How To Succeed In Product Management | Jeffrey Shulman, Red Russak & Soumeya Benghanem

If you are looking to transition from product manager to Group Product Manager, you can get advice from Executives in Residence in the Elevate Program. Learn more and apply at https://elevate.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman welcomes Nkem Nwankwo (Greenhouse Software) to talk about transitioning from PM to group PM. Moving from a PM to a Group PM role involves mastering trust-building, scalability, and aligning team goals. It's a big step that demands leadership growth and effective team management, leading to success in the world of product management. In this episode, you can learn the crucial steps in managing teams and aligning visions for success in a leadership capacity.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 03:04 What is a group PM? 04:29 Can group PMs be IC PMs and vice versa? 05:40 Challenges of transitioning to group PM 09:46 What can help or slow you down when you want to become a group PM 15:55 Declining meetings 18:06 Where to learn about group PMs 20:03 Becoming a serial entrepreneur 21:06 What PMs are missing out on? 22:42 Transitioning from PM to Group PM

Learn from two Executives in Residence in The Product Management Center's Elevate program (https://elevate.info.foster.uw.edu/) as they share stories and lessons from managing multiple product teams.   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Red Russak welcome John Yurcisin (Change.org) and Leslie Grandy to talk about managing multiple product teams.Managing multiple product teams requires skillful coordination and guidance, aligning efforts toward shared goals. It involves constant communication, task management, and ensuring each team aligns with the broader objectives. It's akin to conducting an orchestra, harmonizing diverse efforts toward a unified outcome. Mastering this skill empowers PMs to navigate complexities and maintain a cohesive vision across projects, ensuring success in product development and delivery.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 04:01 Managing Multiple Teams 06:25 Unifying Teams through Shared Strategy 08:33 What is Unique About Managing and Leading Product Teams? 09:45 Challenges in Managing Multiple Teams 14:29 Stakeholder Management 21:58 What Is It Like To Manage Multiple Product Teams Daily 25:40 Elevate: Workshop for Product Managers 28:52 How Product Managers Stay Informed and Relevant 36:33 Strategies for Organizational Structures 39:51 Managing External Product Teams 44:06 Overcoming Daily Challenges in Managing Multiple Product Teams 49:05 Final Thoughts

Are you looking to elevate your product management career and your peers? Apply to join Elevate, an exclusive program for high-performing product managers to learn from Executives in Residence and each other.   Learn more at: https://elevate.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman welcomes Charles Stewart, Chris Kuang, and Jamie Lambert, CSPO, LSSGB to talk about PM roles and opportunities in the U.S. Digital Corps. The U.S. Digital Corps serves as an impactful avenue for individuals interested in public service and various tech-related fields, including product management. This program is designed to offer a meaningful platform for talented professionals to contribute their skills and expertise to government initiatives. Whether you're passionate about digital transformation, user-centered design, or product management, the U.S. Digital Corps provides a unique opportunity to make a difference in the public sector while helping to shape the future of government technology.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 09:25 U.S. Digital Corps PM Opportunities 13:38 PM Roles and Responsibilities in the U.S. Digital Corps 15:55 Tech and Design in Public Service 18:01 Aligning Stakeholders and Overcoming Challenges 22:36 The Power of Curiosity in PM 24:04 Serving The Government 27:02 Introducing PM Practices in the Public Sector 32:44 Opportunities for Both Early Career and Seasoned Professionals 37:41 Finding Your Niche in Public Service 41:05 Job in The Public Service as a TV Show 42:28 Eligibility Criteria for Public Service Fellowships 45:30 Mastering the U.S. Digital Corps Assessment 47:01 Final Thoughts

