Staffbase
All about that base
Role
Director of Product Design, North America
Team
Grew to 5 Product Designers and 1 UX Researcher
Timeline
2021 – 2023
As the Director of Product Design, North America, I had the distinct privilege of leading a crackerjack team of product designers and researchers at Staffbase, which merged with Bananatag in 2021.
I have this lifelong love of solving technical problems with creative solutions, and with daily duties ranging from design operations to people management, I got to apply all my experience to creative leadership, product strategy, and desk toys. I really loved working with this collaborative team that trusts each other, has a “no stupid questions” culture, and always makes space for fun.
I oversaw the North American team responsible for the Staffbase Email product, building on the success Bananatag had in the internal communications space as we integrated with the rest of the larger Staffbase platform.
We made products that a bunch of big companies use to connect and engage their employees.
At the heart of the product is the ability for customers to level up the way they do email, with everything from real-time editing in a drag-and-drop designer to custom pulse surveys and super segmented analytics. It also offers designed templates, text messaging, and some slick integrations with Slack, Gmail, and Microsoft 365, and so much more. Over the past 5 years I played a key part in propelling the product to where it is now.
Nick is a shining example of the type of person that has made Staffbase what it is today. The cultural alignment is impeccable, and it is so much more than the values we talk about. His perspective is grounding and thoughtful and I can't count the number of times I have learned from his insights. He’s got the magic combination of both an eye for detail and an ability to build and execute a strategic vision.
Isaac Oslund Chief Technology Officer, Staffbase North America
Some of my best work
I’m proud to have led the digital accessibility project, rallying the dev and design teams while working hands-on with project management and stakeholders to achieve the WCAG 2.1 Level AA standard. While this was essential for big customers (including a half million dollar one), it ultimately means everyone can use the software.
Embracing individual contribution and adding people management has been the most significant change in my career. Whether it’s being mindful in the hiring process, coaching through career progression, empowering professional development, or sponsoring next steps, seeing my team succeed really makes the player/coach life worth it.
Starting a new job is stressful enough, but our move to working from home presented the opportunity to completely reinvent remote employee onboarding. From developing custom get-to-you-know-you worksheets to hackathoning our favourite team board game into a virtual format, my work is still out there helping people get started on the right foot.
My favourite part of the job is adding day-to-day delight, both in the product and in our teams. As a torchbearer for team building, I got to create actually fun icebreakers like coworker bingo, play the part of meeting DJ, and was continually trusted with the budget to run virtual and in-person events that fostered an inclusive culture (and made my kids say “you get paid for this?”).
Fun Highlights
Our email designer was recognized as a UX for Product finalist in the Vancouver UX Awards
We hosted a webinar on newsletter design and I did a pretty good job of hiding my nerves
I got to design a set of reaction emoji that thousands of customers use every day
To celebrate our SOC certification we turned my dad joke into actual socks
Other initiatives and side quests
🌎
Inclusive terminology
I led the project to make our terminology inclusive, removing words from our internal vocabulary, documenting our reasoning, communicating the change, and helping us through the somewhat tricky process.
🪴
Extended people management
When our Head of Product went on an extended parental leave, I was entrusted with managing the product managers in addition to my direct reports, including weekly 1-on-1s and ongoing career development.
🏁
Workshop facilitation
From week long cross-team design sprints to rapid lightning decision jams, I’ve facilitated a series of successful workshops in my time, doing everything from inventive icebreakers to virtual documentation, and most importantly, snacks.
🏅
Coaching corner
It’s been awesome to amplify the impact of our team through a coaching approach. I’ve helped a first time manager taking on their own direct reports, supported our first practicum students, and brought in external coaches to help with process overhaul.
🎨
Design principles
Through helping shepherd the creation of global design principles and applying them to our daily work, our design team has been able to come together around a shared vision much quicker than others.
🤝
Cross-collaboration
Design is not the property of one department, and I love assembling avengers for stronger interdisciplinary relationships, especially engineering, marketing, and the heroes in customer success.
I feel very lucky to have a mentor who listens, is empathetic, and provides actionable feedback. His depth of knowledge in a constantly evolving industry is so rare in this “fake it ’till you make it” workplace. He has created an environment where I feel open to share my thoughts and even my own self-doubts.
Lane Ngo Senior User Experience Designer, Thinkific
🗓️
Master of ceremonies
Our team had a weekly schedule of regular ceremonies, from alignment to design critique to continuous learning to collab time, which I was able to innovate on to make meetings people actually like.
💬
Slack star
In addition to being a part of the creation and adoption of “Slackspectations” documentation for the whole company, I am personally responsible for adding 1341 reaction emoji to the workspace.
❤️🩹
Formidable challenges
I’ve had serious learning experiences in supporting direct reports through racism, gender iniquity, family deaths, travel bans, COVID related sickness, performance improvement plans, and layoffs.
🎉
Uplifting engagement
Fun is serious business to me, and I put as much effort into Halloween costume contests, meeting DJ duties, team lunches, Zoom backgrounds, and properly celebrating May the Fourth.
One more thing…
This may read like a bunch of solo accomplishments, but it’s truly the result of the team work that makes this dream work. I would not be here without the trust and opportunities Staffbase leadership has provided, or these incredible teammates who make my job easier and I get to learn from everyday.
Apparently a group of unicorns is referred to as a “blessing”, and as my colleagues are known as communicorns, it’s a blessing to call them friends.
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Progressed through individual contribution and design leadership, transforming the flagship product and elevating the “bananabrand”.
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By day I’m in a picture perfect position as Design Director at Pixieset, helping photographers do what they do best.
Thanks for visiting my roadside attraction on the information superhighway.
My name is Nick and I'm a product designer by day and a sticker designer by night. Over the course of my career I've cofounded three hilarious children and cried at every Pixar movie.