds judgment faster than pointing at mistakes. I save direct feedback for the moments it is needed, and I keep it specific and kind.
Make critique a habit
A regular critique gives the team a safe place to share early work. The presenter names the problem and who it is for, the group asks questions before offering opinions, and we end with one decision and one owner. Over time, people start asking those questions of their own work.
Questions, not verdicts
Critique board
Design under review
Draft 2
Shared early, before the details are polished.
1
What problem is this solving, and for whom?
2
What else did you consider, and why not that?
3
What would make you change your mind?
4
What are you least sure about?
Decision
Go with option B. Owner: the designer. Written follow-up by Friday.
Questions first, then one decision and one owner.
Grow people on purpose
I keep a simple growth plan for each designer: where they are now, where they want to be, and the next skill that gets them there. We revisit it often, and I match stretch work to the plan. Coaching, co-design sessions, and good examples do more than any checklist.
A growth plan, kept simple
Sample plan
Skill
Progress
Next stretch work
Systems thinking
Lead a component audit
Craft and detail
Own a design QA pass
Working with others
Run a cross-team review
Influence
Present a proposal to leadership
Where they are now
Next step
Later
A sample plan: current level, next step, and the stretch work to get there.
Give the work a rhythm
A predictable weekly rhythm protects focus and keeps everyone in the loop: critique, a review with product and engineering, a check-in on feasibility, and time to work without meetings. People know when decisions get made and where to bring questions.
A rhythm that protects focus
Sample week
Mon
Team critique
Focus time
Tue
Design review with product and engineering
Focus time
Wed
1:1 conversations
Focus time
Thu
Engineering check-in
Focus time
Fri
Show and tell
Written follow-ups
Critique and check-ins
Cross-team review
People time
Focus
A sample week, with focus time protected.
Write decisions down
After a review I send a short written follow-up with what we decided, who owns it, and what comes next. It keeps shared decisions shared, and it gives everyone, including people who were not in the room, the same picture.
A team grows when it can ask better questions
Next article
A shared language →
Product design leader. Design functions,
systems, and products for complex SaaS.
Case Studies
Web design system
Native design system
Unified Inbox
AI capability
About
About
How I Work
Résumé
Contact
aln.dohotaru@gmail.com
© 2026 Alina Dohotaru
Visuals are original illustrations and do not depict proprietary product screens.
Leading a team
Raising the bar, together
How I lead through questions, critique, and shared decisions.
Topic
Leading a team
Reading time
3 minutes
Covers
Critique, growth, rhythm
Visuals
Original illustrations
How a critique runs
1
Share context
The designer states the problem and who it is for.
→
2
Questions first
The team asks before giving opinions.
→
3
Options
Two or three directions are explored out loud.
→
4
Decide and assign
One decision, one owner.
→
5
Written follow-up
A short note captures what was decided.
Where it happens
Team critique
Designers share work early and learn from each other.
Cross-functional design review
Product, engineering, and sometimes clients decide together.
Engineering check-in
Feasibility and quality stay aligned before, during, and after design.
A critique loop that ends in a decision and a written follow-up.
Lead with questions
When a designer shows me work, I start with questions: what were you trying to achieve, what did you consider, what worries you most? Questions help people find the gaps themselves, which builds judgment faster than pointing at mistakes. I save direct feedback for the moments it is needed, and I keep it specific and kind.
Make critique a habit
A regular critique gives the team a safe place to share early work. The presenter names the problem and who it is for, the group asks questions before offering opinions, and we end with one decision and one owner. Over time, people start asking those questions of their own work.
Questions, not verdicts
Critique board
Design under review
Draft 2
Shared early, before the details are polished.
1
What problem is this solving, and for whom?
2
What else did you consider, and why not that?
3
What would make you change your mind?
4
What are you least sure about?
Decision
Go with option B. Owner: the designer. Written follow-up by Friday.
Questions first, then one decision and one owner.
Grow people on purpose
I keep a simple growth plan for each designer: where they are now, where they want to be, and the next skill that gets them there. We revisit it often, and I match stretch work to the plan. Coaching, co-design sessions, and good examples do more than any checklist.
A growth plan, kept simple
Sample plan
Skill
Progress
Next stretch work
Systems thinking
Lead a component audit
Craft and detail
Own a design QA pass
Working with others
Run a cross-team review
Influence
Present a proposal to leadership
Where they are now
Next step
Later
A sample plan: current level, next step, and the stretch work to get there.
