Case Study
Managing expectations without overcommitment
Overview
One of the hardest parts of design leadership isn’t just managing workloads — it’s managing expectations. The reality is, design teams are often spread thin, balancing multiple priorities while still being asked to take on last-minute, business-critical initiatives. Saying “no” outright to these requests can strain relationships, but saying “yes” to everything leads to burnout and rushed work.
I’ve learned that the best way to say no is to offer a path forward. The goal isn’t to reject work — it’s to ensure we’re working on the right things in a way that sets design (and the business) up for success.
A perfect example of this was when I had to personally step in to support the electronic money transfer (EMT) fraud initiative — a high-priority, time-sensitive request that had no available design resources but couldn’t afford to fail.
One of the hardest parts of design leadership isn’t just managing workloads — it’s managing expectations. The reality is, design teams are often spread thin, balancing multiple priorities while still being asked to take on last-minute, business-critical initiatives. Saying “no” outright to these requests can strain relationships, but saying “yes” to everything leads to burnout and rushed work.
I’ve learned that the best way to say no is to offer a path forward. The goal isn’t to reject work — it’s to ensure we’re working on the right things in a way that sets design (and the business) up for success.
A perfect example of this was when I had to personally step in to support the electronic money transfer (EMT) fraud initiative — a high-priority, time-sensitive request that had no available design resources but couldn’t afford to fail.
One of the hardest parts of design leadership isn’t just managing workloads — it’s managing expectations. The reality is, design teams are often spread thin, balancing multiple priorities while still being asked to take on last-minute, business-critical initiatives. Saying “no” outright to these requests can strain relationships, but saying “yes” to everything leads to burnout and rushed work.
I’ve learned that the best way to say no is to offer a path forward. The goal isn’t to reject work — it’s to ensure we’re working on the right things in a way that sets design (and the business) up for success.
A perfect example of this was when I had to personally step in to support the electronic money transfer (EMT) fraud initiative — a high-priority, time-sensitive request that had no available design resources but couldn’t afford to fail.
The Challenge
This request came in with urgency from leadership. Fraud scams were increasing, and our bank was bleeding millions in losses from fraudulent e-transfer transactions. Customers were unknowingly sending money to scammers, and once an EMT was sent, it was nearly impossible to recover.
The business needed a way to educate customers about potential scams before they completed a transaction. This wasn’t just a UX improvement — it was a high-stakes initiative that had real financial impact.The problem I faced:
Design was already at capacity. My team was fully allocated to other critical work.
The turnaround time was tight. There was no time for deep research or multiple iterations.
There was no clear owner. Product, fraud, and engineering leaders were involved, but there was no dedicated design resource.
Normally, I would push back and reprioritize, but in this case, the business impact was too high. So instead of saying “we can’t do this”, I had to find a way to make it happen.
This request came in with urgency from leadership. Fraud scams were increasing, and our bank was bleeding millions in losses from fraudulent e-transfer transactions. Customers were unknowingly sending money to scammers, and once an EMT was sent, it was nearly impossible to recover.
The business needed a way to educate customers about potential scams before they completed a transaction. This wasn’t just a UX improvement — it was a high-stakes initiative that had real financial impact.The problem I faced:
Design was already at capacity. My team was fully allocated to other critical work.
The turnaround time was tight. There was no time for deep research or multiple iterations.
There was no clear owner. Product, fraud, and engineering leaders were involved, but there was no dedicated design resource.
Normally, I would push back and reprioritize, but in this case, the business impact was too high. So instead of saying “we can’t do this”, I had to find a way to make it happen.
This request came in with urgency from leadership. Fraud scams were increasing, and our bank was bleeding millions in losses from fraudulent e-transfer transactions. Customers were unknowingly sending money to scammers, and once an EMT was sent, it was nearly impossible to recover.
The business needed a way to educate customers about potential scams before they completed a transaction. This wasn’t just a UX improvement — it was a high-stakes initiative that had real financial impact.The problem I faced:
Design was already at capacity. My team was fully allocated to other critical work.
The turnaround time was tight. There was no time for deep research or multiple iterations.
There was no clear owner. Product, fraud, and engineering leaders were involved, but there was no dedicated design resource.
