LEVEL 0

Experience Designer

ROLE HANDS-ON MAKER, WITH LITTLE TO

NO PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE.

Executes tasks and follows instruction to

deliver thoughtful user experiences.

Needs guidance through the desgin

CRAFT HAS RAW SKILLS DESIGN SKILLS;
process.
DEVELOPING PRODUCT DELIVERY
SKILLS.

Keen understanding of design tools,

processes and methods through
eduction.
LEADERSHIP REQUIRES OVERSIGHT
With little to no professional experience,
RESPONSIBILITY Contributes
SPECIFIC to projects
they lack knowledge
DESIGN TASKS with
of the
WITHregular
true product
A
oversight
CLEARLY and
design process direction.
and need
DEFINED SCOPE coaching
through the process.-
PEOPLE Receives guidance and direction from
MANAGEMENT more senior-level designers.

Executes their projects and other well-

defined tasks on time. Is self-motivated
and delivers on projects even if they
COLLABORATION & aren't the most exciting.
COMMUNICATES WELL WITH TEAM
COMMUNICATION Basic understanding
PARTICIPATES of the
IN DESIGN business
CULTURE and
CULTURE Makes connections with team members
product areas.
(design and Demonstrates
project). Active listener.
understanding
Participates
Takes feedback
Seeks, accepts ofincredibly
in and mission
crits,
applies and
stand-up goals.
and
well, askteam
feedback, meetings.
early and often.
GROWTH
questions
Looks and seeks to learn.
for growth/learning opportunities in and outside of work.
EMPATHY Always puts the customer first. Sees their work through the customer lens. Validates their as
Seeks to understand unmet customer needs even when it doesn't relate to the current roadm
OUTPUT Delivers mocksdescribes
•This document and assets thein a timely
most manner,
important with understanding
skills/responsibilities of anof user needs.
Experience
Designers that Airbnb values most. It is not meant to be an exhaustive list of checkboxes to
evaluate Designers or to qualify them for promotion.

•Skills/responsibilities listed at a particular level apply to all subsequent higher levels but
with higher expectations. At times you will see skills listed under one level that are not
repeated under higher levels. This does not mean that we do not expect those skills at higher
levels of seniority.

•This is a living document and will evolve and change as the needs of the business change.
 LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2

Experience Designer Experience Designer

HANDS-ON MAKER, WITH SOME HANDS-ON MAKER WITH SOME

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE. EXPERTISE AND OWNERSHIP OF
PROJECTS.
Executes tasks and follows instruction to
deliver thoughtful user experiences. Owns a project of a small to medium scale
from research to production.
Partners with more senior designers to
HAS RAW
deliver SKILLS
design AND
work IS GROWING
from concept to QA. EXPERIENCED CRAFSTMAN,
Partners with producers, DEVELOPING
engineers and
DEPTH/BREADTH AND INTUITION. INTUITION.
researchers to understand the challenge
and develop feasible and meaningful design
Keen understanding of design tools, Has intuition for the right design solution
solutions.
processes and methods. and consistently has successful design
reviews where
May mentor work is understood as "on
interns.
Close attention to detail and quality. track."
REQUIRES SOME OVERSIGHT REQUIRES LITTLE OVERSIGHT
Leverages practical knowledge of Airbnb Thoughtfully considers the user's journey
Advances
styles and
BROAD projects
product
DESIGN with infrequent
guidelines.
TASKS WITH A CLEARLY Owns projects
surrounding
END-TO-END from
the end-to-end
focus
PROJECTS of WITH Awith
the design some
DEFINED
oversight and
DEFINED SCOPE direction. oversight.
challenge.
SCOPE
- -
Receives some guidance and direction from Mastery
Managesof Airbnb
time styles and
effectively and guidelines.
can accurately
senior-level designers. scope their time.

Works to understand the business, ueser Considers long-term impacts of design

and technology considerations related to work.
their project area.
COMMUNICATES WELL WITH BROADER Understands
PARTNERS WITH company vernacular.
PRODUCT TEAMS Familiar
TEAM with user data in project focus area.
LTURE ADDS
BuildsTO DESIGN
alliances CULTURE
and strong relationships
Strong rapport with team and actively Can
witheffectively
teammateshandle some amount
throughout product of
and team meetings.
dback, earlyparticipates
and often. as a team member. ambiguity.
Shares ideas on how to improve cultureand
(engineers, producers, insights, A-team and
portunities in and outside of work. share-knowledge.
design).
t. Sees their work through the customer lens. Validates their assumptions with data and user research. Does whatever it takes to sha
ustomer needs even when it doesn't relate to the current roadmap.
Actively participates
Collaborates in building
effectively the
with their team
product
aost
timely manner, with understanding and culture.
team andsimple,Helps
manager. with recruiting events,
important skills/responsibilities of anof user needs.
Experience Delivers
assists
comprehensive design
in evangelizing
st. It is not meant to be an exhaustive list of checkboxes to solutions based on the brand
clearlyand culture
defined Brief
externally.
(may be just screens, as opposed to flows).
hem for promotion.

a particular level apply to all subsequent higher levels but

s you will see skills listed under one level that are not
s does not mean that we do not expect those skills at higher

ill evolve and change as the needs of the business change.

