The Vergecast Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield on competing with Microsoft, the future of work, and managing all those notifications
May 26, 2020
Stewart Butterfield, CEO of Slack and a veteran in communication platforms, dives into the dynamics of remote work and competition with Microsoft. He shares insights on Slack's explosive user growth during the pandemic, highlighting the critical role of effective communication. The conversation explores the challenges of enhancing user experience while navigating a competitive landscape filled with messaging platforms. Butterfield also discusses user-driven feature requests and the importance of balancing innovation with adaptation.
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Slack's Pandemic Growth
- Slack's growth exploded during the pandemic, going from 10 to 12.5 million users in days.
- Butterfield offered free consultations, recognizing Slack's crucial role in enabling remote work.
Organize with Channels
- Create a dedicated Slack channel for every project, team, and topic within the company.
- This ensures everyone knows where to find information, ask questions, and provide updates, improving organizational clarity.
Redesign Challenges
- Butterfield emphasizes the challenge of software redesigns, even when improvements are clear.
- Users prioritize muscle memory and established workflows, making change disruptive despite potential benefits.