From Adelaide to the heart of Silicon Valley - Devin Mancuso

Adelaide local, Devin Mancuso (now based in California) has worked for Google for almost 4 years, initially as a Senior Interaction Designer and now in Design Strategy, Platforms and Ecosystems.

I had a really interesting chat with him about so many different topics. We discussed how he got into the design space, recounting the exact moment he really fell in love with it (while studying computer science and business management). As well as the struggles of teaching himself UX at a time when there really wasn’t a lot of information available.

We talked about the importance of having a great user experience in apps, how people made decisions before designers were really a thing, and what human-centred design means to him.

We also dive into how design strategy became something he wanted to pursue, and where he got a chance to do this at Google initially. He really paints a picture of the energy that people in Silicon Valley feel, and how exhausting it can sometimes be! Showing the importance of aligning yourself with what you want to do and who you want to be.

This is a great chat to check out for anyone working or with an interest in the design space. Enjoy!