 LEVEL 3

Experience Designer

HANDS-ON LEADER OF PROJECTS AND

TEAMS.

Leads outcomes or projects of medium to

large scale from resarch to production. Sets
the vision for the user experience.
EXPERIENCED
Scopes project work CRAFTSMAN WITH with
(in partnership
KNOWLEDGE
producers andOF BEST PRACTICES.
engineers) and helps define
the design process and timeline.
Exhibits excellence in design work and
knowledge
Mentors junior of best practices.
or new Has thoughtful
team members.
rationale (regarding user, business or tech)
for all design decisions.
SELF-SUFFICIENT, GUIDES OTHERS.
Helps unite team members on related
Leads
projects projects
END-TO-END or small
to ensure scale
consistency,
PROJECTS outcomes.
making sure
& OUTCOMES,
Provides
they’re TO
HELPS guidance
cohesive
DEFINE andand direction
standardized.
SCOPE to team
members regarding process and execution.
-
Understands
Takes initiative andtoupholds Airbnb'sproblems
solve necessary brand
design language
without system and helps to evolve
instruction.
the language with suggestions of new styles.
Thinks through long-term impact of design,
creates extensible design solutions and
helps to define roadmap.
COLLABORATES WITH PARTNER TEAMS
Has a track
OUTSIDE OFrecord
PRODUCT of delivering on goals
and multiple
PLAYS A LEAD projects
ROLE IN simultaneously
SHAPING CULTUREacross
aExercises
quarter. collaborative relationships across
Leads workshops
all disciplines and presentations
to influence and shapeto
Deep
share understanding of
product direction or project and
knowledge with user
team business
advance
success.
ser research.learning
Does whatever
needs project it takes
in opportunities.
focus to sharpen their empathy.
area.
Has strong written and verbal
Demonstrated
Participates
communication
Delivers in ability
interviews
high-quality to deal
andwith
Excellent provides
skills.beginning-to-end
storyteller.
ambiguity.
feedback
Communicates
solutions in a timely and thoughtful
goals, approachofand
with understanding userway.
and
tradeoffs needs.
business clearly. Good listener. Takes
Is the go-to
Helps forapplies
to elevate
feedback and engineers
the voice and producers
of desgin
it thoughtfully. on
on the
their project(s)
product team.
Stands ground for our users when needed.
Builds alliances with partners outside
product, including Art Department,
Marketing, CX, etc.
 LEVEL 4

Design Mngr or Principal

PRINCIPAL

HANDS-ON
EXPERT CREATIVE
IN CRAFT, LEADER
PROCESS ANDAND MENTOR WITH DEEP SUBJECT
PEOPLE. DESIGN MANAGER
MATTER EXPERTISE.
Leads teams to deliver high-quality beginning-to-end solutions with
A user-first
aLESS
process
HANDS-ON
expert. CREATIVE
Leads
approach andmultiple
LEADER
keen projects
AND
business and/or
MANAGER.
sense. strategic
outcomes. Helps define strategy, objectives and sets the vision for
the
A process
useratexperience
expert. Leads
across
multiple
their projects/teams.
projects PRINCIPAL
Skilled coaching and mentorship to helpand/or strategic
individuals navigate
outcomes. Helps define strategy, objectives and sets the vision
difficult situations and grow professionally. Able to bring for in
the best
EXPERT
Responsible
the
people IN CRAFT
userout.
experience AND
for advancingPROCESS.
across craft
theiron
projects/teams.
their teams. DESIGN MANAGER
Master of at least
As an excellent one discipline
mentor and coach,(interaction,
manages 1-3visual or service
people.
design). On top of trends and best practices.

