Design Leadership at Customer Data Platform Twilio Segment: Career Growth and Managing Teams
From Capital One Designer to Leading Segment: Career Insights on Design Management, Data Platforms, and Navigating Tech Acquisitions
Watch Time: 53 mins
This week we're sitting down with Kwasi Twum-Acheampong, Head of Design at Twilio Segment, for an illuminating conversation on his journey to management. You won't want to miss it!
Kwasi shares the real story of his journey from design practitioner to manager, including:
The honest challenges of transitioning from doing the design work to leading designers
A clear explanation of Segment's data platform, including activation moments
The nuances of preserving team culture when navigating company acquisitions
His straightforward approach to documenting and developing team skills
How he balances leadership responsibilities with meaningful creative side projects
Perfect for designers contemplating leadership roles, tech professionals interested in customer data solutions, or anyone fascinated by career evolution in the tech industry. Kwasi delivers valuable insights you can apply to your own career.
Resources
“Before we ship, we must relationship.”
— Kwasi
Read my highlights below to get a quick overview and listen to the full episode on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple.
Please do me a favor and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify if you enjoy this. ☺️
Chapters
[00:00:00] From Capital One to Head of Design at Twilio Segment
[00:10:03] Design at Intuit, Mexico City, and Finding Your Next Role
[00:18:13] Head of Design at Segment Reaches Out & Interview Process
[00:22:48] Becoming a Manager and Handling 3 Reports
[00:25:00] Segment’s Data Platform: CDI, CDP, Audiences, Events, Tracking
[00:28:47] Segment’s Activation Rate and Making Human Solutions Digital
[00:35:24] Identifying Strengths and Letting Go of IC Work
[00:37:40] Twilio Acquires Segment & SendGrid and Co-Creating Culture
[00:45:05] How Managers Document Team Skills
[00:47:48] Side Hustles, Mi Casa, & Collaborating with Polish Design Agency
[00:50:49] Lightning Session ⚡️
Connect with Kwasi:
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