FRAMEWORKS & RESOURCES
Frameworks, systems, toolkits, and step-by-step guides
CAREER STRATEGY FRAMEWORKS
The Brag Sheet System
From: 5 hard truths about how being “trusted” quietly caps your growth
Also in: The Year I Worked Harder Than Ever… But My Level Stayed the Same
What it is: Career documentation system for tracking impact and positioning yourself for promotion
Career Compass Framework
What it is: System for charting non-traditional career paths when the ladder doesn’t excite you
Career Visibility Framework
What it is: Strategic approach to making your work and impact visible
Strategic UX Visibility System
What it is: Framework for showcasing invisible skills like strategic thinking and systems design
3-Part Career Growth Audit
From: 🥳 How to Make Career Moves with Clarity and Confidence in 2025
What it is: Self-assessment system for career planning
INFLUENCE & POLITICS
The Shadow Org Chart
From: The Shadow Org Chart
What it is: System for mapping real power and influence in organizations (Own Your Career #4)
Political Intelligence Playbook
What it is: Framework for reading organizational dynamics and building strategic relationships
The Influence Matrix
From: Multiple posts on influence-building
What it is: System for mapping stakeholders and building power without formal authority
STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT
3-Sentence Business Framing Toolkit
From: Stakeholder management posts
What it is: Formula for translating design work into business language
Impact Framework
From: 🚨What Stakeholders Need to Hear (But You’re Not Saying)
What it is: Strategic storytelling approach for stakeholder communication
Stakeholder Management Matrix
From: Stakeholder communication posts
What it is: System for mapping and managing different stakeholder types
LEADERSHIP & MEETINGS
The Hidden Mechanics of Meetings
Framework for reading and leading rooms
The Corridor Advantage
Pre-meeting influence strategy
Authority Equilibrium Framework
System for balancing respect and approachability as a new leader
Power Through Storytelling
From: Power Through Storytelling (how to turn everyday updates into narratives that stick)
What it is: Method for transforming updates into strategic narratives (Leadership Cheat Codes #4)
DECISION-MAKING & PROCESS
3-Part Decision Framework
From: 🥳 How to Make Career Moves with Clarity and Confidence in 2025
What it is: Structured approach to career decisions
4-Step Framework for Navigating Productive Conflict
What it is: 3-color tension diagnosis system for teams
Feature Evaluation Framework
From: How to Guide Your CEO’s Enthusiasm for “Shiny New Features”
What it is: System for managing stakeholder feature requests
Pain-Point Economics Framework
What it is: Approach using Kano Model for prioritization conversations
📊 SYSTEMATIC APPROACHES
CRED Approach
What it is: Framework for authentic leadership
Curiosity Operating System
What it is: System for continuous learning and growth
4D Hiring System
From: Hiring/team management posts
What it is: Framework for strategic UX hiring
📝 STEP-BY-STEP GUIDES
6-Step Guide to Creating a Brag Sheet
What it is: Detailed process for documenting career achievements
Interview Question Formulas
From: 3 Proven Formulas for Answering Any UX Interview Question
What it is: Templates for common interview scenarios
🚫 THE 50 SILENT CAREER KILLERS SERIES
This complete series deconstructs 50 hidden threats to UX careers. Each post identifies a specific career-limiting behavior and provides actionable fixes.
Series Posts: #1 through #50
Examples:
#7: Never challenging the brief
#10: Waiting to be invited
#15: Playing it safe with stakeholders
#20: Being “just a designer”
#39: Clean design with no point of view
See the complete archive for all 50 issues.
🔐 PAID SUBSCRIBER TOOLKITS
The “Brag Sheet” Career Transformation System
Primary Posts:
The Year I Worked Harder Than Ever… But My Level Stayed the Same
5 hard truths about how being “trusted” quietly caps your growth
Also mentioned in: 11+ paid posts including Own Your Career series
What’s Included:
Monthly Documentation Template
15-minute ritual for capturing wins
Structured format for tracking impact in real-time
Categories: Leadership, Design, Collaboration, Business Impact
Achievement Quantification Framework
Formula for turning vague work into measurable outcomes
Before/After impact tracking
Business language translation guide
Achievement Categorization System
Maps your wins to promotion criteria
Standard buckets: “Drives business outcomes,” “Leads complex initiatives,” “Influences stakeholders,” “Develops others”
Aligns with company leveling frameworks
Performance Review Conversation Scripts
Word-for-word scripts for different scenarios
How to open the conversation
How to walk through 3-5 key stories
Handling objections like “no headcount right now”
Promotion Conversation Templates & Email Scripts
Follow-up email after reviews
Impact summary templates
Advocacy request scripts
Paper trail creation for manager forwarding
30-Day Implementation Plan
Week-by-week roadmap
Week 1: Set up + backfill 90 days
Week 2: Quantify 3-5 biggest wins
Week 3: Map to promotion criteria
Week 4: Draft talking points and emails
Real Promotion Case Studies
4 anonymized stories with specific tactics
Senior → Staff with 28% raise
Researcher → Senior Researcher
IC → Design Manager
Career switcher to Senior in 2.5 years
Available: Free for paid subscribers (100% discount code in Substack Chat) or $27 standalone
The Leadership Launchpad Toolkit
From: 🚀 Leadership Launchpad
What’s Included:
Leadership Toolkit for new managers
Influence Mapping Template
Organizational dynamics navigation system
Stakeholder & Political Intelligence Resources
Stakeholder Communication Toolkit
Frameworks for managing stakeholder relationships
Interest Matrix for mapping stakeholders
Political Intelligence Playbook
System for reading organizational dynamics
Strategic relationship building
The Market Intelligence System
Curiosity Operating System
Loop Recovery System
Impact & Visibility Tools
The Visibility Matrix
From: 🤫 The Silent Career Killer #17, 📈 How to Move from “High-Performing” to “Promotion-Ready”
Framework for making invisible work visible
Strategic positioning system
Impact Matrix
From: 🤫 The Silent Career Killer #10, 🤫 The Silent Career Killer #16
Impact tracking system setup
Achievement categorization
Business Impact Matrix
Translating design work into business language
Meeting & Presence Toolkits
The Physical Presence Toolkit & Meeting Command Toolkit
Techniques for commanding room presence
Meeting dominance strategies
Proven Recap Email Template
From: 🤦🏻♂️ They Said “Yes”... But It Wasn’t Really a Decision
Confirmation and follow-up frameworks
Career Navigation
Career Advancement Toolkit
Multiple frameworks for Director/VP progression
Implementation Toolkit
From: 🍁 September Recap: Endings, Continuations, and What’s Next
Action-oriented implementation guides
Specialized Systems
Hire Success System
60-minute interview framework
Management Playbook & Portfolio Playbook
From: Multiple posts (appears in 10+ articles)
Comprehensive management and portfolio guidance
Likelihood Matrix
Risk assessment for challenging the brief
Skill Matrix
Talent identification framework
📖 HOW TO USE THESE RESOURCES
Start with your current challenge - Browse by category to find relevant frameworks
Read the source post - Each framework is explained in detail with examples
Implement systematically - These aren’t theory; they’re tested systems
Combine frameworks - Many work together (e.g., Brag Sheet + Career Visibility)