Great people dedicated to a meaningful mission - Design Forward Employee Review

5.0
Jul 3, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

+ The most meaningful work I've ever done. Going home at night knowing people are getting better healthcare and the future is promising. + Incredibly nice, genuine, caring people—the nicest coworkers I've worked with, and many people who've been here for 4,5,6, even 7 years and still enjoy it. + There's a very real chance Forward will change how healthcare works—not for the wealthy, but for the people who need it most. + Interesting work—the challenges are big, the approaches are novel, first principles thinking. + Growth opportunity. I've learned so, so from my time at Forward so far—many incredible people here. Forward provides a positive, challenging set of projects—reinventing healthcare is a shared team effort. + Rigorous thinking & decision making. Of all the things I've learned at Forward, one of the highlights is the quality of decision making—both the collaborative nature and the intellectual rigor. It's quick and effective, and I've grown to thrive on this structure.

Cons

– Forward is an ambitious startup: that does mean some longer days, and everyone is doing their best work. It works for me—people are genuinely here to fix healthcare to the best of their abilities—but if you're looking for an easy-going, low-key workplace with shorter days and casual work from home, Forward isn't the right fit. – Forward moves quickly. While I think the planning process is robust & thoughtful, the company isn't afraid of reprioritizing and adjusting projects as the work evolves. It means being willing to be let projects go & course correct nimbly, which is something I've had to learn.

Explore other reviews about Forward

5.0
Jan 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Supportive and collaborative team, strong product mindset, clear goals, and respect for design. High ownership, trust, and autonomy. Leadership is open to feedback, and designers are involved in real product decisions, not just visuals.

Cons

Fast-paced environment with a lot of responsibility, which may not be ideal for someone looking for a slower or more structured workflow. Priorities can shift as the company grows, but this is typical for scaling teams.

3.0
Sep 30, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

1. Smart and friendly coworkers 2. Good engineering culture 3. Opportunities for growth

Cons

1. Not-profitable - Forward never found a working model to solve the problem, and anchored heavily on solutions that lacked market-fit evidence. Contradictory to the problem-focused culture at Forward. 2. The finance problems lead to urgency. Work was demanding and tough across the org. However, engineering velocity was not the problem to begin with, leading to a vicious cycle of unmet goals -> tighter deadlines. 3. Frequent and fundamental shifts in company priorities leading to disorganized sprints and planning. A lot of work were throw away despite long hours invested.

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