Design management
and leadership.

Power up your product development with well-structured and proactive design management and leadership.

Our expertise.

What we provide

Project management

We create and manage execution of the project plan to implement a defined scope of work, manage timelines, talents, and communication. A project manager ensures the project follows the planned schedule, stays within budget, and meets its defined goals. The service is best suited for overseeing the operational aspects of the project.

Requirement management

We transform business and user requirements into detailed documentation for design and development teams, using diagramming and elicitation techniques, and manage changes in requirements.

Product ownership

This role combines both project and requirements management. A product owner not only gathers requirements but also manages the backlog, sets priorities, and oversees execution of the project.

Product management

Depending on your product's stage – whether it's a new or an existing product – we lead product discovery and research, define the product vision, roadmap, and key milestones, or focus on improving key metrics, optimizing performance, and enhancing the user experience.

Discuss your project

Your benefits .

Why you need design management and leadership

Clear next steps and transparent communication

Teams work much more effectively when they know what needs to be built and why. A well-defined project roadmap with milestones and deadlines, a structured team backlog, and clearly assigned responsibilities set the foundation for productive work. Clear documentation in the format best suited to a team, along with regular updates and transparent communication, makes the process run smoothly and efficiently.

Design management and leadership Cieden

Fewer iterations and rework

With a well-planned roadmap, clear milestones, deep understanding of user needs, motivations, and pain points, along with regular usability testing and design reviews, we will minimize iterations and rework. This approach also optimizes costs and delivers a higher ROI for design management and leadership.

Design management and leadership Cieden

Better product-market fit and faster time-to-market

By gathering and understanding business and user requirements, thoroughly researching market demand, and predicting potential blockers with continuity plans in place, we will accelerate your time-to-market and create a product users need and love.

Design management and leadership Cieden

Minimized risks, on-time, on-budget delivery

By identifying vulnerabilities and risks early and developing continuity plans, we effectively minimize risks, accelerate product development, and ensure your project is delivered on time and within budget.

Design management and leadership Cieden

Factors impacting the need for each role

Product complexity

Complex products often need a product manager to provide strategic direction and align the product strategy with market demands and evolving technologies.

Domain expertise

Specialized industries like healthcare or fintech may require a product manager with domain expertise to ensure the product’s relevance, usability, and compliance with industry standards and regulations.

Requirements uncertainty

When client requirements are unclear or subject to change, a requirements manager plays a key role in clarifying and formalizing them for design and development teams.

Market complexity

In crowded and dynamic markets, a product owner becomes essential to assess market demands, competition, and user feedback, guiding the design team to create differentiated experiences.

B2B products

In B2B settings, a requirements manager is often crucial to navigate the complexity of multiple stakeholders' needs and align them with the design efforts.

B2C products

For B2C products with a direct consumer focus, a product owner is key to managing the fast-evolving requirements and expectations of end-users.

case studies.

Explore our expertise in different domains

Dive into our case studies – not just to see our work, but to understand how Cieden approaches challenges and partners with clients.
View all

clients .

Products we've enhanced through design management and leadership .

Working with large enterprises, SMEs & early-stage startups

Revitalizing and growing established companies

It's never too late to invest in design management and leadership. We’ll bring a fresh perspective to assess your business processes, identify gaps in user experience, and enhance key metrics. By analyzing the market, we’ll uncover new opportunities to expand your market share and guide your entry into new markets. Power up your team, and fuel your business growth.
Design management and leadership Cieden

Launching and scaling startups

At the start of your journey, you may feel lost and struggle to see the bigger picture. With our expertise in launching and scaling startups, we’ll help you gain a deep understanding of the market and your users, gather key insights, and set up the processes. We’ll create a roadmap and prioritize a backlog to make informed decisions faster and more safely. Build a solid foundation for your growth on time, with fewer setbacks.
Design management and leadership Cieden
A girl presents a project's plan near the white board.

Not ready to begin with something large?

Consider our microservice .

Discovery as a service helps you understand user needs and identify market opportunities. It validates assumptions, enables informed decision-making, and ensures solutions align with market demand.

During discovery, we also define the project's scope, requirements, deliverables, and objectives to ensure all stakeholders are on the same page.

Typically, discovery takes two to ten weeks but can extend up to six months for more complex projects, so we tailor the timeline to each project.

Consider this service when planning to build an MVP, launch a product, enter a new market, add a new feature, or redesign an existing product.

Ready to build or scale‎‎‎‏‎‏‎
your product?

Book a free, no-obligation consultation with Anastasia, Head of Product Management at Cieden. Discuss your project and discover the value we can add as a vendor.

Cieden

Design management and leadership as a service.

8 reasons to choose Cieden

Guided by facts and numbers

Not a gut feeling. Our team is all about numbers and facts, using data-driven insights to identify and resolve issues, validate hypotheses, and enhance the performance of product design.

Eyes on the prize

We always keep our eyes on the bigger picture, ensuring our insights and design-related efforts are perfectly aligned with your business objectives.

Impacting, not just doing

We won’t just execute tasks; we will actively shape the product strategy, driving changes and innovations to keep your product in a leading market position.

