Systems-Based Design Directorship

A Blueprint for Leaders in UX

Join us for a webinar hosted by Alex M. Chong on

Wednesday, September 10th 2025, at 12pm EST.

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About This Webinar

Many design leaders pursue directorship as a natural next step, but once they arrive, they find the role far more ambiguous than expected. Without clear models, they often default to project management, team oversight, or hands-on contribution. But true directorship isn’t about status or proximity to output — it’s about shaping the system that makes great design possible.


In this webinar, we’ll reframe the Director of Design as a discipline owner and practice architect — someone who leads through principles, not control. We’ll explore the difference between leading people and leading the conditions in which people thrive, and we’ll show how seasoned ICs and managers can apply their own design instincts to structure culture, elevate craft, and build collaborative alignment across functions.

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What You'll Walk Away Learning:

  • The difference between a Lead IC, a Manager, and a Director, and how each impacts the practice
  • Why systems thinking is core to healthy design leadership (and how to apply it)
  • How to move from managing individuals to designing the practice itself
  • How to partner across disciplines by aligning systems, not just deliverables
  • Patterns that signal when you’re stuck in execution or delegation — and how to shift toward stewardship

Meet the Speaker

Alex M. Chong is a design leader and product strategist & coach that specializes in complex problems that exist outside of typical processes or frameworks. Applying systems thinking to map complex informational environments, he works across the entire product/service lifecycle from research and prototyping, to optimization & delivery, for consumer and enterprise-grade interactive experiences.

Leveraging a blended approach between design and product management, Alex has been designing, strategizing and coaching startups to Fortune 500 companies over the last 12+ years; managing, coaching, and building teams that deliver complex product and service offerings. Alex is a strong leader, mentor, coach and educator who inspires organizations, teams and individuals to produce their best work.

Lead With Intention