Are you looking to elevate your product management career and your peers? Apply to join Elevate, an exclusive program for high-performing product managers to learn from Executives in Residence and each other.   Learn more at: https://elevate.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem welcome Hemanth Babu Shekar (Rivian) and Gabe Antypas to talk about product management in an engineering-focused organization. PMs play a crucial role in engineering-focused organizations because they help in coordinating complex projects, ensuring that tasks are completed on time and within budget, and facilitating effective communication among team members. PMs also help manage risks, set priorities, and align projects with the organization's strategic goals. While some smaller engineering teams may not require dedicated PMs, in larger organizations and for complex projects, having PMs can significantly improve efficiency and project outcomes.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 07:00 How to spot an engineering-focused organization 12:30 Joys of being in an engineering-focused organization 16:46 Engineering-focused vs. Engineering-led organization 20:44 The challenges of being a PM in an engineering-focused organization 24:42 How can PMs and aspiring PMs transition to working in an engineering-focused organization 31:16 PMs and taking risks 37:01 When PMs have an engineering background 41:54 Are PMs necessary in engineering-focused organizations? 47:23 Final Thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Red Russak welcome Tommy Brown (Google) and Jenai Akina (Amazon) to talk about the highs and lows of being a product manager. On the positive side, it's fulfilling to plan a product's future, solve tough problems, and provide valuable solutions to users. Working with various teams and influencing a product's success is also gratifying. However, there are challenges too, such as dealing with too many processes, lots of meetings, and feeling like you might not be good enough at times. Despite these challenges, the job offers a mix of rewarding achievements and expected setbacks.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 06:06 What boosts and drains your energy as a PM 10:06 Can negative feedback be energizing? 12:48 Other aspects of PM that can sap your energy and how to overcome it 18:22 Optimizing document workflows 21:43 Unexpected challenges of PM 23:45 Learn to celebrate your wins 27:37 How AI can help in a PMs job 30:36 Competing with the past and ignoring the noise 35:26 Highs and lows in AI PM 40:16 Accessibility in PM 42:34 Necessity of processes and ways to handle queries efficiently 44:56 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Adam Grupp (Woodhaven Advisors), Greg Young (Collectors Universe), Sumathi Kadambi (Zillow), Marily Nika (Meta), and Sumantro Das (Mattress Firm) as they discuss the importance of decision making in the success of any project. The panel of experts, known and respected in their respective expertise, share valuable tips and insights on what it takes to come up with the right decision.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 01:03 The different styles of decision-making 03:44 “Understand the right process and structure to use to frame up decisions.”  05:37 “The expensive and scary are the ones where it's a long-term commitment you can't change so easily.”  08:05 The cost of failing to make a decision and the fear of decision-making. 12:17 “Create your own metrics for your own product.”  14:57 What's your bold thought on decision-making?  16:37 Is data just confirming what you already know or do you have some wild changes based off of it? 20:02 Half of PM decisions are decisions they're not even conscious of 21:26 Build an ecosystem of experts within the company to help make decisions 24:24 Favorite decision-making matrix regularly used 27:01 Go-to method for sourcing new ideas or iterating mature and new products 34:23 Oftentimes, the best ideas come from unexpected places 37:15 Take what makes you successful but apply it in new places that can help make big changes 39:05 Be very clear on how everyone makes decisions 43:09 Decision-making takes time to build confidence on and to build the tool set 44:27 Some things are hard to let go but maybe they're not where our future is 46:24 Build a learning organization by understanding how decisions are made and documenting them

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak  and Soumeya Benghanem welcome Felix Watson Jr. (Google), Diego Granados (Paypal), Shyvee Shi (LinkedIn), and Andrew Nguyen to talk about advancing in a PM career. Advancing in a PM career is a mix of mastering your product, building strong relationships, and being a proactive problem solver. Seek guidance from experienced mentors and focus on honing your communication and leadership skills. It's about understanding your market, customers, and taking the initiative to grab opportunities when they come your way.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 05:41 What does it actually mean to advance your PM career? 08:11 Communicate your ambitions 10:26 Mentorship and solving the right problems 12:45 Navigating growth and titles 16:01 Treat everybody like your customer 19:59 What to learn early in your career 28:47 Early career mistakes 37:23 How to start working on strategy 42:43 Do you need an MBA to advance your PM career? 49:40 Finding mentors 53:42 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and Soumeya Benghanem welcome Jeremiah Nelson (Motorola Solutions) to talk about becoming a good PM in a difficult environment. Product management is a job that requires teamwork, team effort, and collaborative planning to successfully launch and eventually sell a product. It can become a difficult task and extremely challenging but with the people in the team, nothing is impossible.    Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 07:46 When does product management become difficult? 10:46 What is the rubric that customers give you? 11:37 Indicators to help understand the customer's rubric 15:19 Who should not be a PM? 20:12 Every PM owns the decision regardless of how it's made 27:09 You are not your product 29:49 What makes a better PM for API and technical products? 36:07 Get a detailed understanding of how things function 42:02 Goal-setting methods for a new project 46:24 Take care of yourself first 48:54 Being a PM is about the team you create

