Design Strategist (Chicago Hybrid)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Strategist

Company: Motorola Solutions

Location: Chicago, IL

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Design Operations / GTM Strategy

Date Posted: September 11, 2025

Experience Level: 3+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (2 days/week in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the development and execution of scalable, human-centered design strategies to address critical user needs and achieve business objectives.

• Lead customer discovery sessions and cross-functional workshops to gather insights, align stakeholders, and define product/service roadmaps.

• Translate abstract concepts into tangible prototypes, leveraging AI tools and iterative feedback loops to refine user experiences.

• Foster a culture of design excellence by championing best practices, refining team methodologies, and promoting collaborative innovation across Product, Engineering, and Data Science.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is titled "Design Strategist," its emphasis on driving strategy, leading discovery, prototyping, and cross-functional collaboration positions it within the broader "Operations" umbrella, specifically bridging design thinking with Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy and product development operations. The focus on user needs and business goals aligns with operational efficiency and customer-centricity.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the creation and implementation of user-centered design strategies that align with business goals and address identified customer pain points.

• Plan, facilitate, and lead customer discovery sessions, design sprints, and co-creation workshops to generate actionable insights and foster stakeholder alignment.

• Rapidly prototype and iterate on concepts, utilizing modern design tools and emerging AI technologies to visualize and test potential solutions.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Engineering, Data Science, and User Research teams to ensure the feasibility, value, and ethical integrity of designed solutions.

• Present strategic rationales, design concepts, and user insights clearly and compellingly to diverse audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of the Experience Design & Research team's processes, methodologies, and collaborative practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic planning, user engagement, and hands-on execution, typical of senior design operations or GTM strategy roles that bridge user experience with business outcomes. The emphasis on AI tools and ethical considerations points to a forward-thinking operational approach.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design, Psychology, Computer Science (with a focus on AI/HCI), or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 3+ years of experience in product design, service design, or a strategic design role.

Required Skills:

• Design Strategy: Proven ability to develop and articulate comprehensive design strategies aligned with business objectives.

• User-Centered Design (UCD) Methodologies: Deep expertise in UCD principles, systems thinking, and design research techniques.

• Workshop Facilitation: Demonstrated mastery in planning and leading workshops, design sprints, and customer co-creation sessions.

• Prototyping & Iteration: Proficiency with modern design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) for rapid concept visualization and testing.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ability to partner effectively with Product, Engineering, Data Science, and Research teams.

• Communication & Storytelling: Exceptional verbal, written, and visual communication skills to convey complex ideas to diverse audiences.

• Customer Discovery: Experience in planning and conducting customer discovery sessions to uncover unmet needs and gather insights.

Preferred Skills:

• AI Concepts: Foundational understanding of core AI concepts (Machine Learning, NLP, Generative AI), their capabilities, limitations, and ethical considerations.

• AI-Enhanced Design: Experience designing interfaces that promote AI transparency, explainability, and user trust.

• AI Tool Utilization: Experience using AI tools for rapid prototyping, data visualization, or generating design ideas.

• Data-Informed Design: Proven ability to leverage user data and metrics to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Speculative Design: Interest in exploring novel applications of emerging AI for future user experiences.

• Ambiguity Navigation: Comfort and proven ability to thrive in dynamic, fast-paced, and ambiguous environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "What Sets You Apart" section provides a strong indicator of preferred technical and strategic skills that go beyond foundational design, suggesting a need for candidates who can integrate emerging technologies and data-driven approaches into their strategic design work, aligning with advanced operations capabilities.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a strong portfolio demonstrating a blend of strategic thinking (e.g., problem framing, user journey mapping, strategic frameworks) and hands-on design execution (e.g., wireframes, interactive prototypes, final UI mockups).

• Include case studies that clearly articulate the problem, the strategic approach, the design process, the challenges faced, and the measurable outcomes or impact of your work.

• Demonstrate experience in planning and facilitating customer discovery sessions, design sprints, or co-creation workshops, with examples of how insights were translated into design solutions.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you have documented and refined design processes, methodologies, or collaborative practices within a team.

• Case studies that illustrate your ability to integrate user data and feedback into iterative design cycles, emphasizing process optimization.

• Demonstrations of how you've translated abstract concepts into tangible prototypes, detailing the iterative steps and feedback mechanisms employed.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for a portfolio that demonstrates both strategic thinking and hands-on execution, along with experience in facilitating workshops and utilizing design tools, underscores the operational aspect of this role. Candidates are expected to present a structured approach to problem-solving and design execution, akin to project management in operations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $72,700 - $145,400 USD per year

Benefits:

• Incentive Bonus Plans

• Medical, Dental, Vision benefits

• 401K retirement plan

• 10 Paid Holidays

• Generous Paid Time Off Packages

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

• Paid Parental & Family Leave

• And more!

