Building beautiful products with Stripe’s Head of Design | Katie Dill (Stripe, Airbnb, Lyft)

Name: Building beautiful products with Stripe’s Head of Design | Katie Dill (Stripe, Airbnb, Lyft)
Uploaded: 2023-10-15T12:00:26.000Z
Duration: 3 h 8 min 1 s

The Importance of Beauty in Design

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of beauty in design and how it is often overlooked in favor of functionality. They argue that beauty enhances functionality and increases trust.

The Decline of Beauty in Digitized Books

The use of the word "beauty" in books digitized by Google has significantly decreased.

This decline is aligned with the belief that functionality is more important than beauty.

However, functionality and beauty are not opposing concepts; beauty can enhance functionality.

Beauty Enhances Functionality

Beauty makes things easier to use and more approachable.

It also makes products more compelling to use.

People feel more assured when they see attention to detail and care put into the aesthetics of a product.

Interview Introduction

In this section, the interviewer introduces Katie Dill, Head of Design at Stripe. They highlight her experience leading design teams at hypergrowth companies like Lyft and Airbnb.

Introduction to Katie Dill

Katie Dill is currently the Head of Design at Stripe.

She previously held leadership positions at Lyft and Airbnb.

She has built and led design teams at three different hypergrowth companies.

Leading Large Design Teams

In this section, Katie Dill shares her experiences leading large design teams at hypergrowth companies. She discusses team scaling, processes for operationalizing quality, and how design can drive growth.

Scaling Design Teams

Katie has seen design teams scale at least 10x at Airbnb and Stripe.

Both companies are among the largest and fastest-growing in the world.

Operationalizing Quality through Processes

Katie emphasizes the importance of quality in design.

She shares the processes she has put in place to ensure operationalizing quality.

Design Driving Growth

Katie explains how design can directly lead to growth.

She provides examples of design improvements that resulted in significant lift and conversion at Stripe.

Building a Personal Board of Directors

In this section, the interviewer discusses the concept of building a personal board of directors with Katie Dill. They highlight the benefits of having a trusted peer group for career advice and support.

Creating a Personal Board of Directors

Building a personal board of directors is an effective way to advance one's career.

It involves forming a trusted peer group to discuss challenges, seek advice, and gain diverse perspectives.

Sponsor Advertisement - Sidebar

This section includes an advertisement for Sidebar, a platform that helps professionals build trusted peer groups for career development.

Sidebar - Building Trusted Peer Groups

Sidebar matches senior leaders with highly vetted private peer groups.

These groups provide unbiased opinions, diverse perspectives, and raw feedback.

The platform enables focused tactical feedback at every step of one's professional journey.

Sponsor Advertisement - Jira Product Discovery

This section includes an advertisement for Jira Product Discovery, a tool designed to help product teams prioritize and roadmap effectively.

Jira Product Discovery Benefits

Jira Product Discovery allows gathering all product ideas and insights in one place.

It enables confident prioritization and sharing custom product roadmaps with stakeholders.

Collaboration among different team members is made easier through Jira's integration with engineering teams.

Story from Airbnb - Design Team Intervention

In this section, Katie Dill shares a story from her time at Airbnb where the design team staged an intervention with her. She reflects on this experience as a significant learning opportunity.

Design Team Intervention

The design team at Airbnb staged an intervention with Katie Dill.

This experience was the biggest learning moment of her leadership career.

Further details about the intervention are not provided in the transcript.

The summary has been created based on the available transcript and may not capture all the details or nuances of the video.

Challenges in Collaboration and Trust Building

The speaker discusses the challenges faced in collaboration between engineering, product management, and design teams. Low engagement scores within the design team indicated a need for improvement. The speaker shares an experience where they received feedback from the design team about their lack of trustworthiness.

Lack of Collaboration and Low Engagement Scores

Engineering, product management, and design teams needed to work together more effectively.

Design team had low engagement scores.

Feedback Meeting Experience

A month into the job, the speaker had a meeting with half of the design team and HR partner.

The meeting involved five people seated around a table with papers discussing what the speaker was doing wrong.

Initially wanted to respond defensively but chose to listen instead.

Realized that trust was missing as a common theme in the feedback.

Importance of Trust Building

Recognized that earning trust was crucial for effective collaboration.

Acknowledged fault in not bringing the team along or demonstrating care for their interests.

Valued the opportunity to receive feedback and learn from it.

Shifting Approach and Building Trust

Made fast changes in operating style while still working towards necessary improvements.

Started actively listening to individuals' goals, motivations, and concerns.

Emphasized bringing people along rather than imposing change on them.

Positive Impact of Trust Building

A few months later, achieved best engagement scores in the company.

Carried forward lessons learned about listening and building trust into future roles.

Importance of Collaboration Between Designers

The speaker emphasizes the importance of collaboration between designers, engineers, and product managers. They discuss creating shared goals, aligning teams through proximity, and building communities within different disciplines.

Collaborative Environment

Bringing designers, engineers, and product managers together is important for a high-functioning organization.

