Carmee's Design Onboarding - 30-Day Plan
Overview
Purpose: Gradually transition Carmee from pathway coordination into design responsibilities while preventing cognitive overload.
Philosophy: Small, achievable daily wins. Build momentum, confidence, and skills incrementally.
Support Structure:
- Jedi Council: Quan, Charlie, Steve, Kristin (Tuesdays + Thursdays, 1 hour)
- Daily mentor: Charlie (design feedback)
- Handoff lead: Paula (before maternity leave)
- Automation support: Minnie (pathway work reduction)
Timeline: 30 days (approximately 4 weeks)
Week 1: Foundations & Tools (Days 1-7)
Theme: Get comfortable with tools, understand brand, shadow Paula's workflow
Day 1 (Monday): Welcome & Setup
Task: Design tools installation + workspace setup (30-45 min)
- Install Canva Pro, Figma (or confirm access to Adobe Creative Suite)
- Join #design Slack/Cliq channel
- Review folder structure (Google Drive: Marketing/Design/Assets)
Success: Tools installed, can open existing design files
Who to ask: Paula (tool questions), IT support (access issues)
Small win: You opened a real ZTAG design file! 🎨
Day 2 (Tuesday): Brand Guidelines Deep Dive
Task: Study ZTAG brand guidelines (45 min)
- Read brand guide (colors, fonts, logo usage)
- Review 5 recent marketing pieces (banners, flyers)
- Identify patterns (What makes something "ZTAG"?)
Jedi Council Meeting (1 PM):
- Introductions, explain support structure
- Carmee shares: What excites you? What worries you?
- Set expectations for Week 1
Success: Can describe ZTAG's brand in 3 words
Who to ask: Charlie (brand questions)
Small win: You can spot a ZTAG design vs. generic! 👀
Day 3 (Wednesday): Shadow Paula's Workflow
Task: Watch Paula work (60 min, recorded session or live)
- Observe: How does she go from brief → concept → final?
- Note: Where does she find inspiration? How does she decide?
- Ask questions after
Success: Understand Paula's creative process
Who to ask: Paula (workflow questions)
Small win: You learned a designer's secret! 🔍
Day 4 (Thursday): First Tiny Edit
Task: Make a small edit to an existing design (30 min)
- Change text on a social media post template
- Adjust date on an event flyer
- Get Charlie's feedback
Jedi Council Meeting (3 PM):
- Show your first edit!
- Feedback: What felt hard? What felt easy?
- Plan for Week 2
Success: You made your first design change
Who to ask: Paula or Charlie (design tool questions)
Small win: Your first edit is done! 🎉
Day 5 (Friday): Design Vocabulary
Task: Learn design terms (30 min)
- Study: Hierarchy, contrast, whitespace, alignment
- Find examples in ZTAG's existing work
- Quiz yourself
Success: Can explain 4 design principles
Who to ask: Paula or Charlie
Small win: You speak designer now! 💬
Day 6-7 (Weekend): Optional Exploration
Suggested (not required): Browse design inspiration
- Behance, Dribbble (educational design category)
- Note 3 designs you like and WHY
- Bring to next Jedi Council meeting
Week 2: Guided Practice (Days 8-14)
Theme: Small real projects with close feedback loops
Day 8 (Monday): Social Media Post (Version 1)
Task: Create simple social media post from template (45 min)
- Use existing Canva template
- Swap image, change text, adjust colors (stay on-brand)
- Submit to Charlie for feedback
Success: Draft social post created
Who to ask: Charlie (design direction), Paula (tool tips)
Small win: Your first original piece! 🚀
Day 9 (Tuesday): Revisions Based on Feedback
Task: Incorporate Charlie's feedback (30 min)
- Make changes Charlie suggested
- Compare before/after
- Notice what improved
Jedi Council Meeting (1 PM):
- Show before/after
- Discuss: What did you learn from feedback?
Success: You improved a design based on feedback
Small win: You're iterating like a pro! 🔄
Day 10 (Wednesday): Icon/Graphic Selection
Task: Choose imagery for a project (45 min)
- Brief: "We need graphics for [specific campaign]"
- Find 3 options (stock photos, icons, illustrations)
- Present to Charlie with your recommendation
Success: Curated options with rationale
Who to ask: Charlie (creative direction)
Small win: You made a design decision! 🎯
Day 11 (Thursday): Email Header Design
Task: Design email newsletter header (60 min)
- Use brand colors, fonts, logo
- Include event name/date
- Get Charlie's feedback
Jedi Council Meeting (3 PM):
- Show email header
- Discuss: What was challenging?
