Design Better Podcast Summary: Cassie McDaniel on Redefining Roles at Medium
Episode Title: Cassie McDaniel: Why Medium Got Rid of PMs and Started Moving Faster
Release Date: May 30, 2025
Host: Eli Woolery and Aaron Walter
Guest: Cassie McDaniel, Head of Design at Medium
Sponsored by: Wix Studio
Introduction
In this insightful episode of Design Better, co-hosts Eli Woolery and Aaron Walter engage in a deep conversation with Cassie McDaniel, Medium's Head of Design. Cassie delves into her diverse background in design, her leadership philosophy, and the groundbreaking decision Medium made to eliminate Product Managers (PMs) to accelerate their development process.
Cassie McDaniel’s Diverse Background and Career Journey
Cassie begins by sharing her eclectic career path, which spans various roles and geographies. She studied graphic design at the University of Florida and embarked on an international journey, living in England and Canada before settling back in Florida. Through experiences in digital agencies, freelancing, and writing design articles, Cassie honed her skills and eventually joined Mozilla as the first UX/UI designer. Her journey reflects a relentless pursuit of meaningful work and a desire to bridge gaps within teams.
Notable Quote:
"It was always about, how can I make meaning with my design skills?"
— Cassie McDaniel [04:08]
Transitioning to Leadership and Management
Cassie discusses her transition from being a designer to a leader. Her passion for design is rooted in its blend of creativity and practicality, allowing her to create impactful solutions. Recognizing a disconnect between creative teams and execution, she naturally gravitated towards roles that enabled her to bridge these gaps, fostering better collaboration and productivity within her teams.
Notable Quote:
"I wanted to help bridge that gap. I wanted to use the way that I think to help make things happen."
— Cassie McDaniel [07:23]
The Art of Critique and Design Philosophy
A significant portion of the conversation revolves around Cassie’s approach to critique within the design process. She emphasizes the importance of objective feedback and the ability to detach personal feelings from professional critiques. Cassie believes that embracing critique is essential for growth, both individually and collectively within a team. She also touches on the responsibility that comes with design, advocating for thoughtful consideration of a design’s societal impact.
Notable Quote:
"It is about the work. It really isn't about you."
— Cassie McDaniel [13:02]
Eliminating Product Managers at Medium
One of the episode’s focal points is Medium's unconventional decision to eliminate the PM role. Cassie explains that this move was driven by the need to improve efficiency and speed up the product development cycle. By removing the middle layer of PMs, Medium empowered designers and engineers to take on more responsibilities, fostering a more integrated and agile workflow. This change was challenging but ultimately beneficial, allowing the team to iterate quickly and align more closely with business objectives.
Notable Quote:
"We wanted to make more product updates and the state of our team was such that every single idea in the company was being filtered through three people, which felt inefficient."
— Cassie McDaniel [15:39]
Balancing Legacy and Innovation
Cassie addresses the challenge of maintaining Medium’s legacy of thoughtful design while pushing the product forward at a faster pace. She highlights the importance of empowering team members to take ownership of their work and make decisions that align with both user needs and business goals. This balance ensures that Medium remains innovative without compromising on design quality.
Notable Quote:
"We are fighting. Let's be nimble, let's try and adapt, let's experiment, let's try new ways of working."
— Cassie McDaniel [19:00]
The Future of Design and Engineering Roles
Looking ahead, Cassie envisions a future where roles within design and engineering become more fluid. She anticipates a convergence where designers understand business and technical constraints, and engineers gain insights into design principles. This interdisciplinarity is driven by the rapid pace of technological advancements and the need for teams to be more adaptable and cohesive.
Notable Quote:
"I think it was a matter of are we doing this because this is just the way teams work or are we operating this way because it makes sense for us."
— Cassie McDaniel [16:30]
Empowering Designers and Engineers
Cassie shares her enthusiasm for seeing designers and engineers at Medium take on expanded roles. By eliminating PMs, team members feel more empowered to suggest and implement ideas, leading to a more dynamic and responsive product development environment. This empowerment fosters a sense of ownership and accelerates the process from concept to execution.
Notable Quote:
"I get to see our designers and engineers taking on more than they were taking before. They have more wind behind their wings."
— Cassie McDaniel [18:45]
Conclusion
Cassie McDaniel’s insights offer a compelling look into how redefining traditional roles can enhance team efficiency and product innovation. Her experience at Medium underscores the value of empowering team members, fostering a culture of constructive critique, and maintaining a balance between legacy and forward momentum. This episode serves as an inspiring blueprint for design leaders aiming to cultivate agile and empowered teams.
Key Takeaways:
- Empowerment Over Hierarchy: Removing intermediary roles like PMs can streamline processes and empower designers and engineers to take more ownership.
- Constructive Critique: Objective feedback is essential for growth and improving design quality.
- Interdisciplinary Skills: Encouraging team members to understand multiple facets of the business and technology enhances collaboration and innovation.
- Balancing Speed and Quality: It's possible to maintain thoughtful design while accelerating product development through strategic team structuring.
For those interested in transforming their design teams and fostering a more agile workflow, Cassie McDaniel’s experiences at Medium provide valuable lessons on leadership, team empowerment, and innovative organizational structures.