Running effective 1:1’s as a design manager

A 1:1 meeting consists of private discussions between two collaborators, such as a manager and a direct report. These meetings are usually held on a regular basis and can last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. Throughout my career I’ve been though my different types for formats of 1:1, as an individual contributor […]

Flavors of Leadership Interview

On April 2022 I was interviewed for an internal initiative at Automattic that focused on showcasing the company leaders. I’m reproducing it here with permission. Where do you live? Lisbon, Portugal How long have you been at Automattic? It’s going to be 8 years in May! What’s your favorite ice cream flavor (or dessert of […]

A typical day in the life of a design manager

The irony of starting a post with a title like this is that mostly my days are very atypical. The first couple of days of the week I tend to focus on having 1:1’s and design critiques with my team, while on Wednesday and Thursday I focus on blocking larger chunks of time for more […]

Affordable design != Bad design

I’m a big fan of brands that offer basic and minimalistic design products like Ikea and Uniqlo. A lot of the furniture in my current apartment comes from Ikea, and I love mixing with other family hand-me-downs, and creating a balance between the minimalist and the pieces with a clear signature. I’m also a big […]

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My father ran his own business for most of his professional life. I always admired that he was able to venture out on his own and not take the easier route of working for someone else. I grew up knowing that running a small business was not easy, to say the least. Not only did […]