Industry
AI, Computer Vision, SaaS
Brand
Ultralytics
Scaling design operations
TL;DR
Transforming agency dependence into a high-velocity in-house engine.
Detailed analysis is available via private presentation.
From agency dependence to in-house efficiency at Ultralytics
Context
Ultralytics initially struggled with a slow and resource-heavy design process. Delivering a single basic landing page took six weeks and required constant involvement from the CEO, VP of Growth, and Content Lead. Despite paying external partners $X0k per month, there was a lack of clear design ownership and a strategic bottleneck that hindered rapid growth. The challenge was to rebuild the entire design infrastructure to support the speed of a high-growth tech company.
Key achievements
3.5x
Production velocity
100%
Internalized ownership
$X0k
Monthly savings
Role
I took full ownership of the design department, transitioning the company from a fragmented external model to a high-velocity in-house engine. My focus was on establishing design governance, streamlining stakeholder involvement, and building a sustainable team structure that could deliver at the speed of the product.
Key actions
Process engineering, introducing a structured design framework that included conceptual phases, controlled feedback loops, and collaborative brainstorming to ensure transparency and allow collaboration.
Workflow optimization, transforming the weekly rituals from ad-hoc problem-solving into efficient approval sessions focused on strategic alignment and sharing success stories.
In-house talent strategy, leadind the hiring process to build a dedicated team, effectively phasing out expensive external contracts while maintaining high quality.
Strategic agency vetting, researching and selecting top-tier branding partners for specialized needs while retaining internal ownership over daily decision-making and research.
Empowering growth through operational excellence and strategic leadership
Business impact
Increased production velocity from one basic page every six weeks to an average of 3.5 high-fidelity landing pages and improvements per month.
Reduced operational costs by $X0k per month by internalizing design capabilities and optimizing the team's retention program.
Successfully unblocked executive leadership by owning the entire decision-making process from research to final execution, reducing the need for constant C-suite intervention.
Empowered the organization with a clear design vision and a scalable process that allowed for rapid testing and market responsiveness.