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem welcome Charles Stewart (Autodesk) and Keshav Vasudevan (Prepared) to talk about GovTech Product Management. GovTech Product Management represents an exciting frontier of innovation. While progress may seem slower due to regulations and bureaucracy, aspiring PMs have a unique chance to pioneer groundbreaking solutions and improve public services. Success in this field requires patience, a deep understanding of government motivations, and a passion for solving complex problems aligned with public service missions. With the right mindset and commitment, aspiring PMs can thrive, driving innovation and positive change in the public sector.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 01:12 Why is GovTech important? 07:45 Challenges in GovTech 11:34 Future of GovTech 13:43 Government as a customer vs. Working within the government 21:23 GovTech Insights for Aspiring PMs 26:16 When should a PM start working for the government: Earlier or later? 31:17 Best Practices for government procurement and innovative tech 38:55 The power of mindset in government 42:25 How to stay up to date on things relating to GovTech 46:49 Difference between consulting vs. product companies 49:41 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem welcome Vipin K. Singh (FEVO), Parul Shorey (SeatGeek), Geetika Kapoor (Chewy), and Vikas Khandelwal (Qualtrics) to talk about how to land a PM role in the current economy. For those who are interested in changing to a PM role, these great panelists will share their personal experiences and advice on how to become a PM.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 08:23 Landing a product manager role in the current economy 11:37 There are still PM jobs out there 14:14 Network your way to opportunities 17:55 Highlight your skills & build relationships 20:57 Prepare a lot, be concise in communication, & know your value proposition 23:01 Value proposition 25:20 Have a personal mission 26:24 How to become a better communicator 28:00 Book or practice material recommendations 31:53 How to evaluate job opportunities 38:28 Should you go wide or go narrow? 44:15 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak welcome Priyank Shah (Black Knight) and Marily Nika, Ph.D (Meta) to talk about AI product strategy. AI product strategy is crucial for PMs because it enables them to leverage artificial intelligence effectively to meet user needs and business objectives. By defining a clear AI product strategy, PMs can identify opportunities for AI integration, prioritize AI features, and allocate resources wisely. This strategy also helps in staying competitive, as AI can enhance product capabilities and user experiences, making it essential for PMs to align AI initiatives with their overall product roadmap. Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 07:10 What is product strategy? 08:50 What is AI? 11:43 Other AI products 13:47 Why should everyone have an AI product strategy 17:32 AI product strategy vs. every other product strategy 21:24 Success metrics for AI product strategy 27:04 Launching a bad AI product 31:33 Changes in the legal environment 36:49 How to increase experience to be an AI product manager 42:58 Recommended groups for aspiring PMs 44:52 Ethical issues in AI 47:20 Finding companies that are actively using AI 50:53 Differences between the software development life cycle and AI development life cycle 52:47 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak welcome Jorie Kirschbaum Hynes (T-Mobile), Austin Morton (MN8 Energy), and Emily Claire Palmer (Wrapbook) to talk about transitioning to PM when you come from a non-traditional background. Transitioning to PM from a non-traditional background can be challenging but rewarding. While many PMs come from technical or business backgrounds, individuals with diverse experiences, such as design, marketing, or even unrelated fields like teaching or healthcare, can bring unique perspectives and skills to the role. To make this transition successfully, it's essential to acquire relevant knowledge through courses or self-study, network with professionals in the field, and highlight transferable skills like problem-solving, communication, and empathy during the job application process. Embracing your non-traditional background can set you apart and contribute to innovative product development.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 06:41 Number one mistake of people transitioning to PM from a non-traditional background 09:48 What do you wish you knew when you were starting out in PM? 13:35 Frustrating process of transitioning to PM 16:24 Domain knowledge 19:23 Overcoming the biggest challenge coming from a non-traditional background 25:07 The most valuable skill from your background that's valuable now as a PM 28:33 How to find PM jobs?  33:58 Optimizing your resume when transitioning to PM 39:32 The different corporate cultures and their impacts on a PM's responsibilities and work style 44:37 Do you need to a second MBA to get into PM? 49:25 Final thoughts