Success: Email header draft complete
Small win: Real campaign asset! 📧
Day 12 (Friday): Typography Practice
Task: Experiment with text hierarchy (30 min)
- Take existing flyer, try 3 different font layouts
- Notice: Which one guides the eye best?
- Charlie reviews
Success: Understand how type affects readability
Small win: Typography isn't scary! 🔤
Day 13-14 (Weekend): Optional Practice
Suggested: Redesign something simple for fun
- Your favorite recipe as a one-page graphic
- A movie poster for a film you love
- Share with team if you want feedback (no pressure!)
Week 3: Supervised Independence (Days 15-21)
Theme: Larger projects, quality checkpoints, build confidence
Day 15 (Monday): Event Flyer (Full Project)
Task: Design flyer from scratch (90 min)
- Brief: [Specific event - Playmaker training, community day, etc.]
- Draft 2 concepts
- Submit to Charlie
Success: Two flyer concepts created
Who to ask: Charlie (stuck on concept), Paula (tool questions)
Small win: You designed from scratch! 🎨
Day 16 (Tuesday): Revision Round 1
Task: Incorporate Charlie's feedback (45 min)
- Refine chosen concept
- Submit revised version
Jedi Council Meeting (1 PM):
- Show design evolution
- Discuss: How do you decide between concepts?
Success: Revised flyer ready for second review
Small win: You're refining work like a designer! ✨
Day 17 (Wednesday): Final Flyer + Print Specs
Task: Finalize flyer + prepare for print (60 min)
- Incorporate final feedback
- Export correct file formats (PDF for print, PNG for digital)
- Organize files properly
Success: Print-ready flyer delivered
Small win: You shipped a real project! 📦
Day 18 (Thursday): Banner Design (Medium Complexity)
Task: Design banner for event/program (90 min)
- Brief: [CAN partnership, ZTAG Extended Care program, etc.]
- Create concept
- Submit to Charlie
Jedi Council Meeting (3 PM):
- Show banner concept
- Discuss: How did you approach the brief?
Success: Banner concept drafted
Small win: Larger format, same skills! 🪧
Day 19 (Friday): Multi-Asset Project
Task: Create social media set (3 posts) for one campaign (90 min)
- Consistent visual theme across 3 posts
- Variations on same message
- Charlie reviews
Success: 3-post social series created
Small win: You're thinking in campaigns! 📱
Day 20-21 (Weekend): Reflection
Suggested: Review your work from Weeks 1-3
- What improved most?
- What still feels hard?
- Bring thoughts to Monday check-in
Week 4: Autonomous Execution (Days 22-30)
Theme: Full project ownership, milestone reviews, establish ongoing workflow
Day 22 (Monday): Independent Project Brief
Task: Receive real project, plan approach (30 min)
- Brief: [Upcoming real need - The Shape materials, Extended Care collateral, etc.]
- Create project plan: timeline, concepts, checkpoints
- Share plan with Charlie
Success: Project plan approved
Small win: You're planning like a PM! 📋
Day 23 (Tuesday): Concept Development
Task: Develop 2-3 concepts (90 min)
- Sketch or mockup ideas
- Choose strongest concept
- Refine into draft
Jedi Council Meeting (1 PM):
- Show concepts, get feedback
- Discuss next steps
Success: Concept chosen, draft in progress
Small win: You're directing your own work! 🎬
Day 24-25 (Wed-Thurs): Execution
Task: Complete design to 90% (2-3 hours total over 2 days)
- Refine chosen concept
- Get mid-point feedback from Charlie (Thursday)
- Incorporate feedback
Jedi Council Meeting (Thursday 3 PM):
- Show near-final work
- Discuss: What would you do differently next time?
Success: Design 90% complete
Small win: You're in the home stretch! 🏁
Day 26 (Friday): Finalization
Task: Complete final 10% + delivery (60 min)
- Final polish
- Export all formats
- Organize files, document decisions
Success: Project delivered, client-ready
Small win: Full cycle complete! 🎉
Day 27-28 (Weekend): Celebrate!
You did it! Take a breath. You've designed real ZTAG assets in 4 weeks.
Day 29 (Monday): Retrospective
Task: Reflect with Jedi Council (60 min)
- What worked well?
- What was harder than expected?
- Where do you need more practice?
- What projects excite you?
