u/ExternalSalt8201

My company is going to remove the PM role and let AI take over parts of the process. I know AI is impacting a lot of industries nowadays, so I’m wondering if anyone is already experiencing a product structure with only designers and engineers. What are the challenges and benefits of this approach? Just wondering what should I expect.

I've seen 5 houses listing in this area, what happened?

https://preview.redd.it/gx3dlmiojrgh1.png?width=1480&format=png&auto=webp&s=7aa3b6ce932cfe4c5907f7cafd0a5fad8c93a881

To hiring managers: when you look at a CV, do you want to see work experience that is not relevant to your company’s field? For example, I’m applying to a fintech company. I have relevant experience, but it was two companies ago. I feel like I should move that experience to the top instead of burying it at the bottom. But that would mess up the chronological order?

I've been the only designer at my current company for a while now, and I'm reaching a point where I need some outside perspective.

Here's my situation:

1. Design sits inside the "product team" while engineers have their own "engineering team" with proper leadership and recognition. To me, design is its own discipline with its own expertise, but the way things are set up, I'm basically a step in the product process.

Because of this, the “credit” rarely lands on design. When things go well, it goes to PM and engineering. When leadership or other stakeholders asks me why the product direction feels off, I also covering for decisions I didn't make because pm and I under the same team and I don't want the product team to look bad.

2. My PM is also my line manager. She constantly shifts direction at the last minute, which bottlenecks the design process. And because I report directly to her, there’s no clean way to raise this without it getting personal or political. I've flagged the process issues multiple times. Nothing changes. I started to feel invisible in this company.

I know the advice is often "focus on the end user experience, don't get caught up in internal politics." I get that. But I also think it's human to want your work recognised.

I'm not sure if leaving will fix it, every company has its issues. But I'm starting to think I need to look specifically for a company where design is its own team with proper leadership.

My questions for you:

1. Have you worked somewhere with a genuinely healthy product+design+eng structure? What made it work?
2. For solo designers, how do you handle being the only one? Does it get easier, or does it depend entirely on the company culture?
3. What should I actually look for (or ask in interviews) to avoid landing in this same situation again?

Would really appreciate hearing from people who've been through this.

I’m 34F, and I’ve been working a corporate job since I graduated. I’ve lived in a city centre my whole life because it’s convenient, an easy 30 minute commute to work. I don’t own a house, I’ve always rented apartments.

I often dream about a different life: living outside the city centre, in a house with a big garden, where I can look out the window and see horses walking around, maybe even some deer.

I’m not rich and I don’t have rich family, but I do have some savings. To live that kind of life, I feel like I’d need to quit my job, or find remote work, then buy a house and some horses.

For some reason it feels really hard to get there. I imagine it would take a big chunk of money? It’s a life I’ve never experienced but always wanted. I don’t know the first thing about keeping horses, and I’ve never lived in a house outside the city before.

Has anyone here actually living this kind of life? What’s it like, and how do you manage it?