Get involved with The Product Management Center. Learn more at https://ipma.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak welcome Varun Kulkarni (CISCO) and  Ash Naik (AAIS) as they discuss the use of predictive analytics in product prioritization decisions. Using predictive analytics in product prioritization decisions is beneficial for product managers because it enables data-driven decision-making. By analyzing historical data and patterns, predictive analytics can forecast the potential success and impact of different product features or enhancements. This empowers product managers to allocate resources effectively, focus on high-impact initiatives, and align their strategies with customer needs and market trends. Ultimately, this approach increases the likelihood of delivering products that resonate with customers, optimizing resource allocation, and driving overall business success.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 08:09 Right data collection and cluster analysis 10:29 Having a direct data or proxy 12:27 Setting up a validation process 13:55 Softwares for analyzing and visualizing data  18:44 Conjoint analysis and canal model 23:58 Data that goes into a cluster analysis 28:07 Avoid using vanity metrics 30:21 Using predictive analysis on personalized experience 34:38 Scenario modeling 39:34 Risk in utilizing predictive analysis 44:06 Advice for aspiring PMs 48:54 How often does the marketplace change? 51:39 Final Thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem welcome Patrick Waltz (HP), Dave Fleischman (Compass), and Sheena Dhanaraj to talk about why frameworks are valuable and why PMs should know them. Frameworks help PMs make strategic decisions, discover product ideas, and solve problems.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 01:18 Why frameworks are valuable 06:33 Frameworks is a collection of principles 09:07 Getting things done 11:03 Assumption mapping 11:23 Working backwards 13:44 North star framework 15:37 Funnel mapping 20:27 Establishing a good North star 21:36 No one size fits all 24:50 Know your job 27:17 Have an idea and share it 29:22 When the framework goes wrong 34:49 How do you pick a framework? 36:46 What's a framework you'd love to be removed? 38:57 Psychological safety in teams 45:05 Final thoughts

Get involved with The Product Management Center. Learn more at https://ipma.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak welcome Larry Apke (T-Mobile) as they discuss how to become agile. It's important for PMs to become agile because Agile methodologies promote adaptability, collaboration, and customer-centricity. In today's fast-paced business environment, products and market conditions can change rapidly. Agile practices, such as Scrum or Kanban, enable PMs to iterate quickly, gather frequent feedback, and adjust their product strategies accordingly. This approach helps teams deliver value more efficiently, respond to customer needs effectively, and stay ahead in competitive markets.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 06:29 Waterfall vs. Agile 07:54 The Agile Manifesto 09:32 Waterfall tendencies 11:04 Who is responsible to drive agile? 12:11 Common misperceptions about what it means to be agile 13:57 Discrepancy between philosophy and frameworks 16:09 Safe certifications 18:15 Understanding the why 21:51 Embracing negative feedback 25:18 Implementing agile 29:53 Proper sequencing of the backlog 31:55 Having leadership understand the cost of delay  36:06 Investing time in the discovery phase 39:04 How to get leadership out of the priority mindset? 44:39 Avoiding horizontal slicing  50:13 Golden Rule of Agile

Get involved with The Product Management Center. Learn more at https://ipma.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman welcomes Leslie Grandy (Modwell) and Eric Loh (The Product Management Center at UW) as they discuss building a high-performing team and the power of culture. Building a product team and understanding the culture are crucial for a PM because they directly impact the success of a product. A well-structured team ensures diverse skills and perspectives, enabling efficient execution and innovation. Moreover, a deep understanding of the organizational culture helps the PM navigate communication, decision-making processes, and stakeholder expectations, leading to smoother collaboration and more effective product development   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 06:04 Building a product team 09:08 Who's involved in building a product team? 11:28 Scaling the hardware and software teams 14:26 Understanding the existing culture while building a team in another location 16:17 Onboarding process  21:25 Getting the willing people to onboard first 25:30 Ideal ratio of PMs to other roles on a product team 31:06 Changing people and rivalry in product 38:27 Bridging the gap in the culture between two organizations 43:57 Challenges coming up with the rubric for hiring  48:04 Building a team towards social purpose 51:17 Accepting what's happening at the moment 54:55 Final Thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, Associate Director Kara Fichthorn welcomes Arjun Lalwani (Youtube) and Liang Huang (Webflow) as they discuss product execution and its importance in product management. Product execution is crucial for product management as it involves turning ideas into tangible products or features. Effective execution ensures that the product meets its objectives, satisfies customer needs, and aligns with the overall business strategy. Without strong execution, even the best product ideas may fail to deliver value, leading to wasted resources and missed opportunities in the market.    Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 03:09 How important is product execution? 06:21 Frameworks in product execution 11:52 Challenges in product execution and how can frameworks help? 14:56 Difference in product execution in small to large-sized organizations 19:00 How does user research play into product execution? 23:25 Decision-making during product features transformations 26:31 PM principles for a solo entrepreneur 30:07 Tools for product execution 35:46 Product vs. project management 39:27 Reversing a decision in product  42:22 Maintaining the quality of product execution after a layoff 44:50 Expanding products in a new market 46:35 How to be a part of big organizations? 49:34 Final thoughts  

