Astra: AI-First Database Design
Summary
Astra DB needed to pivot fast when GenAI hit in 2023. I led the shift from a general-purpose cloud database experience to a vector-first platform built for AI workloads, while preserving the reliability and performance developers already trusted.
- Company
- DataStax
- Role
- Product Design Manager
- Team
- 4 designersMany engineersDocs writersMarketing team
The work
I set direction through prototypes and tight partnership with product and engineering. We redesigned core workflows to make vector search first-class: onboarding, vector configuration and indexing, query testing, and supporting docs and go-to-market surfaces. The goal was a coherent end-to-end developer experience that matched the pace of the AI ecosystem.
Impact
Delivered a successful vector-first redesign that kept Astra relevant through the GenAI inflection. Helped ensure the experience matched the engine's quality so developers could evaluate, adopt, and ship with confidence. Supported Astra DB's growth from $0 to ~$70M ARR across the broader serverless era (including the launch I helped drive in 2020).
Forrester Wave report identifying DataStax as a leader