The matrix is easiest to read as two segments: a shared base, then forked tracks.
Level Verb IC Title Management Theme · Scope AI Upstream path Downstream path 1 Follow Associate IC only (pre-branch) Craft, professionalism. Portfolio built; little shipped work. Function-level problems. Augments craft tasks Building research habits Building prototyping habits 2 Assist Senior IC only (pre-branch) Communication, craft. Shipped across multiple product areas. Reliable and consistent delivery. Accelerates iteration Conducting research; synthesising insights High-fidelity prototyping; component thinking 3 ★ Apply Lead › Manager Branch decision. Pivot to people leadership. Depth, cross-functional leadership. Owns a discipline. Branch here. Co-creates solutions Behavioural analysis; hypothesis framing Front-end exploration; design system contributions 4 Enable Staff Sr ManagerManages 2–4 managers (15–30 designers). Programme-level thinking. Programmes not projects. Deep in 2 skills. Design Strategist or Experience Engineer emerges. Orchestrates AI at system level Strategist: data fluency, psychology, upstream influenceEngineer: UX engineering, code-level craft5 Ensure Principal VP of DesignManages managers. Org-wide leadership. Breadth, thought leadership. New patterns and practices. Shapes org process. Governs AI across the function Defines strategy methodology; shapes the org’s upstream process Defines design-engineering standards; influences product architecture 6 Direct & Advise Advisor SVP / CDORecruiting culture. Company-level accountability. Industry-defining. Identifies new value. Attracts talent. Promotes externally. Sets AI ethics + policy Shapes industry discourse on strategic design Shapes industry discourse on design engineering
The verb column is borrowed. Follow, Assist, Apply, Enable and Ensure are the first five levels of responsibility in SFIA, the Skills Framework for the Information Age, which has set out generic responsibility levels for technology roles since the early 2000s. SFIA pairs Ensure with advise at its fifth level. H3 splits the pair, keeping Ensure for level 5 and giving advice its own place at level 6 as Direct & Advise. What H3 adds is the design content in the other columns.
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