Starting, Nurturing, and Leading
Case Study:
Leading 30+ Product Designers with Six Directs Comprising Six Teams representing $14 Billion in Merchant and Payment Solutions Revenue
Hired as the first Product Design Leader of the Value-Added Services (VAS) business vertical and platform, which enabled multiple products and services for merchants of any size and scale.
The suite of Visa value-added services has grown to nearly 200 products, spanning five high-demand categories: Acceptance, Advisory, Issuing, Open Banking, and Risk and Identity, helping clients navigate a growing number of complexities
Visa’s largest 265 clients now use an average of 22 of Visa’s value-added services products
Results:
9% year-over-year revenue growth
New Tap-To-Phone payment product was the fastest-growing merchant tool in FY 23, growing to 1.6 million customers
Implemented a true triad model with equal input from Product, Design, and Engineering
Successfully led the integration of acquired products into the Visa brand and unified design system
Spearheaded, led, and piloted the integration of Design with Product and Engineering tools Jira and Jira Align, resulting in 1.3x velocity gains
Key Themes:
Scaling and maturing the team and capabilities
Elevating craft and ways of working
Expanding the value of design
Instilling vision, purpose, and culture
Launching impactful products
More Information on My Visa Portfolio:
Visa Acceptance Solutions helps accelerate growth for merchants with new digital enablement offerings.
Visa’s Growing Services Business infused with new AI-powered products
Visa Pushes Adoption Of Electronic Payments In Brazil
Consumer research highlights the growing need for Click to Pay
Good News for Paze: 44% Would Use a Bank-Provided Digital Wallet
“You are an incredible leader who advocates for your team, is always wearing a strategic hat, and can clear up even the murkiest of situations. I really hope we can work together again.”
Redesigning Point-of-Sale for the Visually Impaired
Rough cut: Designing accessible physical/digital card-present payment terminals.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Point-of-sale terminals present significant challenges for the visually impaired, a group representing 8% of consumers.
For example, they are often unable to complete a transaction without verbally providing their card PIN, which causes substantial anxiety and security risks.
THE APPROACH
My team and I conducted in-person research and observation, documenting challenges and synthesizing insights. We then created prototypes using novel haptic and auditory cues and tested them with our volunteers.
THE RESULTS
Our point-of-sale OEMs were provided with a comprehensive set of guidelines, prototypes, insights, and justifications. Several of them committed to adding modifications to their roadmap.
“I deeply appreciate the trust you extended towards me and my team and the support you continually provided. “
Building the Case to Reinvent and Reinvigorate Authorize.net
ANET 2.0 Sizzle Reel - Used to secure funding from and show value to leadership.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Visa’s small to medium business merchant tool, Authorize.net, controlled only 5.8% of the market, losing share to PayPal and Stripe. To make matters worse, customer reviews were very low. My product stakeholders and I saw an opportunity to reinvigorate the product and grow revenue.
THE APPROACH
My team and I conducted in-depth competitive and customer research, identifying a need for quicker onboarding, better reporting, and better insights from AI integration. We ensured that our proposed improvements were well-founded and aligned with market demands.
Following the development of a new experience prototype and a compelling business case, our efforts were rewarded in the quarterly business review.
THE RESULTS
The leadership team responded by reallocating resources and providing six development teams (60 dev), an additional product manager, and two new designers.
As of this writing, ANET 2.0 is under development. Portions of the redesign are currently available to merchants and receiving positive customer feedback.
“As soon as I met you, I knew I wanted you to be my manager. I have thought of you as my sensei. You help me see the clear path forward and give me wisdom and safe space to gain the confidence I need.”
Increasing Team Velocity by Integrating the Product Toolset
THE OPPORTUNITY
Design was not integrated with Jira when I joined, causing much back-and-forth, a lack of reporting, and miscommunication. When Visa undertook an effort to upgrade product processes and include Jira Align, I took it as an opportunity to integrate triad tools properly.
THE APPROACH
Together with my Design Program Manager (ops team), I took the lead in designing and implementing a pilot integration. This initiative eventually expanded to include two of my teams.
By providing our presence at the tooling discussions, I ensured that the design organization was not an afterthought but a key player in an integrated triad process.
THE RESULTS
The result was a 1.3x increase in team velocity after two months and a 22% reduction in email communications typically required for clarification and status updates. Importantly, it also enabled design and product leadership to see our direct impact over time.
Org Team-of Teams plan
Jira: Visibility by role
Manager’s View
“Your leadership brought out the best in us and made work enjoyable.”
Elevating Craft, Scaling, and Coaching for Success
While incredibly capable, there were several improvement opportunities, e.g.:
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A small number of designers were not meeting Global Design's and their Product partners' quality standards. A renewed focus on craft was required.
After establishing psychological safety, I emphasized attendance of team critiques and implemented a structure wherein feedback was seen as positive and constructive.
Next, I paired designers needing up-leveling with peers possessing greater abilities for one-on-one sessions. Lastly, we identified and attended quality training programs.
Over one year, satisfaction levels from our partners in Product rose to the point that no further complaints were issued.
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Due to acquisitions and long tenures, several individuals needed to catch up to their peers regarding pay. This was impacting morale.
I worked with Senior Leadership and HR to review options and build the case for additional pay or, in some cases, promotion.
Over the next year, using various methods, we decreased pay disparity by nearly 75%. In so doing, the team communicated their appreciation and felt supported.
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Being distributed across several products and Product Partners, my teams desired an understanding of how their work fit into Visa’s goals. Smaller teams also expressed feelings of isolation.
People need to know their work is important and impacts the whole.
By instituting monthly cross-team share-outs, a clear map of how our work ladders up, and regular communication, my teams shared they had more clarity and connection with peer teams and the greater Visa goals.
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As the Design team grew, we needed more folks to take on new management roles.
Several communicated they were willing but wanted to stay close to the work, were concerned about time management, and needed more confidence.
It was imperative to communicate they would not be forced to manage and that there were still opportunities for career growth outside of people leadership.
In addition to one-on-one coaching, I also created a regular gathering called “Let's talk management.” I and other leaders made ourselves available to answer questions, guide discussions, and gradually demystify expectations.
This meeting grew quite large, with several folks inside and outside my organization extending thanks and indicating great value.
Four individuals, feeling ready to do so, took on new responsibilities within my teams.
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Several of our Product partners weren’t experienced in working with Design and engaged too late in the process. This negatively impacted the quality of the products and the morale of design teams.
Working with the Global Head of Design, we created educational materials and evangelized the value of engaging from the beginning. Additionally, through discussions with senior leadership, we elevated our organization to a true triad model.
Over the course of a year, my teams strategically prioritized the most impactful business and customer needs.
This approach allowed us to sunset several lower impact requests and focus our resources for maximum value.
Role competencies and career tracks
Touching farewell letters
Assessing individual capabilities
Team OKR definition
