The Future of Business Communication
Role
Sr. Product Design
Program Manager
Services
Program Management
Project Management
Product Strategy
Design Ops
Team
PMs x6
EMs x6
Design Directors x2
Designers x30
Date
2021-Current
😘 💬
Team Feedback
“More time to design due to fewer crits and meetings was 💯.”
— Design IC
“I feel like we've turned a corner, and I don't want to declare victory too early, but things are feeling really good currently within PDE.”
— Head of Engineering
“Seems like execs may feel design is more transparent now due to the way we restructured our channels/public posting of crit notes.”
— Design IC
“Crits felt more streamlined and organized, we utilized time better overall.”
— Design IC
“Generally a larger sense of trust that we're all doing great work.”
— Design IC
“Things seem to be very healthy all the way around. We love seeing all the discussion and activities.”
— Engineering Manager
👯♂️ 🏆
How we got there
For years, Slack has been changing the way millions of people work together within their organizations. By shifting internal communication out of inboxes and into channels, teams can work more transparently with each other and get more done.
Entering as Slack’s first product design program manager was a fantastic challenge. Supporting the Slack Connect’s ‘virtual’ team required working across multiple org pillars, design directors and product groups.
Starting with discovery, workshops and interviews, I worked with the team to uncover opportunities to improve quality, speed, and collaboration throughout the product lifecycle.
My initial goal was to free up more IC time to focus on shipping features. We then improved XFN team communication and collaboration, with a more known and participatory quarterly planning process.
Key responsibilities included:
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Optimize design processes to lift velocity and maintain quality. Moderate meetings, record and follow up on action items. Ensure key stakeholder involvement and leadership oversight throughout the design process.
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Person of contact for design within PDE. Attend XFN meetings to provide status updates, answer questions and unblock when necessary.
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Ensure successful XFN participation in key quarterly and yearly milestones. Tailor processes to better suit design needs.
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Regular reporting and visibility into all areas of design. Ensuring that XFN partners, and leadership have visibility, and brought in for key decision.
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Organize team and social events when needed. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
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Work with PDE stakeholders to scope, plan and assist with the execution of design sprints.
🚢 🎉
Shipped highlights
Slack Connect Direct Messages
Allow people to collaborate via DM with people outside their Slack org
Accept in Slack
Accept invitations directly from Slack
Comprehensible Invites
Remove the guesswork of inviting people to channel through guided wizard
Approve New Channels
Let’s meet users’ expectations with new default user access in Slack Connect
Google Powered Onboarding
Onboarding, team setup and contact recommendations using Google contacts.
Unified Admin
Administrate all of Slack — all in one place
🏃♀️🏃♂️
Design Sprints
Big, bold bets are core to Slack’s product development ethos. Enter Design Sprints; a time-boxed, cross-functional, design-lead activity that helped PDE define product vision, unify direction, or rally product teams around a singular route forward. Below is an example of a week sprint to define Slack Connect’s visual identity.
