Leadership
I have over 20 years of experience creating products people love, user research, concepts and design for fortune 50, 500 and startups. As a leader, I have 5+ years of experience creating purpose-driven, self-directed, design, UX research, design system, and UX writing teams with cultures that foster, bravery, ownership, innovation and leadership.
People management
In my management approach, I draw inspiration from Andy Grove's foundational work, "High Output Management," which underscores the correlation between a manager's output and that of the units they oversee. Recognizing that we all embark on unique career trajectories, I acknowledge that one's skill level and confidence in execution influence the manner of management they receive. I firmly believe in individual agency: the pace at which skills are honed rests within one's control, fostering an environment where personal growth is self-directed. Encouraging a focus on continuous improvement, I strive to cultivate an atmosphere where aiming for one's best translates into an ongoing quest for enhancement and development.
I use the page below to express how I manage individual reports and the expectations of them to become self-motivated.
Upleveling the team
Effective job descriptions go beyond simply listing responsibilities. They provide clear outlines of the required skills and proficiency levels. I've made job descriptions more user-friendly by providing a comprehensive list of skills and incorporating visual aids like spider charts. These charts help individuals better understand their skills by allowing them to assess themselves and compare their current level with what they need to achieve in order to progress. This style allows for a more efficient mapping of skills across different employment levels, providing a clearer understanding of the required competences and proficiency standards. Mapping skills is also beneficial as it allows us to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the entire team, which in turn helps us make informed decisions about future hiring.
Product partner
Due to a lack of product management skills inside QuillBot, the design team faced difficulty in increasing design velocity by late 2022. To fill this void, I took on the role and implemented a dual agile approach geared at early idea prototype and validation. However, we were hampered in our progress by continual scope creep generated by the product team, which hampered design delivery. Recognizing the fundamental reason, I worked closely with the product managers, emphasizing the importance of stringent standards and exercising prudence when introducing new ones. We modified projects within the product management team over time, breaking them down into smaller releases, which resulted in a considerable boost in release velocity.