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, Associate Director Kara Fichthorn and Director of Talent Acquisition Steve Bubinas (BLUE ORIGIN), welcome Skye Bacus (Smartsheet) and Jian Li Zheng (Webflow) as they discuss how to leverage user research from small to large organizations. Gain insights on how user research shows up in different-sized product management organizations, and how PMs can leverage user research effectively. From small startups to large enterprises, understanding user needs through research not only aids in crafting successful products but also fosters better user experiences and overall customer satisfaction, ultimately driving business growth and success.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 03:23 User research and how it shows up in product management 07:48 User researchers in a small organization 11:30 How PMs can take advantage of user research 14:55 Prioritization in product management 18:11 How do you know you've collected the right information? 22:29 Making decisions and its risks 25:41 AI and machine learning tools in user research 29:41 Keeping users engaged and making them return to your product 34:55 New software tools for user research 36:59 Using judgment based on data 42:19 B2C is all about engagement 45:48 Inclusivity in user research 51:42 Final Thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, Associate Director Kara Fichthorn and The Product Management Center advisory board member Red Russak welcome Ronke Majekodunmi (Promevo) as they discuss how to drive conversations using design. Design-driven conversations are crucial for PMs as they enable effective communication, early feedback gathering, and customer-centric approaches. By incorporating design thinking, PMs can align their teams and stakeholders around a shared vision, leading to more successful products and higher customer satisfaction levels.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 02:40 How design can transform customer's perceptions and behaviors 06:05 Collaboration between PMs and designers 08:20 Storytelling and design leadership 11:34 How to be good at storytelling? 14:45 Challenges in implementing design-driven leadership 16:33 The voice of the customer in the design process 19:14 Driving product differentiation and customer loyalty 21:08 Design-driven leadership in the future 24:16 Building relationships between PMs, Sales, and end customer 31:48 Maintaining brand identity and emobodying your own core value 38:36 How designers can collaborate with PMs 43:12 When PMs and designers have different ideas 48:43 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Red Russak welcome Jerlisa "Juju" Fontaine (Oscar Health), Anne Julliene (Joan) Barcelona (Box), and Dimple Singhania (Walmart) to talk about what happens during the first few days as a PM. Transitioning into the role needs a lot of work on building connections with your team and other teams within the organization, continuous learning from your superior through shadowing, and making use of the soft skills you bring into the system to function seamlessly and adapt efficiently.     Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 10:14 What helped in transitioning to product management? 16:18 What helped the transition successful in the first few days? 24:22 Learn as much as you can from the people you shadow 36:26 How did you define success for your first month? 37:34 What did you wish you knew before you started your role? 45:48 What are the most necessary skills as a product person? 54:01 Concluding thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and Soumeya Benghanem welcome Arvind Dutta (Microsoft) to talk about roadmaps and prioritization. A roadmap isn't simply a to-do list that anyone can change or check off. It is a consolidated plan and execution that helps the product team prioritize and progress through the product development more organized and productive.    Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 03:05 Why roadmapping and prioritization are important 06:23 Who owns the roadmap? 09:11 Avoid turning the roadmap into a to-do list 16:39 Know the audience the roadmap is aimed at 24:09 Question-based approach roadmap 33:14 The product team should make the roadmap work for them 39:43 Other tools effective in implementing a roadmap 42:41 Providing updates to the upper management 48:39 Where the real value lies 51:02 The ability to prioritize and drive clarity through roadmap   

