Title elevations comparison
Pick the description that matches how you work today on each of the eight dimensions below, and this reads back the rung you land on — Junior through Principal — what’s holding you back, and what the next one asks for.
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1
Junior
2
Mid-level
3
Senior
4
Lead
5
Principal
Level 1 Junior
Specific problems
You solve specific, well-defined problems — “add an item to the cart.”
Level 2 Mid-level
A capability
You’re handed a product capability to solve — “the shopping cart.”
Level 3 Senior
A product area
You lead the solution for a whole product area — “the conversion funnel.”
Level 4 Lead
Undefined spaces
You lead undefined problem spaces — “how do people complete a transaction?”
Level 5 Principal
End-to-end
You own entire user experiences — “what is the whole shopper journey?”
Levels 1–2 Junior to mid-level
You follow it
You work inside a process your team lead established.
Levels 3–4 Senior to lead
You design it
You develop the process and approach for tackling a problem.
Level 5 Principal
You set the philosophy
You establish the mindset the whole team works by — adopting the Double Diamond, say.
Levels 1–2 Junior to mid-level
Assigned to a team
You’re part of a team you were assigned to.
Level 3 Senior
Lead a given team
You lead a team you were given, and collaborate with cross-functional peers.
Level 4 Lead
Build the team
You create the team you need, and define the problem with cross-functional leads.
Level 5 Principal
Set the structure
You establish the org structure — defining roles and opening headcount.
Cross-functional meetings
Change
Level 1 Junior
You attend
You attend the meeting.
Level 2 Mid-level
You contribute
You contribute to the meeting.
Levels 3–4 Senior to lead
You drive it
You drive the meeting.
Level 5 Principal
It exists for you
You’re the stakeholder the meeting exists to serve.
Level 1 Junior
Strong in 1
You’re strong in one core skill and capable in two others.
Level 2 Mid-level
Strong in 2
You’re strong in two core skills and capable in two others.
Levels 3–5 Senior to principal
Killer in 1
You’re killer in one core skill, strong in two, and capable in two others.
Level 1 Junior
Professionalism
You’re reliable, prepared, and easy to work with.
Level 2 Mid-level
Communication
You can present your work and talk about it convincingly.
Level 3 Senior
Facilitation
You can facilitate and listen — you can run the room.
Levels 4–5 Lead to principal
Confidence
Confidence and swagger — you hold a point of view under pressure.
Levels 1–2 Junior to mid-level
Not yet in play
Leadership isn’t part of your role yet.
Level 3 Senior
Strategy & empathy
You bring strategy, empathy and compassion to how the work gets shaped.
Level 4 Lead
Planning & mentorship
You plan ahead for the team and mentor the people on it.
Level 5 Principal
Vision
You articulate a compelling vision for where the whole thing is going.
Level 1 Junior
0–2 years
Out of school or a bootcamp — roughly 0–2 years, with a portfolio you’re proud of.
Level 2 Mid-level
2–5 years
You’ve contributed to a couple of shipped projects — roughly 2–5 years in.
Level 3 Senior
5–10 years
You’ve contributed to multiple shipped products — roughly 5–10 years in.
Level 4 Lead
10–15 years
You’ve delivered successful work at the scope of whole product areas — roughly 10–15 years in.
Level 5 Principal
Uncovered new value
You lead teams through badly-framed problems, and you’ve driven work that uncovered new value.
Answer at least four rows and your read appears here — the rung you sit on, what’s holding you back, and what the next one asks for.
