Designing a professional network for the future of work
Summary
The Dots built an inclusive professional network to connect members with collaborators, advice, and job opportunities while helping companies discover creative talent. I led product and brand design, established the design and research team from zero, and shaped the user experience. This work scaled the community to 750,000 members and 20,000 corporate brands.
Date: Sep 2017—Sep 2019
Role: Founding Head of Product Design & Brand
0→1
Outcomes & Key Results
Expanded the community to 750,000 members and 20,000 brands.
Increased daily active users by 131%.
Increased user engagement by 25x through product features and integrated brand communications.
Launched the iOS app in 3 months.
Follow creative professionals in a visual feed, explore full-screen project stories, view portfolio profiles, and search a job board with one-tap save and apply.
Pick your top skills, tag collaborators, and publish case studies with media tools and drafts. Stay connected through notifications and messages.
Our app store marketing focused on claiming credit for projects you worked on, browsing a feed of work and the teams behind it, following and messaging creatives, and applying for jobs at leading brands.
What I did
Defined the product experience: Designed how members discovered employment, found collaborators, built communities, and connected with brands.
Connected product and brand design: Aligned product innovation with brand strategy and cross-channel communications as the platform scaled.
Established the design function: Recruited and led an 4-person team, establishing operational processes and design quality standards.
What I learned
A professional network delivers value when it helps users build real connections rather than self-promote. Strategic product decisions connected members, collaborators, and companies effectively. A strong brand identity gave the community an inclusive human alternative to traditional professional platforms.