The custom white-label performance DSP was a highly complex platform with four core components: Data Science, Operations, Lua (decision-making), and UI/API. Each part had its own unique set of challenges, and managing the development of the entire platform required more than just technical expertise; it demanded strategic alignment and effective delegation.

As the platform leader responsible for its development, vision, and strategy, I needed a way to scale my management approach and ensure that our overarching goals aligned with both client needs and company strategy. The challenge was not just about setting priorities, but also about fostering collaboration across teams, improving bottom-up planning, and giving the team more ownership over their work.

To address this, I introduced a system of delegation through quarter planning and Work Breakdown Structures (referred to as roadmaps for simplicity). My role shifted from being a hands-on manager to a visionary leader and consultant, guiding the process while allowing the teams to take more control over their respective areas.

My approach was multi-faceted and designed to ensure that all stakeholders—the client, internal teams, and platform leaders—were aligned:

• Quarterly Planning with Client Feedback: I began by gathering feedback from the client, focusing on their business needs, pain points, and desired outcomes. After conducting a multi-dimensional evaluation of these inputs (assessing urgency, feasibility, and strategic alignment), I created a sorted list of priorities from the client’s perspective. However, this list was only the first step.
• Bottom-Up Planning with Delegates: I then delegated authority to four platform delegates—each representing one of the core platform components: Data Science, Operations, Lua, and UI/API. These delegates, who ranged from project managers to senior developers and department directors, were responsible for preparing their own Quarterly Plans for their area. This fostered collaboration, as they gathered input from their teams to form a second set of priorities based on technical needs, operational constraints, and new development initiatives.
• Aligning Client and Internal Priorities: After gathering both sets of priorities, I worked with the delegates to align their agendas with the client’s needs. This process often revealed differences between what the client had communicated and what the internal teams had interpreted as priorities. By facilitating these discussions, I ensured that everyone was aligned on what mattered most.
• Vision, Strategy, and Overarching Goals: As the platform leader, I maintained responsibility for ensuring that all plans aligned with the company's strategic goals. After reviewing the client’s pain points and the team’s internal agendas, I helped balance short-term client priorities with long-term platform development goals. The delegates were given incremental autonomy to pursue their own initiatives, so long as they aligned with the broader vision.

This approach delivered several significant benefits:

• Scalable Management: By delegating authority, I was able to reduce my day-to-day management workload, allowing me to focus on high-level strategic decisions while ensuring that the platform continued to evolve according to client and internal needs.
• Enhanced Team Ownership and Inclusion: The delegation of quarterly planning and roadmap development empowered teams to take greater ownership of their work. This bottom-up approach fostered a sense of inclusion and helped team members feel more invested in the decision-making process.
• Improved Collaboration and Communication: By working with client-facing teams and internal delegates, we were able to improve communication across the board. Misalignments between client expectations and internal agendas were identified and corrected early, leading to smoother execution.
• New Perspectives on Platform Development: By giving the delegates autonomy, we uncovered new insights and opportunities that would not have been visible through a purely top-down approach. This added fresh angles to the platform’s development and allowed for innovative solutions to be proposed by the teams themselves.

This experience reinforced the importance of delegating authority and fostering collaboration in complex, high-stakes environments. By moving from a hands-on approach to one of visionary leadership, I was able to empower my team, ensure alignment with client and company goals, and allow the platform to evolve more dynamically. This shift in leadership not only made my role more scalable but also allowed the team to contribute more meaningfully to the platform's success.