Shared goals and close proximity facilitate collaboration and communication.

Building Design Community

The speaker believed in the importance of building a strong design community.

Designers should have a sense of belonging to both their specific design team and cross-disciplinary teams they work with.

Creating communities fosters collaboration and supports individual growth.

The Importance of Prioritizing Design

In this section, the speaker discusses the prioritization of design in product development and the challenges of balancing it with new features and launches. The return on investment (ROI) for design improvements is often unclear.

Making the Case for Design

Prioritizing design can be a challenge when compared to new features and product launches.

The ROI for design improvements may not be immediately apparent.

Companies like Airbnb, Stripe, and Lyft have successfully made the case for investing in design.

Levels of Quality

There are different levels of quality that a product can achieve.

Baseline quality ensures that the product works and provides value.

Level two focuses on error-free execution and well-rounded functionality.

Level three to five involves exceeding expectations and delivering unexpected user experiences.

Balancing Priorities

Prioritization plays a crucial role in deciding whether to focus on improving existing features or adding new ones.

It can be tempting to prioritize new features based on user demand rather than improving existing ones.

Companies that prioritize quality recognize its long-term importance over short-term gains.

The Numbers Game

Measurable goals often take precedence over non-measurable aspects like quality.

Companies should understand that functionality alone is not enough; quality enhances usability and desirability.

Analogy: Going to the Gym

Investing in quality is similar to going to the gym; it may not yield immediate results but contributes to long-term benefits.

Some of the best companies prioritize quality even if customers don't explicitly ask for it.

Understanding User Needs

Users may not directly ask for higher levels of quality, but they appreciate it when experienced.

Quality distinguishes products from competitors and adds value through attention to detail.

Quality as Growth

Quality itself drives growth by making products easier to use and understand.

A better user experience leads to increased usage and positive word-of-mouth.

The Importance of Quality in Product Development

In this section, the speaker emphasizes the significance of quality in product development. They compare it to going to the gym, where consistent effort leads to long-term benefits. Quality is essential for creating a better user experience and driving growth.

Quality as a Long-Term Investment

Quality should be seen as a long-term investment rather than an immediate gain.

Consistent focus on quality leads to better outcomes and a more satisfying user experience.

User Feedback and Quality

User feedback may not always explicitly mention quality issues but can indicate usability problems.

Levels two, three, and four of quality may not be directly requested by users but contribute to overall satisfaction.

Competition and Differentiation

In the absence of competition, basic functionality may suffice.

However, competition drives companies to differentiate through higher levels of quality.

Attention to detail sets high-end products apart from their competitors.

Quality Drives Growth

Prioritizing quality ultimately leads to growth.

Making products easier to use and understand attracts more users and encourages increased usage.

Conclusion

The transcript highlights the importance of prioritizing design in product development. It discusses the challenges of balancing design improvements with new features and launches. The speaker emphasizes that quality is a long-term investment that drives growth by enhancing usability, desirability, and overall user experience.

The Impact of Quality on Business Growth

In this section, the speaker discusses how improving the quality of products and services can lead to business growth. They highlight the example of enhancing the checkout experience, which resulted in a significant increase in revenue.

Quality Improvements and Activations Increase

Making quality improvements directly tied to growth has led to increased activations.

Understanding different use cases and improving products accordingly has been crucial for business impact.

Impact of Quality on Checkout Experience

Research shows that many top e-commerce sites have errors in their checkout flow, hindering a seamless and quick checkout process.

By focusing on improving the quality of the checkout experience, businesses have seen a 10.5% increase in revenue.

Stripe's Clients and Services

This section provides information about Stripe's clients and the range of services they offer, including powering checkout flows for various websites and providing financial automation tools for subscription-based businesses.

Stripe's Clientele

Stripe is used by millions of businesses globally, ranging from early-stage startups to larger organizations like Amazon, Herdz, Shopify, Spotify X.

They power checkout flows for online and in-person payments and provide financial automation tools for managing subscriptions.

Aligning Business Goals with Design Goals

Here, the speaker emphasizes the importance of aligning business goals with design goals. They discuss how creating impactful products requires considering both utility and usability from a design perspective.

Building Towards Something Great

Creating quality products that serve customers positively is essential for building a stronger business.

While designers focus on emotional experiences, others may prioritize practical outcomes like increasing button clicks.

Multi-disciplinary teams working closely together can strike a balance between utility, usability, and desirability.

The Importance of Beauty in Product Design

This section explores the significance of beauty in product design and how it complements utility and usability. The speaker emphasizes the importance of craftsmanship and quality execution in creating enjoyable user experiences.

Beauty, Utility, and Craftsmanship

Beauty alone or craftsmanship without utility does not lead to a high-quality product.

Combining beauty, utility, and craftsmanship creates something truly great.

Making products enjoyable to use and aligned with users' mental models is paramount for success.

Conclusion on Designing Quality Products

In this concluding section, the speaker summarizes the importance of aligning business goals with design goals and creating products that are both useful and desirable.

