Design Better Video Rewind: Cassie McDaniel: How Medium eliminated its PM function and started moving faster
Dec 24, 2025
Cassie McDaniel, Head of Design at Medium, shares insights from her journey through agencies and tech giants like Mozilla. She discusses the bold choice to eliminate product managers at Medium, resulting in faster workflows and empowered teams. Cassie emphasizes the importance of a craft-driven approach and experimentation in design. She also highlights the role of critique in developing thoughtful design and offers advice on navigating feedback and mentoring. Learn how mastering business basics can help designers make a bigger impact.
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Career Path From Design To Leadership
- Cassie traced her path from graphic design to product leadership through varied roles and global moves.
- Early experience at Mozilla taught her management and bridged craft with team delivery.
Design Must Consider Long‑Term Impact
- Design requires intentional thinking about impact, not just polished visuals.
- Designers carry responsibility to consider long-term societal effects of their work.
Detach From Your Work During Critique
- Don't take critique personally; remove ego and focus on improving the work.
- Kill your darlings frequently to keep iterations fast and the team moving.