How I lead: Process, transparency, and a healthy respect for documentation
I learned leadership in professional kitchens, where clear communication and repeatable systems meant the difference between a smooth service and total chaos. That ethos carried into every web team I've led: invest in process, document decisions, and empower people to do their best work.
Core leadership principles
Process over heroics
Sustainable velocity comes from repeatable workflows, not last-minute saves. I invest in automation, documentation, and QA checklists so teams can ship confidently without burnout.
Transparency builds trust
Weekly syncs, shared roadmaps, and async Loom updates keep everyone aligned. Surprises are fun at birthday parties, not during product launches.
Document decisions
Architecture decision records, design system rationale, and handoff guides preserve institutional knowledge. Teams should never wonder "why did we build it this way?"
Ship small, ship often
Feature flags, incremental releases, and phased rollouts reduce risk and create feedback loops. Big-bang launches are recipes for chaos.
Accessibility is non-negotiable
WCAG AA compliance is a baseline requirement, not a nice-to-have. Inclusive design makes products better for everyone, not just users with disabilities.
Empower, then delegate
I provide context, constraints, and examples, then trust teams to execute. Micromanagement kills creativity; clarity enables it.
What this looks like in practice
At Tableau, I inherited a marketing site with no component library, inconsistent accessibility patterns, and a backlog of design debt. Rather than scrambling to ship features, we paused to audit the entire site, cataloged reusable patterns, and built a design system that reduced new page builds from three weeks to three days.
At Salesforce, I managed a distributed team across three timezones. We established async communication norms: Loom videos for design reviews, shared Figma files for component specs, and weekly retros to surface blockers early. No one was expected to attend meetings outside their working hours; documentation filled the gaps.
At Veeva, I led an accessibility remediation project that touched 20+ product sites. We didn't just fix WCAG violations; we documented why each pattern mattered, trained product teams on inclusive design, and built testing workflows so violations couldn't ship in the first place. Compliance became a byproduct of good process, not a checklist item.
These experiences taught me that great leadership isn't about heroic individual effort. It's about creating systems where teams can do their best work without burning out, where knowledge is shared openly, and where quality is baked into the process rather than bolted on at the end.
How I approach collaboration with clients
Discovery before design
I start every project with stakeholder interviews, content audits, and technical assessments. Understanding your goals, constraints, and pain points ensures we're solving the right problems, not just building features.
Weekly syncs, async updates
We'll have a standing 30-minute check-in to review progress, surface blockers, and adjust priorities. Between syncs, I share Loom walkthroughs, design previews, and QA checklists so you're never in the dark.
Handoff documentation you'll actually use
Every project concludes with component guides, content workflows, deployment checklists, and training sessions for your team. I want you to feel confident maintaining and extending the work long after I'm gone.
Let's build something great together
If you value process, transparency, and sustainable velocity, we'll work well together. Let's discuss your project and see if Stoneberg Design is the right fit.