Normally, I would push back and reprioritize, but in this case, the business impact was too high. So instead of saying “we can’t do this”, I had to find a way to make it happen.
#1: What’s the Minimum Effective Solution?
With a a short timeline and no dedicated design resources, the only viable approach was to narrow the scope and move fast. Rather than aiming for a fully polished, multi-step fraud education experience, I asked:
With a a short timeline and no dedicated design resources, the only viable approach was to narrow the scope and move fast. Rather than aiming for a fully polished, multi-step fraud education experience, I asked:
With a a short timeline and no dedicated design resources, the only viable approach was to narrow the scope and move fast. Rather than aiming for a fully polished, multi-step fraud education experience, I asked:
“What’s the smallest but most impactful
intervention we can make in this timeframe?”
I organized a series of workshops to assess key objectives, use cases, and edge cases, while identifying the technical, content, and interaction requirements necessary for a lean yet effective scope. This approach not only addressed immediate concerns but also positioned us for seamless scaling in the near future as we integrate a multi-step educational experience.
I organized a series of workshops to assess key objectives, use cases, and edge cases, while identifying the technical, content, and interaction requirements necessary for a lean yet effective scope. This approach not only addressed immediate concerns but also positioned us for seamless scaling in the near future as we integrate a multi-step educational experience.
I organized a series of workshops to assess key objectives, use cases, and edge cases, while identifying the technical, content, and interaction requirements necessary for a lean yet effective scope. This approach not only addressed immediate concerns but also positioned us for seamless scaling in the near future as we integrate a multi-step educational experience.
After alignment with product and fraud, we identified a high-leverage solution:
An educational warning screen that appeared before high-risk EMT transactions during send-a-transaction and add-a-contact flows.
A simple, digestible message warning users about common scams.
A friction-based confirmation step requiring users to acknowledge the risk before proceeding.
This approach struck the right balance; it was fast to implement, addressed the core problem, and could be iterated on later based on real data.
After alignment with product and fraud, we identified a high-leverage solution:
An educational warning screen that appeared before high-risk EMT transactions during send-a-transaction and add-a-contact flows.
A simple, digestible message warning users about common scams.
A friction-based confirmation step requiring users to acknowledge the risk before proceeding.
This approach struck the right balance; it was fast to implement, addressed the core problem, and could be iterated on later based on real data.
After alignment with product and fraud, we identified a high-leverage solution:
An educational warning screen that appeared before high-risk EMT transactions during send-a-transaction and add-a-contact flows.
A simple, digestible message warning users about common scams.
A friction-based confirmation step requiring users to acknowledge the risk before proceeding.
This approach struck the right balance; it was fast to implement, addressed the core problem, and could be iterated on later based on real data.
#2: Making It Happen: Jumping in as a Player-Coach
With no available design resources, I made a rare decision: I stepped in personally. As a design leader, I typically focus on strategy, coaching, and team growth rather than hands-on design. But in extreme cases where the business impact is high and resources are constrained, I believe in leading by example. For this initiative, that meant:
Partnering directly with product and research team to finalize messaging.
Working within our design system to create a lightweight UI that engineering could implement fast.
Coordinating with engineering to ensure feasibility within the short timeline.
By stepping in, I was able to unblock the process while ensuring the work met our design standards without overburdening my team.
With no available design resources, I made a rare decision: I stepped in personally. As a design leader, I typically focus on strategy, coaching, and team growth rather than hands-on design. But in extreme cases where the business impact is high and resources are constrained, I believe in leading by example. For this initiative, that meant:
Partnering directly with product and research team to finalize messaging.
Working within our design system to create a lightweight UI that engineering could implement fast.
Coordinating with engineering to ensure feasibility within the short timeline.
By stepping in, I was able to unblock the process while ensuring the work met our design standards without overburdening my team.
With no available design resources, I made a rare decision: I stepped in personally. As a design leader, I typically focus on strategy, coaching, and team growth rather than hands-on design. But in extreme cases where the business impact is high and resources are constrained, I believe in leading by example. For this initiative, that meant:
Partnering directly with product and research team to finalize messaging.
Working within our design system to create a lightweight UI that engineering could implement fast.
Coordinating with engineering to ensure feasibility within the short timeline.
By stepping in, I was able to unblock the process while ensuring the work met our design standards without overburdening my team.