Defines
LEADERand OF Aevangelizes Airbnb's design language system
TEAM OR OUTCOME.
throughout the organization.
Defines
RESONSIBLE the design
FOR THE process
TEAM andAND
can STRATEGIC
lead others through
OUTCOME it. Can
Ensures consistency
accurately scope their across
workaasvariety
well asoftheir
products and platforms in
teammate's.
the end-to-end
Responsible foruser
the experience.
work of other designers on their project. Canand PRINCIPAL
Ensures all their projects meet business, brand and user needs,
effortlessly
are properly motivate and drive small
- to medium teams to transform
aHas excellentsupported
product. judgment,from a tech and
impeccable tasteasset
and persceptive prior to
a positive reputation
desgin reviews and production. Responsible
for quality amongst peers. Provides great critique. for the effeciancy and
effectiveness of the design work. DESIGN MANAGER
Ensures the team is always heard and feels collective ownership of
the outcome.
MANAGES
Deeply 1-3Puts theAirbnb's
DESIGNERS
understand's team over self. Design work always
business.
supports interantionalization, business strategy and user needs.
Actively
Effectivelyseeks out waysinspires
challenges, to reduce
andredundancy.
manages direct reports. Is held
FACILITATES ALIGNMENT AMONG TEAMS/PEOPLE
accountable for
Understands tradeoffs.their engagement. Manages performance of direct
Demonstrates
reports.
BUILDS THE the ability to balance proactive and reactive work.
TEAM
Consults stakeholders across Airbnb. Faciliates the alignment of
Comfortable
related with
teams/people ambiquity.
and manages expectations effortlessly.
Has great
Demonstrates
Heavily taste,that
judgment
participates they and
can an opinion
remove
in attracting, (able
roadblocks
hiring and to
forcorrect
trainingtheir it based on
top reports.
Design
new information)
Partners
talent. with producers to define objectives as well as project
Proactively seeks to collaborate and communicate with appropriate
Ability
en their empathy.
scope and
leaders to
ininspire and close
priorities.
the company andcandidates.
ensures that no one is taken by surprise
Encourages
their decisions.particpation in team events and seeks ways to improve
Is
anddriven and
increase takes accountability
engagement.
Delivers comprehensive Creates for
end-to-end achieving
anproduct
environmenthigh-level
where
solutions (e.g.,key
creativity
metrics
flourishes.
throughtfuland
Voices opinion user
flows, experience
to other leaders
not just measures.
clearly
screens). but canrecommendations
Provides also commit to for
decisions they
long-term may disagree
and near-term with.
solutions.
Identifies ways to improve bond with our partners (Art Department,
Marketing, etc).
Includes frameworks and flow diagrams to explain and validate
holistic design solution.
Helps to elevate the voice of the design in the company.
 LEVEL 5

Design Mngr or Principal

PRINCIPAL

HANDS-ON CREATIVE LEADER

DESIGNAND MENTOR WITH DEEP SUBJECT
MANAGER
MATTER EXPERTISE AND BROAD INFLUENCE.

Leads strategic
HANDS-OFF CREATIVE
outcomes
LEADER
and/orAND
heads
MANAGER.
a desgin expert group.

Leads
Sets the
strategic
vision for
outcomes PRINCIPAL
the end-to-end
and/or heads
user experience
a design expert
in their
group.
design
expert group.
SEASONED
Is regarded EXPERT IN CRAFT
as a mentor, leader,AND
DESIGN and PROCESS.
coach across Airbnb.
MANAGER
Is regarded as a mentor, leader, and coach across Airbnb.
Exercises
Manages 3-6Airbnb's
people.brand values and design guidlines while leading
their team to
SEASONED EXPERT
evolve IN
theCRAFT,
brand language
PROCESSover
ANDtime.
PEOPLE.

