An independent standard for design capability.
The Design Credibility Index (DCI) is an independent, expert-reviewed assessment of design capability, combining structured evaluation criteria with human reviewer judgment. The same criteria apply to every submission.
What You Actually Receive
Submit
A design case study through the DCI framework.
Evaluate
Your submission is reviewed through structured analysis and evaluation by a trained human reviewer, against the same documented criteria used for every submission.
Score
Within 10 business days: a score out of 100, a breakdown across 10 skill areas, and written feedback per metric.
Reference
A dated assessment record, and, if you choose, a public profile you can share, including on LinkedIn.
Already in use by design teams at 25+ product companies.
A manager asks their designers to complete a DCI assessment, and gets a shared, verifiable score for the whole team.
Using DCI With Your Team? →
Design Tools Now Make It Easy to Produce Work That Looks Accomplished
AI-assisted design tools can generate a polished layout or a professional-looking prototype in minutes. That makes visual polish a weaker signal of real design capability than it used to be. A recruiter, a mentor, and a hiring manager can look at the same case study and reach different conclusions, because none of them can see the reasoning or structural decisions underneath the finished screens.
DCI exists to measure that capability directly, through a standardized methodology, rather than build portfolios, offer courses, or guarantee employment outcomes. As more design work is produced with AI assistance, a verified, independent assessment demonstrates the capability that produced it.
The Framework
Every submission is evaluated against the same competency framework and scoring methodology, whoever submits it.
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Independent.
DCI evaluates. It doesn't coach, influence, or optimize submissions toward a better outcome.
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Structured.
Every submission follows the same documented process, evaluated against the same defined criteria.
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Transparent.
Assessment criteria and reviewer standards are published and explained.
What DCI Measures
Ten defined competency dimensions: problem definition, design reasoning, structural and interaction decisions, and how clearly a designer communicates their process, each scored against documented, weighted criteria.
Full list: see How It Works.
Two Layers of Review
Each submission is reviewed through structured, criteria-based analysis combined with evaluation by a trained human reviewer. Structured analysis provides consistency and pattern recognition across submissions. Human reviewers provide context and professional judgment that a rules-based process alone can't supply. Both are required for the assessment to be credible.
Every Score Can Be Checked
DCI publishes its methodology and evaluation criteria. Every score is traceable to ten fixed, published evaluation criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Design Credibility Index?
An independent, expert-reviewed assessment of design capability, combining structured evaluation criteria with human reviewer judgment.
How is DCI different from a portfolio review?
A portfolio review reflects one reviewer's opinion. A DCI assessment applies the same documented methodology and criteria to every submission, producing a result that's consistent and explainable.
Does DCI guarantee employment outcomes?
No. DCI evaluates design capability. Employment, salary, and hiring decisions may follow from stronger capability; they aren't something DCI promises.
Your DCI Score