Striving for Excellence

Building quality products requires considering utility, usability, desirability, and craftsmanship.

Aligning business goals with design goals leads to impactful products that serve customers effectively.

Achieving excellence involves making products more than just functional but also enjoyable to use.

The Importance of Beauty in Business

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of beauty in business and how it enhances functionality and user experience.

Beauty and Functionality

Stephan Sagmeister and Jessica Walsh's book "Beauty" highlights that the use of the word "beauty" has decreased over time, suggesting a focus on functionality over aesthetics.

However, beauty and functionality are not opposing concepts; beauty enhances functionality by making things easier to use and more compelling.

There is some objectivity to beauty, as a wide audience tends to have shared preferences for colors or design choices.

The Impact of Beauty

The way something looks and is structured can influence how people feel about it.

A study mentioned in the book "Beauty" compared tweets from people at Penn Station and Grand Central Station, revealing that tweets from Grand Central tended to be more positive. This demonstrates how surroundings impact emotions.

Incorporating beauty into products can lead to increased trust, better user outcomes, and improved user satisfaction.

Quality and beauty are matters of pride that attract both users and employees.

Redesigning a Website with Care

In this section, the speaker discusses Stripe's approach to redesigning their website with care and thoughtfulness.

Operationalizing Quality

Mediocrity is easy to fall into, but striving for greatness requires significant effort.

Redesigning a website involves a concerted effort to elevate it from baseline mediocrity to a truly great experience.

Due to the length of this section, there are no bullet points provided.

The Importance of Art and Science in Design

In this section, the speaker discusses the significance of combining art and science in design. They emphasize the creativity and technical aspects involved in creating a user-centric experience.

Melding Art and Science

The company takes its commitment to users seriously, considering their needs and providing them with valuable services.

The approach to design involves blending artistry and scientific principles.

Creativity is essential, but so is the technical expertise required to effectively implement designs.

Collaboration between Design, Engineering, and Product Teams

Design, engineering, product partners, and product marketing work closely together.

These teams report into one place (design organization), fostering collaboration.

Engineers and designers work side by side on website projects.

Rapid iteration cycles occur as ideas are exchanged between team members.

Operationalizing Great Design Craft Beauty

A recent initiative has been rolled out to operationalize great design craft beauty.

The speaker has engaged with design leaders, product leaders, and engineers from different organizations to understand their approaches.

Quality is a group effort; it cannot be solely dependent on hiring talented individuals or relying on QA processes.

Organizational alignment is crucial for achieving a cohesive outcome.

Setting high standards internally reflects externally in how products are communicated.

Building Better Products: Themes for Success

In this section, the speaker shares insights gathered from conversations with industry professionals about building better products. They highlight two key themes: shared care across the organization and vision alignment.

Shared Care Across the Organization

Quality requires collective effort within an organization.

Hiring talented individuals alone is not sufficient; everyone must contribute to maintaining high standards.

Internal communication should emphasize shared responsibility for quality outcomes.

Vision Alignment

Hiring the best people in the world without providing vision and alignment can lead to disjointed results.

Subjectivity exists in decision-making, even among highly skilled individuals.

Building products is akin to constructing a house; careful planning and coordination are necessary for a cohesive outcome.

The Role of Editing and Courage

Editing plays a crucial role in ensuring coherence and removing elements that do not fit.

A designated person or team can oversee this editing process.

Having the courage to reject subpar work is essential for maintaining high standards.

Leaders must make difficult decisions, such as saying "no" when necessary.

The transcript provided does not contain timestamps beyond 1912 seconds.

Understanding Quality from a User Perspective

In order to build quality, it is important to understand it from the user's perspective. Users interact with products through various stages of their journey, including learning about it, deciding to use it, and adapting to changes. Building teams with empathy for users is crucial in ensuring quality.

Importance of User Perspective

Understanding quality from the user's point of view is essential.

Users rarely interact with isolated aspects of a product; they experience it as a whole journey.

Recognizing that product experiences are interconnected helps ensure overall quality.

Operationalizing User Journeys

The goal is to solve the issue of product quality regression over time.

Companies often focus on specific business areas but may overlook how different parts of the product experience are intertwined.

Establishing accountability for user journeys and assigning leaders responsible for their quality can help address this.

Walk the Store Approach

15 critical user journeys have been identified for review by engineering, product, and design leaders.

Leaders "walk the store" by experiencing these journeys as users would.

They note what works and what doesn't, file bugs, and communicate with relevant teams.

Regular calibration meetings ensure consistent assessment of performance and alignment across the organization.

Preventing Quality Regression Over Time

Products can experience quality regression over time due to new features or updates affecting other parts negatively. Focusing on individual business areas can lead to neglecting the overall product experience. A systematic approach is needed to prevent quality regression.

Analogy: House Renovation

Updating one room in a house can make other rooms look worse in comparison.

Similarly, shipping new features without considering their impact on existing ones can degrade overall product quality.

Challenges of Focused Business Areas

Focusing on specific business areas allows for expertise and faster progress.