No need for micromanagement

Our team takes a proactive and self-directed approach, ensuring an independent and seamless workflow that aligns with your project goals and timelines.

Enterprise-level experience

We have experience collaborating with industry giants like Apollo, MedEntry, and Blizzard, managing complex enterprise business processes and structures, uncovering new opportunities, and helping them scale.

Well-established processes and scalable resources

At Cieden, our well-established processes ensure efficiency and consistency in project execution. We adapt seamlessly to your project's needs, scaling our resources up or down as required. This flexibility allows us to handle projects of any size and complexity, ensuring timely delivery and optimal outcomes.

Faster turnaround times

With Cieden, you benefit from our streamlined workflows and efficient management, leading to faster turnaround times. Our specialists are usually dedicated to one project and specific areas of responsibilities, ensuring quicker and more efficient work without the distractions of juggling multiple tasks.

Expertise in diverse domains

We have successfully delivered projects across various industries including healthcare, edtech, BPM & ERP, real estate, fintech, and more.

Kairos’s experience of collaboration with Cieden
Design management and leadership Cieden
Kairos’s experience of collaboration with Cieden
Watch video

Choose your model of cooperation

Outstaff

Engage our specialists full-time or part-time. They integrate with your team, providing consistent expertise and contributing to your project's success over an extended period. Perfect for long-term projects requiring continuous support and deep integration with your existing team.

Project-based

Flexible engagement for specific projects, available on an hourly, part-time, or full-time basis. Ideal for well-defined projects with specific goals and timelines. Suitable for both short-term and long-term projects, ensuring focused effort and dedicated resources.

Microservices

Use our expertise for smaller tasks or specific services such as Discovery or Scope Definition on an hourly basis. Perfect for quick, specialized support without a long-term commitment. Ideal for addressing immediate needs or implementing minor enhancements efficiently.

start your project with us.

Book your
free
consult today
Thank you for your message. It has been sent

FAQs

What is design management and leadership?

Software design management and leadership includes various roles and areas of responsibility to ensure your project runs smoothly from start to finish. 

It involves project management, where we create and manage execution of a detailed plan, manage timelines, resources, and communication, ensuring the project stays on track. 

In requirement management, we gather and document all business and user requirements, providing clear instructions for the design team. 

Product ownership combines both these areas, where we also prioritize the backlog and oversee the project's execution. 

Finally, product management or design leadership focuses on either defining the product vision and roadmap for new projects or optimizing key metrics and user experience for existing products.


During our consultation, we’ll discuss your product, needs, and challenges. Based on that, we’ll recommend the most suitable service for your project.

Why should I consider using design management and leadership services?

Design management and leadership services provide a clear roadmap, defined milestones, and transparent communication, ensuring your team knows exactly what to build and why. This structure leads to more productive work and smoother processes. 

By thoroughly understanding your business needs and market demands, we accelerate time-to-market and create a product that truly fits the market. 

With a well-planned design management approach, we reduce the need for multiple iterations and rework, ultimately saving time and costs. 

Plus, by identifying risks early and developing contingency plans, we ensure your project stays on time and within budget.

How can I determine which specific service my project requires?

The service your project needs depends on several factors. For complex products, a product manager is essential to provide strategic direction and align with market demands. In specialized industries like healthcare or fintech, a product manager with domain expertise ensures relevance and compliance. 

If your requirements are unclear or subject to change, a requirements manager helps clarify and formalize them for the design team. 

For crowded markets, a product owner is vital to assess market demands and competition, ensuring a standout user experience. 

In B2B settings, a requirements manager helps align multiple stakeholders, while in B2C products, a product owner manages fast-evolving user expectations.


During our free consultation, we’ll listen to your needs and recommend the most suitable service for your project.

Do you work with both new and existing products?

Yes, we work with both new and existing products. Whether you’re launching a startup and need help understanding the market and setting up processes, or you have an established company looking to grow and uncover new opportunities, we can support you. 

For new products, we help shape a product vision, create roadmaps and guide you through the early stages. 

For existing products, we assess your business processes, identify gaps, and help you expand your market share while improving key metrics.

What options do you offer if I’m not ready for a long-term collaboration, like product management?

If you're not ready for a long-term collaboration, we offer flexible microservices. You can start with discovery as a service, which helps you understand user needs, identify market opportunities, and validate your product assumptions. This service is perfect for planning an MVP, launching a product, entering new markets, or adding new features.

Another option is scope definition, where we help outline your project’s boundaries, requirements, and objectives to ensure all stakeholders are aligned. This service is ideal when project requirements are unclear, or you need to plan time and budget efficiently.

How can an outsourced manager be as effective as an in-house employee?

An outsourced design manager can be just as effective by bringing specialized expertise, well-established processes, and clear communication. We work closely with your internal team, ensuring a smooth integration, setting clear goals, and maintaining regular updates. With a focus on efficiency and accountability, we take a proactive approach, minimizing the need for constant supervision. Our experience across various industries enables us to adapt quickly to your needs and deliver results that align with your business objectives.