Success: Clear understanding of strengths and growth areas
Small win: You know your designer self! 🌱
Day 30 (Tuesday): Ongoing Workflow Established
Task: Set up sustainable design workflow (30 min)
- Weekly design time blocks (when?)
- Review cadence with Charlie (how often?)
- Project intake process (how do requests come in?)
- Jedi Council frequency (monthly check-ins?)
Jedi Council Meeting (Final structured session):
- Transition from daily support to as-needed
- Celebrate 30 days!
- Look ahead to next 30 days
Success: Sustainable workflow defined
Small win: You're officially a ZTAG designer! 🏆
Progress Tracking Checklist
Week 1: Foundations ✅
Week 2: Guided Practice ✅
Week 3: Supervised Independence ✅
Week 4: Autonomous Execution ✅
Jedi Council Meeting Agendas
Week 1 Meetings:
Tuesday (Day 2):
- Introductions, set expectations
- Carmee: What excites you? What worries you?
- Week 1 plan overview
Thursday (Day 4):
- Show first edit!
- Feedback session
- Plan Week 2
Week 2 Meetings:
Tuesday (Day 9):
- Before/after revision review
- Learning from feedback
Thursday (Day 11):
- Email header review
- Discuss challenges
Week 3 Meetings:
Tuesday (Day 16):
- Flyer evolution discussion
- Concept decision-making
Thursday (Day 18):
- Banner concept review
- Approaching briefs
Week 4 Meetings:
Tuesday (Day 23):
- Concept feedback
- Mid-project check-in
Thursday (Day 25):
- Near-final review
- Lessons learned
Tuesday (Day 30):
- Final retrospective
- Celebrate + transition to ongoing workflow
Early Warning Signs (Overwhelm Indicators)
Watch for these red flags:
- ⚠️ Carmee missing deadlines or asking for extensions repeatedly
- ⚠️ Quality declining (rushing, not following brand)
- ⚠️ Expressing anxiety or frustration frequently
- ⚠️ Pathway work still taking too much time (automation not working)
- ⚠️ Avoiding design work or procrastinating
- ⚠️ Not asking questions when stuck
If any appear:
- Pause, don't push through
- Extra Jedi Council session (same day if possible)
- Assess: Is it workload? Confidence? Tools? Feedback style?
- Adjust: Slow down, add support, reduce pathway work further
Remember: It's better to go slower and build confidence than rush and create burnout.
Resources
Design Tools:
- Canva Pro (templates, easy editing)
- Figma (collaborative design)
- Adobe Creative Suite (if available - Photoshop, Illustrator)
Learning (Optional):
- Canva Design School (free courses)
- Figma tutorials (YouTube)
- Design principles (search "basic design principles for beginners")
ZTAG Brand Assets:
- Google Drive:
/Marketing/Brand/ (logos, colors, fonts)
- Google Drive:
/Marketing/Design/ (past work, templates)
Who to Ask:
- Design direction: Charlie
- Tool questions: Paula (Week 1-3), then Charlie
- Workload concerns: Kristin or Quan
- Pathway automation: Minnie
- General support: Jedi Council (Tue/Thu meetings)
Success Criteria
By Day 30, Carmee should:
- ✅ Independently complete a design project from brief to delivery
- ✅ Understand ZTAG brand guidelines and apply them consistently
- ✅ Comfortable with design tools (Canva at minimum)
- ✅ Able to incorporate feedback and revise work
- ✅ Know when to ask for help vs. when to decide independently
- ✅ Have completed 8-10 real ZTAG assets (social posts, flyers, banners, emails)
By Day 30, Jedi Council should see:
- ✅ Carmee's design quality meeting brand standards
- ✅ Confidence growing (less anxiety, more autonomy)
- ✅ Pathway workload actually reduced (10-18 hrs/week freed)
- ✅ No signs of burnout or overwhelm
After Day 30: Ongoing Workflow
Weekly Rhythm:
- Design time: 2-3 dedicated blocks per week (10-15 hours)
- Charlie reviews: Weekly design feedback session (30 min)
- Jedi Council: Monthly check-ins (optional as-needed earlier)
Project Types (rotating):
- Social media content (ongoing)
- Event collateral (as events approach)
- Educational materials (flyers, guides)
- Partner materials (The Shape, Extended Care, etc.)
Growth Areas:
- More complex layouts
- Illustration/custom graphics
- Video/motion graphics (if interested)
- Print production (working with vendors)
You've got this, Carmee! 🚀
One day at a time, one small win at a time. By Day 30, you'll look back and be amazed at how far you've come.