However, it can lead to neglecting the interconnectedness of different parts of the product experience.

Addressing Quality Regression

Establishing awareness and accountability for user journeys is crucial.

Identifying critical user journeys that must maintain high-quality standards.

Assigning leaders responsible for the quality of each journey.

Regular reviews and friction logs help identify issues and drive improvements.

Implementing a Systematic Approach to Quality Assessment

To ensure consistent quality assessment, a systematic approach is implemented. This involves reviewing critical user journeys, documenting observations, filing bugs, and conducting calibration meetings to align interpretations of quality across the organization.

Importance of Calibration

Calibration ensures consistent interpretation of quality assessments.

Similar to performance reviews, managers come together to discuss scores and align their understanding.

Walk the Store Reviews

Engineering, product, and design leaders review critical user journeys as users would.

They document what they observe, what works well, and what needs improvement.

These reviews are not a replacement for user research but complement it by providing additional insights.

Friction Logs and Bug Reporting

Leaders note down any issues or concerns they encounter during the user journey.

They file bugs or reach out to relevant teams responsible for different parts of the experience.

Regular Cadence Meetings

Teams come together in regular meetings to discuss their findings and scores.

Calibration discussions ensure consistency in interpreting quality assessments across the organization.

Importance of Owning Your Journey and Upstream Impact

This section discusses the importance of owning your journey and how it has an upstream impact on product improvement. It emphasizes the need for understanding user experiences and making necessary changes to enhance product outcomes.

Owning Your Journey and Learning from User Experiences

Owning your journey as a user helps in identifying opportunities for improving the product.

Understanding the state of products in the wild provides valuable insights into areas that can be enhanced.

Making improvements early on leads to better outcomes later in the user journey.

Upstream Impact and Alignment with Product Vision

Improving certain aspects of a product can align it better with how users should understand it.

Enhancements made upstream have positive effects downstream, leading to improved overall outcomes.

Different functions within an organization should collaborate to ensure quality and better product development.

Changing Perspectives and Group Effort

This section highlights how individuals' perspectives change after realizing the importance of owning their journey. It emphasizes that ensuring product quality is a group effort involving engineers, product managers, and professionals from different disciplines.

Changing Perspectives on Ownership

Initially, some individuals may not see owning their journey as necessary but eventually recognize its significance.

Technical focus alone is not enough; understanding the broader impact is crucial for all functions involved.

Realizing the importance of ownership leads to improved care for details and better end results.

Group Effort for Product Quality

Having multiple roles (engineers, product managers, etc.) involved ensures comprehensive attention to product quality.

Collaboration between different disciplines allows for a holistic understanding of user experience.

Walking through the store, experiencing the product firsthand, contributes to better craftsmanship.

Trusting Personal Judgment and the Power of Experience

This section discusses the significance of trusting personal judgment when evaluating a product. It emphasizes the power of firsthand experience in understanding user pain points and identifying areas for improvement.

Trusting Personal Judgment

Product managers often rely on research or data instead of trusting their own judgment.

Over time, it becomes evident that personal experiences using the product are valuable insights.

Users' perspective is similar to that of potential users, making personal judgment crucial.

The Power of Experience

Hearing about user experiences is powerful, but experiencing the pain firsthand provides a deeper understanding.

Users may not always articulate what's missing or wrong, making personal perspective essential.

Personal judgment complements user research and direct feedback from users.

Frequency and Cadence of Process Evaluation

This section addresses the frequency at which process evaluations occur and explains why quarterly evaluations are currently implemented. It highlights the importance of continuous improvement and adaptation as an organization grows.

Evaluating Processes Regularly

Constant evaluation of processes is necessary for ongoing improvement within an organization.

Quarterly evaluations provide a structured opportunity to update scorecards and share information.

Material differences can be made within a quarter while allowing sufficient time for progress to be observed.

Balancing Frequency and Progress

Weekly evaluations may occur in different parts of the organization, complementing quarterly evaluations.

The goal is to find a cadence that balances frequent assessments without missing any setbacks or improvements.

Continuous improvement should be embedded in daily operations across various teams.

Conducting Walkthroughs as a Team Effort

This section focuses on conducting walkthroughs as a team effort. It suggests involving engineers, product managers, and designers together to ensure comprehensive evaluation and improvement.

Team Involvement in Walkthroughs

Each team conducts walkthroughs together, involving engineers, product managers, and designers.

Collaborative participation ensures diverse perspectives and expertise are considered.

Joint walkthroughs facilitate better understanding of user experiences and enable effective problem-solving.

The transcript is already in English.

Design System and Collaborative Approach

The speaker discusses the importance of consistency in design and the power of collaboration. They mention regularly working with David Singleton to review flows and identify areas for improvement.

Collaborative Walkthroughs

The speaker, along with David Singleton, conducts regular walkthroughs of the store to identify areas that can be improved.

While the speaker focuses on user experience, David Singleton handles the coding part.

They discuss how to make improvements and ensure a better experience for users.

Product Quality Review (PQR)

After individual walkthroughs, the team comes together for a product quality review called PQR.