#3: Ensuring We Don’t Set an Unsustainable Precedent
A key risk when design leaders jump in to fill gaps is that it can set an unsustainable precedent—where stakeholders start expecting design to always “figure it out” even when resources aren’t available. To prevent this, I made sure to:
A key risk when design leaders jump in to fill gaps is that it can set an unsustainable precedent—where stakeholders start expecting design to always “figure it out” even when resources aren’t available. To prevent this, I made sure to:
A key risk when design leaders jump in to fill gaps is that it can set an unsustainable precedent—where stakeholders start expecting design to always “figure it out” even when resources aren’t available. To prevent this, I made sure to:
Communicate clearly that this was an exception
I explained that while I stepped in due to the urgency of the situation, this approach was not a sustainable way of working in the long term.
I explained that while I stepped in due to the urgency of the situation, this approach was not a sustainable way of working in the long term.
I explained that while I stepped in due to the urgency of the situation, this approach was not a sustainable way of working in the long term.
Use this as evidence for better resourcing
After the initiative launched, I used it as a data point to advocate for more design bandwidth in high-impact areas like security and fraud.
After the initiative launched, I used it as a data point to advocate for more design bandwidth in high-impact areas like security and fraud.
After the initiative launched, I used it as a data point to advocate for more design bandwidth in high-impact areas like security and fraud.
Document and operationalize the process
Rather than relying on ad-hoc solutions in the future, I made sure we established a scalable playbook for addressing urgent UX needs.
Rather than relying on ad-hoc solutions in the future, I made sure we established a scalable playbook for addressing urgent UX needs.
Rather than relying on ad-hoc solutions in the future, I made sure we established a scalable playbook for addressing urgent UX needs.
#4: Measuring Impact and Iterating
Once the new warning messaging launches, we plan to monitor key fraud and customer behaviour metrics:
Reduction in fraudulent transactions: How many customers abandoned or reconsidered after seeing the warning?
Customer support impact: Were there fewer cases of customers claiming they weren’t aware of scams?
Conversion impact: Did the additional friction negatively affect legitimate transactions?
Once the new warning messaging launches, we plan to monitor key fraud and customer behaviour metrics:
Reduction in fraudulent transactions: How many customers abandoned or reconsidered after seeing the warning?
Customer support impact: Were there fewer cases of customers claiming they weren’t aware of scams?
Conversion impact: Did the additional friction negatively affect legitimate transactions?
Once the new warning messaging launches, we plan to monitor key fraud and customer behaviour metrics:
Reduction in fraudulent transactions: How many customers abandoned or reconsidered after seeing the warning?
Customer support impact: Were there fewer cases of customers claiming they weren’t aware of scams?
Conversion impact: Did the additional friction negatively affect legitimate transactions?
Final Thoughts: The Bigger Picture
Saying no effectively isn’t about blocking work — it’s about guiding the business toward smarter decisions. The EMT Fraud Initiative was a perfect example of how, in design leadership, sometimes we have to jump in, but also push for better ways of working. By balancing strategic prioritization, hands-on leadership, and a long-term mindset, I was able to protect my team’s bandwidth while still delivering a high-impact solution.
And ultimately, that’s what great design leadership is all about — not just managing work, but shaping how work happens in a way that benefits both the business and the team.
Saying no effectively isn’t about blocking work — it’s about guiding the business toward smarter decisions. The EMT Fraud Initiative was a perfect example of how, in design leadership, sometimes we have to jump in, but also push for better ways of working. By balancing strategic prioritization, hands-on leadership, and a long-term mindset, I was able to protect my team’s bandwidth while still delivering a high-impact solution.
And ultimately, that’s what great design leadership is all about — not just managing work, but shaping how work happens in a way that benefits both the business and the team.
Saying no effectively isn’t about blocking work — it’s about guiding the business toward smarter decisions. The EMT Fraud Initiative was a perfect example of how, in design leadership, sometimes we have to jump in, but also push for better ways of working. By balancing strategic prioritization, hands-on leadership, and a long-term mindset, I was able to protect my team’s bandwidth while still delivering a high-impact solution.
And ultimately, that’s what great design leadership is all about — not just managing work, but shaping how work happens in a way that benefits both the business and the team.