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected to meet project demands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided ($72,700 - $145,400 USD) is typical for a Design Strategist role with 3+ years of experience in a major metropolitan area like Chicago. This range reflects a balance between strategic contribution and hands-on design work. The benefits package is comprehensive, offering standard but valuable benefits that support employee well-being and financial security, crucial for attracting and retaining talent in operations-adjacent roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (Public Safety Communications, Video Security, Command Center Technologies)

Company Size: Large Enterprise (Motorola Solutions has thousands of employees globally)

Founded: 1928 (Long-standing history, indicating stability and established market presence)

Team Structure:

• Part of the Experience Design & Research team, a multidisciplinary group including Industrial Designers, UX/CX Designers, User Researchers, and Human Factors practitioners.

• Expected to collaborate closely with Product, Engineering, Data Science, and Research teams, indicating a matrixed and cross-functional operational environment.

Methodology:

• Emphasizes a deep understanding of user needs, powered by insightful data, and brought to life through thoughtful design.

• Focuses on human-centered design, customer discovery, and iterative prototyping, core components of effective product development operations.

• Actively exploring and integrating Artificial Intelligence into their design and product development processes.

Company Website: https://www.motorolasolutions.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Motorola Solutions operates in a critical sector, providing essential technologies for public safety. This context implies a high degree of responsibility and a focus on reliability and user effectiveness in their operational processes. The company's long history suggests established operational frameworks, while the team's embrace of AI indicates a commitment to modernizing and innovating within those frameworks.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-level to Senior Designer/Strategist. This role offers a significant opportunity to influence product strategy and design direction, bridging user needs with business objectives.

Reporting Structure: Likely reports into a Design Lead or Manager within the Experience Design & Research team, with strong dotted-line reporting or collaboration with Product Management on specific initiatives.

Operations Impact: This role directly impacts the user experience and perceived value of Motorola Solutions' AI-powered products and services, contributing to customer satisfaction, adoption rates, and ultimately, revenue. By ensuring user needs are met through thoughtful design and strategy, the role supports efficient product development and market success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-driven design, user research for complex systems, or strategic design leadership.

• Leadership: Progress into senior design strategist roles, team lead positions, or management within the Experience Design function.

• Cross-functional Movement: Transition into Product Management, Program Management, or GTM Strategy roles leveraging design and user-centric insights.

• Skill Development: Opportunities to learn and apply cutting-edge AI tools and methodologies in a practical, product-focused environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is positioned as a key contributor with the potential for significant impact, offering clear pathways for career advancement within design or related operational functions. The focus on AI integration provides a unique growth avenue for professionals interested in shaping the future of technology design operations.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. Employees are expected to be in the Chicago office 2 days per week. This suggests a collaborative office environment designed for team interaction, brainstorming, and focused work.

Office Location(s): Chicago, IL.

Workspace Context:

• The hybrid model facilitates a balance between focused, individual work (potentially remote) and collaborative team activities (in-office).

• Expect access to modern design tools and technology, supporting rapid prototyping and visualization.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Data Science) within the office environment, fostering a dynamic and integrated workflow.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is implied, with the flexibility often associated with design and strategy roles to manage project timelines and deliverables effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work arrangement is a key differentiator, indicating a modern workplace culture that balances flexibility with the need for in-person collaboration, essential for design strategy and innovation. The expectation of 2 days in the office suggests a structured approach to hybrid work, likely focused on maximizing team synergy and knowledge sharing.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or recruiter review of application and portfolio.

• Portfolio Review & Discussion: Likely a session with hiring managers or senior designers to discuss portfolio case studies, design process, and strategic thinking. Expect questions about how you approach problem-solving, manage ambiguity, and collaborate.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with peers from Product, Engineering, or Data Science to assess collaboration skills, communication clarity, and technical understanding.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a Design Director or VP, focusing on strategic vision, leadership potential, and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Strategy: Clearly articulate the "why" behind your design decisions, not just the "what." Detail the strategic framework or thought process used.

• Demonstrate Process: Walk through your end-to-end process, highlighting customer discovery, ideation, prototyping, iteration, and collaboration with stakeholders.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, include metrics or qualitative feedback that demonstrate the success and impact of your design solutions.

• Highlight AI Integration: If possible, include projects where you've explored or utilized AI in the design process or designed AI-enabled experiences.

• Tailor to Motorola: Research Motorola Solutions' products and user base to tailor your presentation and highlight relevant experience.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a potential design challenge or case study that requires you to demonstrate strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and rapid prototyping capabilities, possibly incorporating AI concepts.

• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, as if presenting to a diverse stakeholder group.