During PQR, each team member shares their experiences and scores based on a rubric for quality.

Discussions are held regarding the scores given, addressing any discrepancies or differing perspectives.

Multidisciplinary Approach

PQR meetings involve various leaders from relevant departments such as product marketing and engineering.

The goal is to gain insights from different perspectives and ensure a comprehensive understanding of quality standards.

Scoring Journeys and Quality Bar

The speaker explains how they score individual steps in Journeys using a rubric-based approach. They also discuss using a color system instead of numerical or letter-based scoring.

Friction Log and Tagging Moments

Teams fill out friction logs that include screenshots and descriptions of their experiences during Journeys.

Each moment is tagged based on its impact, ranging from nice touches to severe issues requiring immediate attention.

Rubric-Based Scoring

A rubric is used to evaluate quality based on usability, utility, desirability, and surprisingly great elements.

Teams provide scores for each aspect mentioned in the rubric to calculate an overall summary score.

Color System for Scoring

Instead of using numerical or letter-based scoring, a color system is employed to avoid unnecessary complexity.

The focus is on qualitative judgment and leveraging the team's expertise rather than precise quantitative measurements.

Prioritizing Feedback and Taking Action

The speaker discusses how teams can prioritize feedback received during reviews and operationalize the process of addressing issues.

Time Allocation Recommendations

Some organizations recommend allocating a certain percentage of time for fixing issues and growing the product.

Stripe suggests spending 10% of time on fixing things, 20% on growth, and the rest on regular maintenance.

Judgment-Based Decision Making

Stripe values judgment in decision making and encourages teams to bring their expertise to discussions.

The goal is to make opinions and decisions quickly based on straightforward qualitative assessments.

Operationalizing Feedback

Teams need to take feedback received during reviews into account when planning their actions.

It is important to balance priorities with existing goals, roadmaps, and resources available for implementation.

Building Great Things and Advocating for Quality

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of building great things that users will use and advocating for quality at the highest levels of the company.

Focusing on Quality and Iteration in Planning

The speaker emphasizes the cultural expectation of focusing on quality and prioritizing it, even if it may not immediately move metrics.

Plans are made collaboratively by multi-disciplinary teams, with a focus on advancing features, improving growth, and enhancing quality.

There is no specific formula or checklist for prioritizing quality; it is an ongoing iterative process.

Linking Quality Improvements to Business Metrics

The speaker acknowledges a dangerous belief that quality improvements do not necessarily increase growth or improve the bottom line.

They provide an example where improving clarity in a user interface decreased the need for customer support, leading to improved business outcomes.

It is important to recognize and communicate examples where quality leads to better business outcomes.

Evaluating Performance and Prioritizing Quality

Performance evaluations at Stripe consider impact beyond just moving metrics.

Impactful projects may have longer-term effects or be harder to measure but still contribute significantly to the success of the business.

Celebrating and recognizing great work that may not directly move metrics is essential.

Stripe has a level ladder system that outlines expectations for each role, including emphasizing qualities like meticulous craft.

Balancing Quality with Business Metrics

In this section, the speaker discusses how organizations should balance their focus on quality with measurable business metrics.

Recognizing Short-Term and Long-Term Impacts

Some impactful efforts may take longer to show results in terms of business metrics but are still valuable in improving overall product quality.

It is crucial to understand that both short-term and long-term impacts can be achieved through a focus on quality.

Short-term impacts can inspire ideas for other teams to prioritize quality and achieve higher business metrics.

Evaluating Performance and Defining Impact

When evaluating performance, it is important to have a clear understanding of what impact means beyond just moving business metrics.

Celebrating and recognizing work that contributes to the success of the business, even if it doesn't directly move metrics, is essential.

Stripe's level ladder system and operating principles guide performance evaluations and emphasize the importance of quality.

Meticulous Craft and Building Great Things

In this section, the speaker highlights the significance of meticulous craft in building great products.

Importance of Meticulous Craft

Meticulous craft is one of Stripe's operating principles that emphasizes having meticulous care in all aspects of work.

It applies to designing spaces, creating APIs, building products, and more.

Having a meticulous approach ensures high-quality outcomes across different areas within an organization.

The transcript provided does not contain any further sections or timestamps.

Handling Messy Data in CSV Files

This section discusses the challenges of dealing with messy data in CSV files and introduces One Schema as a solution for fast and easy spreadsheet import experiences.

Challenges with Spreadsheet Import

Building a spreadsheet importer for messy CSV files can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.

Customers often encounter issues with date conversion and other edge cases.

Many tools are not designed to handle messy data, leading to frustrating user experiences.

Introducing One Schema

Companies like Scale AI and Pave are using One Schema to simplify spreadsheet imports.

One Schema offers features such as embeddable CSV import and recurring imports from an SFTP folder.

It intelligently corrects messy data, saving customers hours of manual work in Excel.

Lessons on Team Building and Leadership

This section explores insights on building, leading, managing, and scaling large teams based on the speaker's experience at hypergrowth companies like Airbnb and Stripe.

