Rapid growth doesn’t guarantee rapid success. When companies build out a more robust design practice, the emphasis is often on filling seats and getting things shipped—but what if the first deliverable was a balanced design team instead of a new feature?

In this episode, USAA’s Chief Design Officer Meriah Garrett talks about the company’s unique team balance. She also discusses her role in the C-suite, how being mission-driven affects product development across multiple offices, and the higher purpose of being a designer.

Listen as Eli and Aarron chat with Meriah about scaling with intention and ensuring that customer experience and a human-centered approach are always at the heart of design. If you enjoy this episode, we’d appreciate it if you could leave a review on iTunes.

Meriah’s bio

As Chief Design Officer at USAA, Meriah Garrett leads a diverse team of designers, researchers, and “experience owners.” She helps make sure the mission-driven company uses design to serve customers, meet business objectives, and provide leading digital experiences in the financial services industry and beyond. Prior to joining USAA, Meriah worked at the design firm Frog as a creative director after launching her career as a freelance designer in the 1990s.