• Be ready to discuss ethical considerations related to AI in design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio that demonstrates strategic thinking and the ability to lead discovery sessions points to an interview process that values proactive problem-solving and end-to-end ownership, common in operations roles focused on driving efficiency and outcomes.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, or similar modern UI/UX design and prototyping software.

• Collaboration: Miro, Mural, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence for cross-functional communication and project management.

• AI Tools: Familiarity with AI tools for ideation, content generation, data analysis, or rapid prototyping (e.g., Generative AI platforms, AI-powered design assistants) is a plus.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• While not explicitly mentioned, familiarity with CRM systems (like Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms can provide context for understanding customer journeys and business processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this is a design-focused role, the mention of AI tools and the need to collaborate with data science teams implies proficiency or at least a strong understanding of data-driven methodologies and tools common in operations. The expectation to "Elevate Our Practice" suggests an openness to exploring and integrating new operational tools and technologies.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: Deep commitment to understanding and addressing user needs as the foundation for all design and strategic decisions.

• Innovation: A drive to explore and leverage emerging technologies, particularly AI, to create novel and impactful user experiences.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on cross-functional teamwork, open communication, and shared ownership of product success.

• Data-Driven: Utilizing insights from user data and analytics to inform strategy and validate design choices.

• Impact-Oriented: Focus on delivering tangible business results and improving the safety and effectiveness of Motorola Solutions' critical technologies.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, working closely with diverse teams (Product, Engineering, Data Science, Research) to achieve shared goals.

• Encourages open feedback exchange and iterative refinement of ideas and processes.

• Emphasis on clear communication and storytelling to ensure all stakeholders are aligned and inspired by the design vision.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture values a blend of creative exploration and rigorous, data-informed execution. This operational ethos is crucial for translating innovative ideas into reliable, user-friendly products in the public safety sector.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complexity: Designing for complex, mission-critical systems in public safety requires deep understanding and careful consideration of user workflows and safety implications.

• AI Integration: Effectively integrating AI into user experiences while ensuring transparency, trust, and ethical use presents an ongoing challenge and opportunity.

• Balancing Strategy & Execution: Managing the dual demands of high-level strategic thinking and hands-on prototyping and iteration.

• Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring seamless collaboration and alignment across multiple departments with potentially different priorities.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Gain hands-on experience with AI tools and methodologies, becoming an expert in designing AI-powered experiences.

• Industry Exposure: Work with cutting-edge technology in the public safety sector, understanding its unique design challenges and opportunities.

• Strategic Impact: Contribute directly to the strategic direction of innovative products, enhancing your portfolio and career trajectory.

• Mentorship: Potential to learn from experienced designers and cross-functional leaders within a large, established technology company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical of advanced roles in technology operations, requiring adaptability, strategic foresight, and strong problem-solving skills. The growth opportunities are significant, particularly for those interested in emerging technologies like AI and their application in impactful industries.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex problem you solved using design strategy. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your strategic framework, user research, and impact).

• "How do you approach customer discovery for new product concepts? What methods do you use to uncover unmet needs?" (Highlight your proactive engagement and insight generation techniques).

• "How would you integrate AI capabilities into a user experience to enhance transparency and trust?" (Prepare to discuss ethical considerations and design patterns for AI).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Motorola Solutions and our mission of public safety?" (Demonstrate research into the company and its values).

• "How do you approach collaboration with Engineering and Product Management teams?" (Highlight your ability to work cross-functionally and communicate effectively).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio by project, clearly outlining the problem, your strategic approach, your role, the process, key decisions, and the final outcome/impact.

• Narrative: Tell a compelling story for each project, emphasizing your strategic thinking and problem-solving journey.

• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals, including wireframes, mockups, prototypes (if shareable), and any relevant user research artifacts.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify achievements where possible (e.g., improved user satisfaction, increased adoption, efficiency gains).

• AI Relevance: If applicable, highlight projects where AI was used in the design process or as part of the product itself.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strategic, process-driven approach to design, mirroring the analytical and outcome-oriented mindset crucial in operations roles. Highlighting experience with AI and cross-functional collaboration will be key differentiators.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Strategist position:

• Submit your application through the Motorola Solutions careers portal, ensuring your resume and portfolio are uploaded.

• Portfolio Customization: Review your portfolio and select 2-3 projects that best showcase your strategic thinking, customer discovery experience, and ability to drive design from concept to execution, ideally with some AI relevance. Tailor your presentation to highlight how your skills align with Motorola Solutions' mission and the specifics of this role.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly highlights your years of experience, specific skills in design strategy, user-centered design, and workshop facilitation. Quantify your achievements and use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, strategic rationale, and collaborative experiences. Prepare specific examples for potential interview questions, focusing on how you've driven impact and solved complex problems.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Motorola Solutions' product offerings, particularly their AI-powered solutions, and understand their commitment to public safety. This will enable you to ask informed questions and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.