Key Lessons on Team Building

Performance equals potential minus interference (Performance = Potential - Interference).

As a leader, focus on increasing potential by hiring well, developing talent, and helping individuals grow.

Decrease interferences that hinder great work to prevent burnout and maximize success.

Evolving Processes with Company Growth

Designing a team is an ongoing process as more people join the company.

Scaling requires adapting processes to accommodate growth and improve efficiency.

Recognize when existing processes become inadequate and make necessary changes for better outcomes.

Improving Awareness within the Organization

Companies often face challenges with maintaining awareness across different parts of the organization as they grow.

Sharing screenshots or prototypes of ongoing work in a shared deck helps increase visibility within the design team.

Visual representations provide clarity and reduce the need for lengthy meetings or complex documentation.

Summary

Handling messy data in CSV files can be challenging, but One Schema offers a solution for fast and easy spreadsheet imports.

Building, leading, and scaling large teams require focusing on increasing potential and reducing interferences.

Evolving processes is necessary to accommodate company growth and improve efficiency.

Improving awareness within the organization can be achieved through visual representations of ongoing work.

New Section

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of thinking about things as a journey and how different aspects of marketing and product development fit together.

Building Together as a Journey

The speaker emphasizes the importance of viewing things as a journey.

It is crucial to understand how different elements in marketing and product development align.

This approach has been found to be highly beneficial in various organizations, including Airbnb.

New Section

The speaker talks about the usefulness of using decks (presentation slides) to showcase designs and products in motion.

Decks for Showcasing Designs

Decks are a handy tool for presenting designs and products.

Looking through awesome designs and products in motion can be enjoyable.

Figma is mentioned as another potential tool for this purpose, but decks remain popular due to their simplicity.

New Section

The speaker discusses the convenience of using decks for sharing updates across teams, even if not everyone uses the same design software.

Convenience of Decks for Sharing Updates

While designers may prefer using Figma or other design software, it's important to consider accessibility for all team members.

Decks allow easy sharing by simply flipping through slides.

Commenting on decks is a familiar behavior that people are used to.

Regularly scheduled calls are used to gather updates from designers and compile them into a deck that can be emailed out.

New Section

The frequency of sharing updates via decks is discussed, along with considerations for team size and project granularity.

Frequency and Granularity of Sharing Updates

Experimentation with different frequencies of sharing updates has taken place.

Currently, monthly sharing seems to work well, but it used to be bi-weekly.

The granularity of updates is also considered, focusing on medium and large projects rather than every detail.

The goal is to avoid overwhelming team members with a lengthy deck.

New Section

The speaker highlights the benefits of sharing work in progress through decks, despite the challenges it may initially present.

Sharing Work in Progress

Opening up the curtain and showing work in progress can be challenging but has proven beneficial.

It helps identify redundancies or conflicting projects earlier, saving time and improving outcomes.

Making it clear that the shared work is still in progress is essential.

People have started to see the benefits of sharing work in progress, leading to better outcomes and fostering a positive culture.

New Section

The speaker discusses an equation for performance and potential, and shares an example related to interference within teams.

Performance Equation and Interference Example

The equation "performance equals potential minus interference" is mentioned as a guiding principle.

An example related to team organization and physical proximity is provided.

At Lyft, the design team was physically separated from other functions by a locked door.

While this setup had benefits for creativity, it created interference between teams.

New Section

The speaker emphasizes the importance of addressing interference within teams by reorganizing physical spaces.

Addressing Interference through Reorganization

Recognizing the interference caused by physical separation, efforts were made to reorganize spaces at Lyft.

Designers were no longer isolated behind a locked door but integrated with other functions like engineering and product teams.

This change aimed to improve collaboration and reduce unnecessary barriers between teams.

The Challenges of Separate Teams

In this section, the speaker discusses the challenges faced when different teams work separately and how it leads to wasted work and lack of alignment with goals.

Challenges of Separate Teams

When teams work separately, there is a lack of alignment and coordination.

Designers and other team members may have different perspectives and goals.

Wasted work occurs when decisions made by one team do not align with the goals of another team.

Interference and slower progress are common outcomes of separate teams working in isolation.

Evolving the Way Teams Work

This section focuses on how the speaker addressed the challenges mentioned earlier by evolving the way teams worked together to achieve better alignment and efficiency.

Bringing Better Alignment to Different Functions

The speaker realized that changes were needed in the way teams worked together to reduce interference.

By bringing design, engineering, and product teams physically closer, better alignment was achieved.

Regular meetings were held to ensure shared goals and collaboration among team members.

Creative spaces were maintained while ensuring alignment between different functions.

Changing Team Organization for Better Collaboration

Here, the speaker explains how they reorganized the product, design, and engineering teams to foster collaboration and improve overall efficiency.

Physically Bringing Teams Together

The physical proximity of designers, engineers, and product managers was essential for effective collaboration.

Designers were assigned to specific projects or areas such as driver safety or rider experience.

Sitting together allowed for better communication and understanding between team members.

