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In this episode, we get deep and philosophical with Bobby Dresser, Technical Project Manager for MetaMask. For the uninitiated, MetaMask is the gateway to Web3 enabling you to run Ethereum dApps right in your browser. We had a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation with Bobby discussing the dynamics of working on a remote-first team, the fuzziness of competition and collaboration, and so much more.

One of the most interesting aspects of our discussion with Bobby was hearing his perspective on his title at MetaMask. During his career, Bobby went from working as an engineer to a product manager to, now, a Technical Project Manager at MetaMask. His thoughts around the meaning of his current role are important and instructive for those in the crypto world, particularly those working on open source projects.

Another incredibly interesting aspect of Bobby’s experience is that prior to joining MetaMask he worked on the Uport team, another project under ConsenSys. We discussed how those projects may intersect in the future, as well as how MetaMask views potentially competitive projects like Status. If you’re like us, you’ll find the answers to those questions fascinating and you’ll see how they may apply to the other projects in the space. We highly recommend you check out this episode.

Enjoy!

Show Notes

  • [0:57] Bobby’s background and path to crypto.
  • [2:50] What MetaMask is and what it enables.
  • [7:37] History of MetaMask, how it has evolved and exciting projects in development.
  • [11:45] Bobby’s role and how it is different from previous roles he’s been in.
  • [15:30] The most important aspects of Bobby’s job and a peak into what it’s like working on an open source project.
  • [17:52] Favorite tools and tactics the team uses.
  • [23:06] Example of how the team validates assumptions around what problems to solve.
  • [26:37] How the team is thinking about business model.
  • [29:13] Competitors, or partners, in realizing the crypto vision?
  • [32:33] Are different projects like MetaMask, Uport, Status, etc. converging on the same problem and solution spaces?
  • [38:16] MetaMask’s user research and experience process today and where it’s headed in the future.
  • [40:25] Current focus of user research and a good example of the UX challenges of the crypto space today.
  • [44:13] User research and testing approaches, as well as data they can and can’t use to inform product development.
  • [49:28] Biggest differences between developing products in crypto versus traditional products.
  • [51:23] Breakdown of MetaMask team and process.
  • [56:35] How the team determines the roadmap and the challenges of remote teams.
  • [1:00:35] As the gateway to Web3, how do you take into account what dapps MetaMask may be the gateway to?
  • [1:05:15] How the team communicates progress to the community and within ConsenSys.
  • [1:07:46] What is success for MetaMask and how are they or will they be measuring progress towards it?
  • [1:11:58] The dynamics created by people forking MetaMask’s code.
  • [1:14:01] Interesting tidbit about Bobby.
  • [1:16:05] Plug for open positions at MetaMask.

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