This design manager's team doesn't know it yet, but a major shakeup is coming

A few folks reached out after my last post and over the weekend I caught up with three of them to record the conversations.

One was a design manager I've known for years - their situation is tough but they agreed to share anonymously.

Here's our conversation, edited for clarity:

Me: So, what's going on?

DM: It's not good. Execs are planning to offshore half our design team and they're talking a lot about AI. They're looking at examples like Intuit, where they laid off a bunch of people citing skill gaps, saying they'll rehire next year with folks who are "better prepared for AI."

Me: But that's not really the case here, is it?

DM: No, it's cost-cutting, plain and simple. They're targeting a 40% reduction in design spend. But they're using this AI and "skill gap" narrative to make it sound strategic.

Me: How's the team taking it?

DM: They don't know yet. That's what's killing me. I'm sitting on this info, watching them work, knowing half of them will be gone in the next 6-12 months. Or sooner.

Me: Why haven't you told them?

DM: I've been ordered not to. They want a "controlled rollout of information." Corporate speak for blindsiding people.

Me: That's rough. What are your options?

DM: Honestly? They're all bad. I push back, I'm labeled difficult and probably first on the chopping block. I go along with it, I'm betraying my team and everything I believe about good design.

Me: Could you look for another job?

DM: In this market? Design management roles are scarce. I know people who've been looking for 6, 8 months. And I've got a mortgage, two kids in school. I can't risk it.

Me: What about the AI aspect? Is it really ready to replace designers?

DM: Not even close. Of course execs are excited about it, but they don't really understand it. They saw a bunch of demo's and suddenly think AI can do everything. Some roles might be impacted, but it's more about the promise of AI than its current capabilities. They don't understand the nuance, the user research, the iterative process.

Me: So what's your plan?

DM: I'm working on a counterproposal. A phased approach, starting with 20% offshoring and gradual AI integration. Keeping core design functions in-house and supercharging ourselves with AI. Or at least going deep on the possibilities so I can share a really well balanced nuanced perspective.

Me: Think it'll work?

DM: Probably not. But I have to try because this move will tank our UX. If it fails, I'm considering talking to the product team.

Me: How do you think that conversation would go?

DM: That's the thing - I don't know if they're even aware of these decisions. I have good relationships there, but we've never shared this level of confidential info before. There's always so much backchanneling in the company, I feel stuck.

Me: It's a tricky situation. How would you approach that conversation?

DM: That's what I'm struggling with. Do I risk saying something? If they don't know, I could be breaking trust with leadership. If they do know and haven't told me, that's a whole other issue. Plus, there's always the chance it could get back to management that I've been talking. I feel like I'm walking on eggshells.

I'm really torn between standing for something and it costing my job.

Me: What's your worst fear in all this?

DM: That we'll ship a product that hurts our users. We're in an industry where bad design doesn't just mean a drop in metrics.

Me: And best case scenario?

DM: I negotiate a slower transition. Keep most of the team. Actually get the chance to train them in AI tools so they're augmenting their skills, not being replaced because that's what we actually should be doing.

But it feels like a long shot. In the meantime I'm gently nudging everyone to upskill, even if it's outside of work.

Me: This is a lot to deal with. How are you holding up?

DM: Barely sleeping. Can't focus. My own work is suffering, which makes me an easier target. It's a vicious cycle.

Me: Thanks for sharing this. It's important for people to know what's really happening out there.

DM: Thanks for listening. There's so few people I can talk to about this. I know you hear this all the time but management books do not prepare you for situations like this. I hope me sharing this with you will get some other folks thinking about their own situation and that they are not alone.

This is the reality of design leadership in 2024. Caught between ethics, business pressures, and personal survival.

It's one thing to read about industry changes. It's another to hear it from someone you know, someone losing sleep over it.

This isn't just about design or AI or offshoring. It's about people. About the gap between boardroom decisions and real-world impact.

I keep thinking: How many other managers are in this spot right now? Keeping secrets they hate, fearing for their teams, their own jobs?

There's no easy answer here but talking about it feels important. Not to spread fear, but to spark honest conversations about where we're headed and how we navigate it.

If you're in a similar position, know you're not alone. And if you're not, consider reaching out to a colleague. They might need someone to talk to more than you know.

What's your take on this? Have you been on either side of a situation like this?