Similar Patterns at Stripe

The speaker shares their experience at Stripe where they also emphasized collaboration and creative spaces.

Collaboration at Stripe

At Stripe, there was a focus on collaboration, even in a remote work environment.

Studio spaces were provided for designers to work together and foster creativity.

Different teams, such as brand and marketing creative, had dedicated spaces for collaboration.

Physical spaces for creative exploration were considered powerful tools.

Fear of Bold Ideas

The speaker discusses the tendency of companies to fear bold ideas and the impact it can have on innovation.

Fear of Shaking Things Up

Companies, regardless of size, often fear shaking things up or embracing big ideas.

This fear can hinder innovation and prevent bold changes from being implemented.

Overcoming this fear is crucial for fostering creativity and driving meaningful progress.

The Importance of Vision and Comprehensive Approach

In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a comprehensive approach to product development and the role of vision in driving innovation.

Reach for the Stars and Land on the Moon

Having a clear vision and reaching for ambitious goals is crucial for product development.

Vision work should focus on creating an ideal version of the product or experience.

Brian Chesky's concept of the "11-star experience" highlights the importance of envisioning an ideal outcome.

Starting with a clear vision allows for incremental progress towards that goal.

Building Towards the Ideal Version

It is recommended to have a comprehensive approach that considers all aspects of the user experience.

Teams should work together towards achieving the ideal version over time.

Shipping smaller pieces first can help gather data and ensure progress is measured and thoughtful.

The North Star lays out the process for taking calculated risks while making continuous progress.

Hiring Designers: Key Traits to Look For

This section provides insights into what to look for when hiring designers, focusing on qualities such as taste, character, humility, and hustle.

Teaching Tools vs. Taste and Character

It is easier to teach tools and processes than it is to develop good taste and character in design.

Pay attention to candidates' judgment, taste, and their ability to make great decisions even if they lack experience.

The Importance of Humility

Look for designers who are humble, respectful, empathetic, and have enthusiasm for both colleagues and users.

Humility enables designers to listen to user feedback, be curious about improvement opportunities, and strive for better outcomes.

Courageous Hustle

Design requires creativity and courage. Look for candidates who are willing to take risks and fight for great ideas.

Hustle is essential in executing design projects rapidly and effectively.

The transcript provided does not contain timestamps for the last section.

The Importance of Having a User-Focused Organization

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of having a user-focused organization and the role of senior leaders in building such an organization.

Building an Organization with a User Focus

It is important to have a balance between thinkers and doers in the early stages of building an organization.

A senior leader with a user-focused lens can help guide the organization's strategy.

Having both a senior leader as a design advisor and an executor or doer on the team can be beneficial.

Measuring Craft and Taste

When it comes to measuring craft and taste, there may not be specific books or tricks.

Trusting one's judgment and asking if something feels great can be helpful.

The measurement is contingent on understanding the user needs and context of the product.

Design Principles and Books

There are books available that discuss principles of great design, but it depends on the context of the product.

Specific book recommendations are not provided in this conversation.

Favorite Project at Stripe - Stripe Press

In this section, the speaker talks about their favorite project at Stripe, which is Stripe Press, where they print books that focus on ideas of progress.

Stripe Press - Printing Books

Stripe Press prints books that cover various interesting problems, opportunities, and ideas unrelated to financial infrastructure.

The goal is to bring out great ideas through beautifully designed books.

A new book called "Poor Charlie's Almanac" is mentioned as an upcoming release.

Poor Charlie's Almanac

"Poor Charlie's Almanac" is a fascinating book assembled by Peter Kaufman from documents written by Charlie Munger over 20 years.

The book does not follow a linear story but is an anthology of Charlie Munger's words.

A teaser site has been created for the book, and there are plans to update the website for a special reading experience.

Stripe Press Website

The website for Stripe Press is press.stripe.com.

The website aims to provide a bookstore-like experience where readers can explore different books.

The design and engineering teams worked closely together to create an engaging and fun website.

Passion Project - Creating an Engaging Website

In this section, the speaker discusses the process of creating an engaging website for Stripe Press and how it became a passion project.

Creating an Engaging Website

The website team at Stripe focused on delivering a great experience aligned with what readers would want.

The goal was to replicate the experience of browsing books in a physical bookstore.

The website offers a unique way to explore books and engage with them.

URL for Stripe Press Website

The URL for the Stripe Press website is press.stripe.com.

This information was already mentioned earlier in the transcript.

The Importance of Financial Infrastructure and Ideas of Progress

In this section, the speaker discusses the significance of financial infrastructure in enabling businesses to accomplish more. They also highlight how ideas of progress align with their mission.

Financial Infrastructure as a Major Part of Business (1:18:30 - 1:18:47)

Financial infrastructure is crucial for businesses as it serves as the lifeblood that enables them to achieve more.

While it may not be their core business, they believe that focusing on financial infrastructure is aligned with their mission.

Intentionality and Pursuit of Excellence (1:18:47 - 1:19:07)

The speaker emphasizes that financial infrastructure relates to the pursuit of creativity, excellence, and identity.

