Explore the Framework
Design leadership covers a wide range of responsibilities. The Design Leadership Framework brings structure to this complexity. It organizes the work into five dimensions and 30 aspects, so you can see the big picture of your role and decide where to focus.
Use it as a sense-making guide to understand what design leadership involves, spot blind spots, and make intentional choices about how you lead your team and move your organization forward.
Understand the five dimensions of design leadership and put them to use: download the DLF Guide, try the assessment templates and watch the videos.
The Book Is Almost Here
Most design leaders grow into their role through talent and craft. Then they find themselves leading a team, a function, or an organization, with little preparation for what that involves.
The Design Leadership Framework describes what the role actually entails: five dimensions, 30 aspects, and proven concepts and practices for each.
On Amazon from November 2026. Subscribe to be there for the launch!
Upcoming Events
More events are coming, including the book launch and the CAS at ECAL Lausanne. Dates will follow. Subscribe for updates to hear about them first.
What I offer
I’m Katharina Koberdamm, design consultant and university lecturer with nearly 20 years of experience in the industry. I’ve developed the Design Leadership Framework. My mission is to help companies establish a design-led approach and empower design leaders like you.
Leadership Coaching & Mentoring
In my individual coaching sessions, I help Design Leaders to navigate their individual challenges. We can discuss your current topics, I can give feedback to something you work on, or we can develop a strategy for developing your team.
Training & Events
I offer engaging and interactive trainings and online classes for different areas of Design Leadership as well as UX Design, Customer Experience and Business Design. Let me know, what your team or organization needs.
Blog
- When do you need a DesignOps hire?
When does a design team actually need DesignOps (or a similar supporting role)? I hear this question a lot from design leaders and it was also a topic at this year’s Design Leadership Retreat. Large Read more… - Top 10 Design Leadership Challenges
As part of my masterclasses of the 2025 Leadership Ateliers in Lisbon and Berlin, we ran a live, interactive session with 73 design leaders to surface the most pressing leadership challenges they face. - Benchmark your Design Team
As part of my research, I’ve been diving into the topic of how you can benchmark your design team. After all having a solid understanding of your status-quo is necessary to know where you should improve.
Let’s start a conversation
Discover with me the ways I can support your growth as a design leader. Your journey matters – let’s make it meaningful together.