The National Design Studio Became a DOGE Landing Pad. Now ‘Big Balls’ Is Recruiting
The National Design Studio (NDS), led by Joe Gebbia, has become a landing spot for former members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Critics and interviewees point to a lack of formal hiring processes and opaque organizational structures similar to those seen in DOGE.
Why it matters
The report raises questions about transparency and professional standards within new federal agencies staffed by private-sector tech figures.
NDS is headed by Joe Gebbia, the cofounder of Airbnb who now serves as the country’s chief design officer. Its mission is to redesign government websites to make them “beautifully designed” with a “great user experience,” according to Gebbia. But NDS retains many of the hallmarks of DOGE, including some of its team members, an opaque structure, and a seeming lack of adherence to the way many rules and systems in the federal government work. As it continues hiring, WIRED spoke to an engineer who interviewed for a position with the agency.
“I don't want to come off as a prude and say it was deeply unprofessional, because I've had plenty of casual interviews,” says the engineer who interviewed for the job and who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation. “But it was casual to the point where I don't think there was any process established.”
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in