This episode is a post-recording of a talk I gave at a DesignBrew Meetup in Dublin. After a few requests, I recorded this version so attendees could pass it on to their teams.

I focus on how designers can take the lead in collaborating with product managers, ensuring that design remains central to decision-making. While originally intended for a design audience, the content is relevant to anyone in the tech industry.

You’ll find actionable strategies for structuring communication, improving alignment, and using automation to make collaboration more efficient. Whether you’re working across multiple teams or embedded in one, these insights will help you drive better outcomes in your work.

Key Takeaways & Topics Covered:

✔ Owning the Designer-PM Relationship – Why designers should proactively shape collaboration instead of waiting for PMs to define it.

✔ Effective Communication Strategies – Why threading, structured messaging, and well-timed updates make a difference.

✔ Establishing Clear Ways of Working – How to create and document team norms to prevent confusion and inefficiencies.

✔ The Role of Personal User Manuals – A simple yet powerful tool for aligning expectations and avoiding misunderstandings.

✔ The Power of Organization & Automation – How templates, structured communication, and Slack automation can save time and improve collaboration.

✔ Dealing with Difficult PMs – How to protect yourself from political or credit-taking PMs while maintaining strong collaboration.

See Slides Here

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGdUUKNdrI/o_xaXx7rdeOom9tQj1rsbA/view?utm_content=DAGdUUKNdrI&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h5e66d814c9

Resources & Links

https://www.youngleaders.tech/p/shaping-effective-ways-of-working-in-engineering

https://www.youngleaders.tech/p/streamline-workflows-with-slack-emojis

https://www.youngleaders.tech/p/creating-a-decision-log-automation

https://www.youngleaders.tech/p/template-uml-customer-journey-map

https://www.youngleaders.tech/p/understanding-your-stakeholder-journeys-event-storming

Call To Action

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it with your team! If you’re ready to improve your collaboration with PMs, start by implementing a personal user manual or refining your ways of working - and let me know how it goes!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.youngleaders.tech