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Katie Dill: Quality Control

February 25, 2026 · 42 min

Show notes

What can flying teach us about software design?


Katie Dill has built world-class teams at three iconic companies—Stripe, Lyft and Airbnb—proving that thoughtful design can shape quality at industrial scale.


In this conversation with Soleio, Katie describes her winding path into technology and how fields as disparate as architecture and aviation shape her approach to leading design at Stripe.


00:00 – Intro: It's All About Mileage

02:18 – What Flying Teaches You About Design

07:01 – From History to Design School

10:30 – The IDEO Moment

18:01 – Saying Yes to the Scary Thing

19:46 – The Chair Pullback

21:16 – The Gray Room at Airbnb

25:47 – Breaking Down the Ivory Tower

30:05 – Put In the Mileage

33:35 – Beauty Builds Trust

36:53 – Steam Gauges and Simple Systems

38:53 – The Best Checkout in the World


Katie Dill: Quality Control

First of Kind, S2:E3

Hosted by Soleio and produced by Room 3: room3nyc.com


First of Kind is powered by our sponsors:

Framer — framer.com

Cursor — cursor.com

Vercel — vercel.com

Profound — tryprofound.com


Website: www.firstofkind.com

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