They express excitement about sharing their commitment to care and intentionality with others.

Importance of Design and Intentionality (1:19:07 - 1:20:05)

Design is described as bringing intentionality to decisions by considering who will be impacted by a product or service.

Whether designing a door knob or a strategy, intentional decisions can be made by anyone in any role within an organization.

Great design combines creativity, taste, and expertise to deliver better outcomes internally and externally.

Quality Craftsmanship in Podcasting (1:20:05 - 1:21:32)

The speaker praises the podcast host for prioritizing usability and learning value over background information during interviews.

They appreciate the host's focus on quality craftsmanship in delivering concrete tactical advice while maintaining a human touch.

Lightning Round Questions

In this lightning round segment, the speaker answers questions related to book recommendations.

Recommended Books (1:21.48 - end)

"How to Win Friends and Influence People" is mentioned as a classic book that the speaker often recommends to others.

The lightning round questions continue beyond the given timestamp, but no additional information is provided in the transcript.

The Importance of Articulation and Self-Care

In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of how we articulate ourselves and highlights that people primarily care about themselves. This understanding is crucial for effective leadership, teamwork, and personal relationships.

The Way We Articulate Ourselves

People care first and foremost about themselves.

Recognizing this fact can be powerful in various aspects of life, such as leading teams, working with others, or being a good spouse.

Book Recommendation: "The Wright Brothers" by David McCullough

The book tells the story of the Wright Brothers' journey to achieve human flight.

It highlights their resolve, commitment, and the power of their partnership.

Relevant for entrepreneurs as it explores overcoming seemingly impossible challenges.

Book Recommendation: "The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse"

Recommended by Jenny Arden.

A beautiful story that teaches valuable lessons while also providing laughter.

Emphasizes the freedom we have in choosing our reactions to things.

Favorite Movie or TV Show Recommendations

In this section, the speaker shares two recommendations for favorite movies and TV shows that they have enjoyed recently.

Movie Recommendation: "Oppenheimer"

Described as an amazing movie.

TV Show Recommendation: "Shrinking"

Initially surprising due to its funny and positive nature compared to its trailer impression.

Favorite Interview Question

In this section, the speaker reveals their favorite interview question that helps them understand candidates better.

Favorite Interview Question: What Work Are You Most Proud Of?

Helps understand candidates' taste, judgment, motivation, and perception of good work.

Provides insights into their preferred type of work and what drives them.

Favorite Product Recommendation

In this section, the speaker shares a favorite product recommendation that is particularly useful for parents.

Favorite Product Recommendation: Tony Box

A squishy box that serves as a speaker controlled by kids.

Activated by placing figurines on top, playing stories or songs.

Allows recording personal voice for storytelling.

Life Motto

In this section, the speaker shares their favorite life motto and its significance.

Favorite Life Motto: "Tomorrow is Today"

Reminds the speaker to take action in the present rather than constantly delaying tasks or goals for tomorrow.

Encourages seizing opportunities and not procrastinating.

Lesson from Parents

In this section, the speaker reflects on an important lesson taught by their parents that has stuck with them as a new parent themselves.

Lesson from Parents: Accomplishment Based on Merit and Hard Work

The speaker's parents instilled the belief that accomplishment is based on merit and hard work.

They never made the speaker feel limited due to their size or strength.

Engaging in physical tasks at a young age contributed to developing leadership skills.

Airport Conversation

The speaker talks about a conversation they had with a driver at the airport, discussing his children and the stereotypes associated with gender roles.

Gender Stereotypes and Parenting

The driver tells the speaker about his twins, a boy and a girl.

He mentions that he treats his daughter like a princess and doesn't let her do tasks like taking out the garbage or sweeping.

The speaker reflects on how gender stereotypes can limit opportunities for girls and believes in challenging these stereotypes.

They mention being fortunate to have parents who didn't restrict them based on gender roles.

Lessons from Learning to Fly

The speaker discusses their experience of learning to fly planes and how it has influenced their approach to product leadership and design.

Trust and Empowerment

Learning to fly was an incredible journey of starting from knowing nothing to gaining competence.

The speaker draws parallels between learning new skills, such as flying or language acquisition, and personal growth.

They share an important lesson from flying - when their instructor moved back in the seat during landing, it symbolized trust in their abilities.

This experience inspires the speaker to show trust in their team members' capabilities and empower them to take on challenges.

Connecting with Others Online

The speaker shares where they can be found online for further discussions and invites others to reach out for collaboration.

Online Presence

The speaker encourages people to connect with them online as they are always interested in learning from others' experiences.

They provide their Twitter handle (@liloreDill), Threads username (liloreDilly), and LinkedIn profile for contact purposes.

They mention that their company is hiring and direct interested individuals to the job board on stripe.com.

Conclusion

The transcript covers a conversation about gender stereotypes, lessons from learning to fly, and connecting with others online. The speaker emphasizes challenging stereotypes, trusting and empowering team members, and fostering collaboration in their work.