We often use the word “craft” at Meta to describe the care and intention behind great product design. Last year, I partnered with designers across Meta to define the term more clearly: Craft is the meticulous attention to detail that elevates our work from usable to world-class.

After aligning on this shared definition, I wondered: What does craft look like in design operations, a function built to support and scale design? At Meta, the majority of individuals working in design operations are known as “Design Program Managers.” They streamline systems, reduce friction and create the conditions for creativity to flourish. But operational craft goes beyond efficiency: It’s the thoughtful — often invisible — work that makes systems excel and teams thrive. It’s how we stay nimble, anticipate needs and lead with clarity. Simply put, craft in design operations is the art and discipline of making things work better — intentionally and with care. Design program managers’ attention to detail elevates Meta teams’ work from functional to exceptional.

Let’s explore how design operations craft shows up across three essential dimensions: hard skills, people skills and inner skills that shape long-term impact.

Hard skills are the visible aspect of design operations craft. When we master the fundamentals of our tools, processes and systems, we create a strong foundation for teams to move faster and deliver better results. Here are three examples of hard skills:

• Architect structure: Those who work in design operations design experiences. But design program managers build experiences through documents, spreadsheets and tooling. Julie Zhuo said, “Good documentation should feel like a speed boost, not a sedative.” Whether it’s naming conventions, visual hierarchy in documentation, or configuring tools like Jira, Figma or Asana, the goal is the same: enable speed and clarity.
  

• Operationalize systems: As Wallace and Catmull remind us in their book Creativity, Inc., “Great work comes from great systems.” Like great design, great design operations involves creating systems that quietly empower action. High-craft design program management means building timelines, roadmaps and rituals that feel seamless and human-centered and clear the path for creativity to thrive.
  

• Anticipate the future: Craft often means anticipating what’s next by asking, “What can I do now to help things run more smoothly later?” For example, sustaining momentum after a meeting or preparing for what’s around the corner is a skill that deepens with experience. One of my favorite managers once said, “Your expertise is measured by how well you can tell the future.” Craft grows in foresight, and foresight grows over time.
  

Ultimately, our systems should unlock clarity and focus so teams can do their best work. Craft in hard skills means strong fundamentals, clean execution and intentional design of the operational experience.

Design operations is a team sport in which our internal partners are the key users of our systems. How we work with others — designers, researchers, product managers, engineers and executives — determines whether our systems are embraced or ignored.

• Cultivate psychological safety: High-performing teams thrive in environments where it’s safe to speak up, share ideas and take risks. That safety isn’t just cultural — it’s operational. It shows up in how we facilitate meetings, design feedback loops and structure collaboration. Sustaining safety is a core part of design operations craft.
  

• Meet people where they are: Everyone brings their own goals and pressures to the table — which means not everyone will be immediately invested in the systems that support the work. Design program managers who maintain high-craft in design operations recognize this and use clear, intentional communication to build alignment and gently influence adoption. The craft lies in making the path forward feel like a shared win.
  

• Build confidence: Operational trust is earned. When we run effective meetings, track next steps and follow through dependably, we create reliability that builds trust. This trust makes it easier to introduce new systems or workflows because teams see the value through how we work, not just what we propose.

• Listen deeply: Understanding what teams truly need — beyond what they ask for — helps us design systems that solve the right problems. High-craft design operations involves hearing what’s said — and what isn’t — to uncover root needs. A team might ask for a long sprint, but what they truly need may be clearer roles or decision-making. When we listen with intention, we solve for what matters most.

Craft in people skills is the ability to hold space, adapt your style and make others feel seen and supported — even when driving change.

Finally, there’s the kind of craft that happens internally — the skills we quietly build that show up in how we lead, respond and grow over time.

• Foster resilience: When plans shift — whether due to changing priorities, timelines or team structure — we bring organization to ambiguity and help teams stay grounded. High-craft design operations is navigating uncertainty with an entrepreneurial mindset and a bias toward action, and realigning priorities, adjusting rituals, and restoring clarity. Design program managers don’t just manage change, they help teams thrive through it.

• Exemplify clarity and focus: Clarity and focus are strategic advantages in design operations. Excellent design operations is zooming out to simplify complexity and direct energy where it counts — not reacting with urgency. One of my favorite posters in a Meta office says, “Don’t confuse movement with progress.” Urgency has its place, but real impact comes from systems that prevent — not just put out — fires.
  

• Exercise strategic patience: Knowing when to push and when to let ideas evolve creates space for stronger outcomes. Great design operations professionals tune into latent signals in documents, meetings or roadmaps. This isn’t for the sake of knowing everything, but to anticipate needs and connect the dots before gaps appear. This awareness sharpens execution as we zoom in on important details and zoom out toward strategy, often happening in the same conversation. Strategic patience helps clarity emerge and ensures we act at the right time.
  

• Hone self-awareness: Recognizing when ego, assumptions or habits are influencing our work is essential. Common traps — like the planning fallacy (i.e. underestimating timelines) or solution bias (i.e. jumping to execution) — can derail outcomes. High-craft design operations involves being mindful of these patterns, adjusting scope appropriately and building in the time a team needs for success. We design strong systems, but we’re not rigid. Operational excellence means adapting to serve the moment, not just the original plan.
  

These inner skills are the true long game of strong craft in design operations. They take time to build, but they’re what make someone not just effective, but trusted and transformational.

Craft in design operations is more than polish — it’s a practice. It’s the operational care that creates space for creativity to flourish. It means caring deeply, executing thoughtfully and leading with integrity across every layer of the work: systems, relationships and self. When we treat design operations as a creative, human-centered practice, we don’t just support design — we elevate it.