Give the work a rhythm
A predictable weekly rhythm protects focus and keeps everyone in the loop: critique, a review with product and engineering, a check-in on feasibility, and time to work without meetings. People know when decisions get made and where to bring questions.
A rhythm that protects focus
Sample week
Mon
Team critique
Focus time
Tue
Design review with product and engineering
Focus time
Wed
1:1 conversations
Focus time
Thu
Engineering check-in
Focus time
Fri
Show and tell
Written follow-ups
Critique and check-ins
Cross-team review
People time
Focus
A sample week, with focus time protected.
Write decisions down
After a review I send a short written follow-up with what we decided, who owns it, and what comes next. It keeps shared decisions shared, and it gives everyone, including people who were not in the room, the same picture.
A team grows when it can ask better questions
Next article
A shared language →
Product design leader. Design functions,
systems, and products for complex SaaS.
Case Studies
Web design system
Native design system
Unified Inbox
AI capability
About
About
How I Work
Résumé
Contact
aln.dohotaru@gmail.com
© 2026 Alina Dohotaru
Visuals are original illustrations and do not depict proprietary product screens.
Leading a team
Raising the bar, together
How I lead through questions, critique, and shared decisions.
Topic
Leading a team
Reading time
3 minutes
Covers
Critique, growth, rhythm
Visuals
Original illustrations
How a critique runs
1
Share context
The designer states the problem and who it is for.
→
2
Questions first
The team asks before giving opinions.
→
3
Options
Two or three directions are explored out loud.
→
4
Decide and assign
One decision, one owner.
→
5
Written follow-up
A short note captures what was decided.
Where it happens
Team critique
Designers share work early and learn from each other.
Cross-functional design review
Product, engineering, and sometimes clients decide together.
Engineering check-in
Feasibility and quality stay aligned before, during, and after design.
A critique loop that ends in a decision and a written follow-up.
Lead with questions
When a designer shows me work, I start with questions: what were you trying to achieve, what did you consider, what worries you most? Questions help people find the gaps themselves, which builds judgment faster than pointing at mistakes. I save direct feedback for the moments it is needed, and I keep it specific and kind.
Make critique a habit
A regular critique gives the team a safe place to share early work. The presenter names the problem and who it is for, the group asks questions before offering opinions, and we end with one decision and one owner. Over time, people start asking those questions of their own work.
Questions, not verdicts
Critique board
Design under review
Draft 2
Shared early, before the details are polished.
1
What problem is this solving, and for whom?
2
What else did you consider, and why not that?
3
What would make you change your mind?
4
What are you least sure about?
Decision
Go with option B. Owner: the designer. Written follow-up by Friday.
Questions first, then one decision and one owner.
Grow people on purpose
I keep a simple growth plan for each designer: where they are now, where they want to be, and the next skill that gets them there. We revisit it often, and I match stretch work to the plan. Coaching, co-design sessions, and good examples do more than any checklist.
A growth plan, kept simple
Sample plan
Skill
Progress
Next stretch work
Systems thinking
Lead a component audit
Craft and detail
Own a design QA pass
Working with others
Run a cross-team review
Influence
Present a proposal to leadership
Where they are now
Next step
Later
A sample plan: current level, next step, and the stretch work to get there.
Give the work a rhythm
A predictable weekly rhythm protects focus and keeps everyone in the loop: critique, a review with product and engineering, a check-in on feasibility, and time to work without meetings. People know when decisions get made and where to bring questions.
A rhythm that protects focus
Sample week
Mon
Team critique
Focus time
Tue
Design review with product and engineering
Focus time
Wed
1:1 conversations
Focus time
Thu
Engineering check-in
Focus time
Fri
Show and tell
Written follow-ups
Critique and check-ins
Cross-team review
People time
Focus
A sample week, with focus time protected.
Write decisions down
After a review I send a short written follow-up with what we decided, who owns it, and what comes next. It keeps shared decisions shared, and it gives everyone, including people who were not in the room, the same picture.
A team grows when it can ask better questions
Next article
A shared language →
Product design leader. Design functions,
systems, and products for complex SaaS.
Case Studies
Web design system
Native design system
Unified Inbox
AI capability
About
About
How I Work
Résumé
Contact
aln.dohotaru@gmail.com
© 2026 Alina Dohotaru
Visuals are original illustrations and do not depict proprietary product screens.