Rebuilding trust—internally and externally—to design a foundation for the future
WITH THE AMERICAN RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION
How might we lead a burned-out team through a project they swore they’d never touch again?
tl;dr I stepped into a stalled redesign with a demoralized team and a high-stakes client relationship on the verge of collapse. By reestablishing trust, providing hands-on creative leadership, and structuring the work for both clarity and momentum, I turned the project around—delivering a successful experience that’s now a team favorite and securing a multi-year client partnership in the process.
Step 1: Get started.
The American Retirement Association (ARA) came to us with a complex problem: a sprawling digital ecosystem that lacked structure, clarity, and cohesion. As an umbrella organization serving five distinct sub-brands—each with their own audiences and objectives—ARA’s web presence had become fragmented and difficult to navigate. Users were falling into dead ends, and the organization struggled to define who they were speaking to at any given time.
The ask: reimagine the experience from the ground up. Bring clarity to the chaos. Define the user base. Build a foundation for personalization and timely expertise. And do it in a way that could unify, not dilute, ARA’s diverse audience.
Key Contributions
Creative leadership
Team rebuilding
Stakeholder communication
Hands-on mentorship
Relationship growth
Tools
Figma
Adobe Photoshop
Stock (Getty, Shutterstock)
Litmus
The situation I inherited
Pictured here: the thing we were not doing (yet) — design.
The project had stalled after a turbulent discovery phase. The original lead designer was removed at the client's request, and junior designers were left to manage the remainder of discovery without the support or oversight they needed. The client—a high-stakes, highly engaged group—had earned a reputation internally as “difficult,” and team morale was at a breaking point.
By the time I stepped in as Director of Design, the project had been dormant for nearly a year. The team was demoralized, the client was skeptical, and trust—on both sides—was eroded. We needed to move into design immediately, with a full relaunch expected by year’s end.
Step 2: Lead by doing.
I was just three months into my role when I inherited this project. It was clear from the outset that my first job wasn’t design—it was repair.
I began by meeting individually with the designers assigned to the work. I listened, validated their experiences, and acknowledged where they’d been failed by past leadership. Then I outlined a concrete plan: how I would support them, what safeguards were in place if things went sideways again, and how we’d work together differently this time. This wasn’t just reassurance—it was accountability.
To lead by example, I took on the first deliverables myself: the information architecture and navigation strategy. It allowed me to build direct rapport with the client, demonstrate to the team that I was invested, and model the level of quality and context we were aiming for.
What actually made a difference built trust
Structured Presentations: I created a new presentation framework that gave the client context for every deliverable: what it was, why it mattered, and what kind of feedback we were looking for. This brought clarity to conversations and gave designers scaffolding to speak confidently.
Shifted Mindsets: I re-trained the team to see feedback as a dialogue, not a failure. Where my predecessor expected client approval without question, I encouraged conversation. We invited the client into our process—showing them our rationale and learning from theirs.
Availability on Their Terms: I told my team that anytime they were working, I was working too. That led to a 9pm call from my senior designer before a critical review—he needed to talk through his decisions. I jumped into Figma with him to make small refinements and reinforce that he wasn’t alone. He works best at night, and I met him there.
Step 3: Wait for it to turn
There were no villains in the room: the team was not malaised, and the client was not difficult. It just took time to set things in motion.
After a few early reviews, the team shifted from cautious to confident. With clear structure, consistent leadership, and direct client access, they began to own the work—presenting ideas with pride and engaging in feedback as dialogue. We moved from defensive design toward collaborative problem-solving. It stopped being about getting through the project and started becoming something they were proud to create.
Our design system had to be ownable by one organization, and fit into a library that could reinvent itself on variables alone to create a new identity five times over.
Layers of UI elements allowed for variance in content and interaction.
(And I made none of these — but my empowered, activated team did.)
The project was a success by every measure:
Client Satisfaction: ARA stakeholders became vocal champions, praising our clarity, partnership, and commitment to finding the best solution—not just checking boxes.
Team Pride: What began as a dreaded assignment became my team’s favorite project of the year. They grew in confidence, creative range, and client partnership.
Lasting Impact: We’ve now extended the relationship into a second year. ARA requests my senior designer by name and has entrusted him to lead additional initiatives, including mobile apps and personalized news centers.
Reflection
This project was never just about design—it was about restoring belief. In the client. In our process. And in each other.
As a leader, I don’t see my job as protecting my team from challenge. I see it as equipping them to meet it—with clarity, trust, and the knowledge that they’re never facing it alone.
