Key Insights

• •

  Military training provided Dan with situational awareness applicable to design leadership, balancing macro and tactical views.

• •

  An MBA helped Dan create a shared vocabulary with business leaders, increasing trust and strategic impact.

• •

  Leadership emerged for Dan organically through producing excellent design work and later by scaling via mentorship and recruitment.

• •

  Diversity of team backgrounds leads to better products that serve broader market needs beyond early adopters.

• •

  People of color often carry a ‘tax’ balancing job performance with advocating for equity, which white men may not experience.

• •

  Intentional recruiting processes and tying diversity to compensation motivate leadership to prioritize inclusive hiring.

• •

  Designers should focus on influence and collaboration rather than strict ownership or transitioning fully into product management.

• •

  Authentic, vulnerable conversations about race and inclusion require humility and an openness to material change.

• •

  Exposure to diverse user research and taking executives on field visits helps illuminate blind spots in design.

• •

  Diverse lived experiences are not just diversity hires but valuable capabilities necessary for innovation and a global user base.

Notable Quotes