Has
Teaches
greatdesign
LEADER OFbreadth expertise
OUTCOMESin their to
ORskillset
othersand
EXPERT across
knows
GROUPS the about
organization.
adjacent areas
to their core product.
Leads large scale
RESPONSIBLE FOR outcomes
THE EXPERTand design
GROUP, expert groups. Inspires their
OR OUTCOMES
team by example and vision. Can plan for launches or milestones a
year out. of an Expert Group,PRINCIPAL
As owner responsible for all screens associated
with the journey and the consistency - and quality of the experiece
Anticipates
across them.areas of risk. Has developed a 6th sense for project
DESIGN MANAGER
direction, planning and dependencies. Quick to recognize when a
team is going off course and flag
Aligns resources to key company and product or correct it. priorities.
SEASONED MANAGER OF 3-6 DESIGNERS
Completely
Contributes owns andscale
to large takes responsibility
strategic for their
initiatives area shape
and helps of the
product
Proven
future without excuses.
abilityThought-partner
vision. to This
be a strong and includes
toinspiringany
product and UX bugs,
manager. CX issues, or
Cultivates an
engineering
HELPS
usabilitySHAPE COLLABORATION
problems related to their STRUCTURES
product.
enviornment
leadership. of high engagement where their reports feel like they
have an appropriate
ADVANCES
Described asTHE TEAM
highly level of autonomy and ownership. Their
collaborative.
Consistently
reports
Thrives are creates
continuously
in ambiguity. timedeveloping
and space to andmake
are the producttheir
increasing better,
own
even
levelswhen it isn't an explicit goal.
Works globally to reduce silos, and pushes back against local people
over
Evangelizes time.
brand On their
and own,
culture swiftly
outside identifies
of the and
company resolves
(e.g, writes
management
and/or speaksissues.
optimization. at public events). Thought leader within and outside
of Airbnb. Is considered an influencer within the Airbnb community.
Assesses
Communicatesthe ROI of resource
with team, peersallocation against perspective
and colleagues projects,
early and often, and
and makes the
leads meaningful
Leads right
a team through decision
discussions. for the company.
the completion of a comprehensive design
Sources,
solution, attracts and retains
with a clear near and key andterm
long senior talent.
plan, as well as
Has open, honest, and
recommendations constructive
for all conversations with employees/
affected entailments.
Proactively
teammates. builds hiring pipelines and is seeking the best
candidates.
Has been successful repeatedly in pushing the envelope and
Actively seeks
creating the bestto repair gaps for
experience in company-wide
our members. communication.
Bridges gaps with other Product teams.
 LEVEL 6

Design Mngr or Principal

LESS HANDS-ON CREATIVE LEADER AND MENTOR. MASTER OF

CRAFT WITH BROAD INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL INFLUENCE.

Leads strategic
HANDS-OFF CREATIVE
outcomes
LEADER
and/orAND
heads
MANAGER.
a desgin expert group.

Mentors
May headother
a design
creative
expert
leaders.
group or oversee other group leaders.
MASTER OF
6 orCRAFT.
Responsible
Manages for
more
defining
people,
craft
including
at Airbnb.
managers.
Seen
Worksasasa thought leader
a peer with at the
other forefront
senior leadersofto
the industry,
develop topwith great
talent and
depth.
ADVANCEDIs thein
participate LEADER
company's
OFplanning.
strategic resident
THE CREATIVE
expert in
PROCESS
their domain
AT AIRBNB.
area. People
seek this person for their guidance in their domain.
A KEY LEADER OF DESIGN AT AIRBNB.
Has developed a strong understanding of all aspects of the business.
Leads large-scale
RESPONSIBLE FORoutcomes or desgin
THE OVERALL expert OF
QUALITY groups.
DESIGN AND
FUNCTION OF THE TEAM
Ensures consistency and quality across every aspect of Airbnb's
service.
Responsible for design langauge system- of Airbnb.
Identifies talent
Shapes vision foracross
of theAirbnb, and
business. creates
Heavy small
focus strike teams
on long-term that
thinking
address
with keen knowledge of what's neccessary in the short term tokey
issues, or invent new solutions. Rallies others to solve
problems.
EXPERT MANAGER
deliver on the vision.OF LEADERS
Influences
Manages across
large theand
groups,company.
typically Can set structure of their team and
Defines
HELPS
subteams.
our
SHAPE process
ORG AND DEFINEincluding
methods. PROCESSES managers of others.
Grows managerial skills of others. Their reports demonstrate high
levels
DEFINES
Works ofclosely
engagement.
CULTURE
with
Puts company over leaders
team and inself.
eng and product to improve the
product design process, methods and output.
Auditsto
Helps current
defineemployee
culture onskillsets and manages
Airbnb design resource
team (e.g., allocation
creating
to best
learning support
opps, business
process andgoals. Works
methods across
for great teams to identify
engagement).
Rethinks how we collaborate as a company and structure teams.
opportunities to leveragelines
Creates communication the that
skillsdon't
of others.
exist. Breaks down
Helps to elevate the voice of design
communication and collaboration barriers. in the world.
Makes
Improves keydesign
hiringprocess
decisions fororganization
and a global workforce.
of teamsManages
to ensureattrition
the
and is meeting
Creates and
delivery candidates they
reorganizes teams
of comprehensive think
across
design they may hire in a year.
the world for more effective
solutions.
collaboration, communication, and outcomes.

Ability to communicate effectively with the entire company at any

level.
 LEVEL 0

Intern

Elmer is just out of college. He’s done an

EXAMPLE STORY internship before, but never held a full-
time job on a design team. He’s got great
raw visual design talent and even some
interaction design skills.

He’s joined Airbnb for an internship.

