Users to Contexts

Overview

Owned the targeting and visibility layer of LaunchDarkly's migration from 'Users' to 'Contexts,' a foundational change touching every part of the product across nearly every team. The new model removed a conceptual barrier that had been limiting the platform's credibility with sophisticated engineering customers.

The Problem

LaunchDarkly's targeting was built around a single "user" entity. But modern apps need to target feature flags at many kinds of things — companies, devices, API consumers, anonymous sessions. The user model was a ceiling customers kept hitting.

My Approach

I was one of the lead PMs on the initiative, owning flag visibility — how flags are targeted and the user-facing (now context-facing) parts of the product. Nearly every team at LaunchDarkly contributed. I worked closely with engineering and design to define the migration path and ensure the new model was both flexible enough for power users and approachable for teams new to multi-context targeting.

What We Built

• →New multi-context targeting model replacing the legacy user model
• →Migration path for existing customers
• →Documentation and developer guidance

Outcome

The initiative meaningfully improved platform clarity for power users and opened up new targeting use cases that weren't possible under the old model. The full scope shipped after my tenure ended in January 2023.