Design in Microsoft
Is Microsoft a good place for designers? Do you think they are placed equally as other engineering or PM counterparts? No senior leadership talks about design, no one in senior leadership is from design background. Do you think Microsoft is design driven in any product?
From what I understand, PM has most of the control. I’ve been really interested in MSFT but none of the designers I know there have strongly recommended it. That sad—MSFT has a good aesthetic, they have an ethos behind what they’re doing, much of the work at least looks really good, though there are plenty of inconsistencies. What are you looking for? What are you doing now, what do you want to do?
I get the feeling that most designers in tech are here because they concluded that the design industry as it stands today might not be the best place for designers.
If you want to take on big challenges and make an impact, tech is the place to do it. Design agencies are fun, but there’s a severe limit to their influence on anything aside from aesthetics.
Lol right. If by 'big challenges and impact' you mean 'significantly larger paychecks and future prospects for the same amount of work' then I'm right there with you!
Depend upon the org/team. In my org, design folks have equal say in any work - as in designers are part of any discussion PM's + Engineers are having.
What org? Maybe I should transfer there ;)
Same as beermaster. My division relies heavily on designers. They are not managed by PM but by design managers. We have a couple that work with my group who are good although pretty young. Their managers are principal level.
Any updates OP? How’s design at Microsoft? I’m looking into it..
Worst place I ever worked. Don't do design at Microsoft you'll regret it.
Sorry to hear. Hope it works out.
I like working at Microsoft. I get to do a lot if D&I initiatives, which I love. It is definitely not easy as a designer. At least in my org, I have to educate engineers on the value of design continuously and push for a design process. However, it does bring a lot if character skills and a lot if influencing skills.
Think this depends on the team. Though I must say the PM org basically runs design from my experience.