His current project is to audit both apps
and identify places where the icons
aren’t showing up appropriately. He
receives quite a bit of direction from a
more senior designer.
 LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2

Experience Designer Experience Designer

Elizabeth has worked at a design Edwin has several years of professional

consultancy for a few years. She has never experience, running his own company and
shipped product and hasn’t seen the end-to- shipping product.
end process. She’s got foundational skills,
great taste and is a good thinker. His current project is to drive adoption of
Instant Book, a part of the Magical Booking
Her current project is to redesign the outcome. He has partnered with a Producer
payments page to include additional and engineer to develop a plan of attack.
information, but yet make it look even They have a few hypotheses on how they
cleaner and more usable. might do this in the near and long term.

She is responsible for the flow from start to
finish, with guidance from a more senior
designer. She wireframes the design, mocks
up the visuals and sees it through
Production and Development.
Edwin owns the project from start to finish,
with some guidance from a more senior
designer. When their tests don’t work,
Samuel and his team figure out why and
make changes. He creates flow diagrams,
wireframes, visual comps and sees all
iterations through production and
development.
 LEVEL 3

Experience Designer

Erica is advanced in her career. She was a

leader in her previous job where she was
responsible for several products.

She is now leading the Business Travel

Outcome and all the related projects. She is
hands-on with one project and partners
with the lead producer and Eng Manager to
strategize and define objectives for other
projects. There are two other designers
working with her on these and she provides
them guidance, but she is not their
manager.

She is responsible for the quality and

timeliness of the work related to this
outcome.

She’s an avid writer and public speaker. She

spoke at SXSW last month about enabling
offline experiences.
 LEVEL 4

Design Mngr or Principal

PRINCIPAL
Paul is an expert in Experience Design, with a deep knowledge in
Visual Design. His work is always of the highest quality, he is skilled DESIGN MANAGER
at leading design projects, and he’s an excellent mentor for young
designers.
Marcus is an expert Experience Designer and has an excellent track
record leading teams. His team’s work is always of the highest
He is now
quality. Heleading
is skilled
theatUnified
scoping,
Design
project-planning
Outcome. Heand
is the
stakeholder
lead
designer on one of the larger projects in this outcome and is
management.
responsible for the design output. He is also providing guidance to
theis
He Production
now leading team
theand
Host
the
Success
other designers
and Host Services
workingOutcomes.
on this
outcome.
There are two other designers working with him on these and he
provides them with guidance on their project work.

Marcus is also a Manager of three designers—one is on his team, but

the others are working on different projects. It’s his responsibility to
know how they’re doing and provide feedback and professional
guidance.
 LEVEL 5

Design Mngr or Principal

PRINCIPAL
Pamela is an seasoned expert in Experience Design and is thought-
leader in Visual Design and Brand.
DESIGN MANAGER
Mindy
She is currently
is an experienced
leading the
manager
PlatformandExperience
design leader.
Group.
SheShehasisa
responsible
proven ability
fortothe
manage
consistency
multiple
andprojects
quality and
across
teams
all of
atour
once, as
platforms
well as improve
(web, engagement
app and email).
andShe
performance
provides guidance
of her reports.
to all
outcomes related to this Group, like the Unified Design Outcome
being
She is led
currently
by Paul.leading the Guest Experience Group. She is
responsible for the end-to-end Guest Experience. She is the go-to
Pamela for
person is hands-on
all thingsand
Guest
is currently
and provides
owning
guidance
the design
to all of
outcomes
a new
global marketing
related to this Group,
campaign
like Magical
that is Trips,
deeplyMagical
integrated
Booking
into the
anddigital
Trust
product Experience. She helped build the concept, vision and
2.0.
strategy, and is now executing the design.
She is currently managing five designers across different teams, and
is helping to set up a new recruiting strategy.
 LEVEL 6

Design Mngr or Principal

Peter is the best in the biz. He is a master of Interaction, Service and

Visual Design.

Miles
He is co-leading
is an accomplished
the Experience
managerDesign
and design
team and
leader.
is responsible
He has helped
for
the excellence
established better
of craft
systems
at Airbnb.
and processes, and elevated the
performance and craft of the design team at Airbnb.
He often represents the team publicly and is an excellent recruiter,
bringing
He is co-leading
in top-talent
the Experience
and is playing
Design
a huge
Teampart
andinisdeveloping
managing the
team.
Principle Designers and Design Managers.

He often
just wrote
represents
a bookthe
called
teamThe
publicly
Evolution
and of
is an
Craft,
excellent
and is up
recruiter,
for an
award at in
bringing thetop-talent
school heand
teaches
is playing
at. a huge part in developing the
team.

He just gave a TED talk about building a global design team, and he
got a standing ovation.