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and Soumeya Benghanem welcome Martie K. Burris (Salesforce) to discuss product management interview strategies. To land the best PM role in the best company, you have to master the art of acing any and all product management interviews. Listen in to the techniques experienced PMs use, their strategies that have worked, and their proven and tested frameworks.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 02:10 The Inclusive Product Management Accelerator program 06:10 PM interviews have evolved over time 09:11 What is the purpose of a PM interview? 13:36 Lead PM interviews focus more on the strategy   14:48 The type of questions to prepare for 17:25 Find resources and practice with other people 20:14 The Do's and Don'ts of PM interview 24:20 Summarize your answer at the end 26:03 Your framework should be your natural thought process  31:01 How to handle rejection 33:47 Is MBA a necessary requirement? 39:55 Strategies to get into the right interview 45:43 Interview people with empathy and listen more  48:45 Be mindful that people are trying to understand your thought process

Consider hiring diverse talent from the Inclusive Product Management Accelerator – https://hire.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman, The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem, and Associate Director Kara Fichthorn welcome Xilin Zhang (Protocol Labs) and Chetana Desai  (NEAR Protocol) as they discuss Blockchain Product Management. Blockchain technology plays a crucial role in product management by offering transparent, secure, and decentralized data storage and management solutions. Its ability to provide real-time tracking and verification of products throughout the supply chain enhances efficiency. By employing smart contracts, blockchain automates payment and delivery processes, reducing administrative burdens and fostering trust among stakeholders. Furthermore, blockchain's potential extends to safeguarding intellectual property rights and revolutionizing conventional marketplaces by facilitating the creation of decentralized platforms for product transactions.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 05:28 What is blockchain? 07:32 Blockchain and product management 11:36 Skills to learn to be a good PM in Web3 16:25 Difference between Web2 and Web3 17:57 What industries can Web3 and Blockchain transform? 20:13 The different layers of Blockchain 25:10 How to become a PM in Web3 32:25 Working in a constantly changing environment 37:11 The future of the financial side of blockchain 39:39 Open source for blockchain 43:41 Blockchain technology to innovate the HR space 45:19 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem welcome Michele Lundahl (T-Mobile) as they discuss how to empower good decision-making. Product managers play a crucial role in empowering good decision making within their teams. By fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, and open communication, they enable team members to contribute their diverse perspectives and insights. Empowering decision making encourages ownership and accountability, leading to better outcomes and innovation. By providing the necessary guidance and resources, product managers ensure that their teams have the autonomy and support needed to make informed decisions that align with the overall product vision and goals.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 01:17 Why should we empower good decision-making? 04:26 Inclusivity in decision-making 07:12 Pushbacks on decision 09:19 Three opportunity rule 10:56 Framework to better understand different types of decisions 13:47 Coaching teams to feel empowered about their role 15:36 Handling unavoided impacts 17:33 Training ourselves to be willing to empower others 19:08 Strategic and execution decision 22:37 Leaders in decision-making 25:43 Should leaders get into the weeds? 27:51 How can leaders share knowledge in a way that empowers good decision-making? 30:00 What is a good decision? 31:31 When someone is not in favor of your decision 33:34 Decision processes within product organizations 36:03 How do you help your team to not overthink a decision? 39:05 When a bad decision is made by your team 45:20 Final thoughts

The application window for the Inclusive Product Management Accelerator runs June 8, 2023 to June 20, 2023. Learn more and apply at http://ipma.info.foster.uw.edu   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem and Associate Director Kara Fichthorn welcome Christopher M. Barnes (Foster School of Business) as they discuss how sleep could affect different aspects of our life and being a PM. Lack of sleep impairs cognitive functions such as decision-making, problem-solving, and creativity, which are vital skills for PMs. Sleep-deprived individuals may struggle to focus and prioritize tasks effectively, leading to poor decision-making and decreased productivity. Additionally, sleep deprivation can negatively affect communication and collaboration skills, as fatigue can hinder effective teamwork and stakeholder management. Overall, sleep deprivation undermines the ability of PMs to perform their roles efficiently and effectively, ultimately impacting the success of their projects and teams.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 05:02 Understanding sleep and its effect on PM 08:37 Cyberloafing 09:16 Opportunity and identification as it relates to sleep 12:13 Sleep and creativity 15:03 Should I sleep on it? 16:06 Effects of sleep on leadership 20:09 Taking naps 22:36 Alternatives for sleep 25:36 Working on sleeping hours 31:21 The quality vs. quantity of sleep 33:11 Sleep disorders 40:41 Other treatments for sleep apnea 45:45 Starting work at different times 50:29 Final thoughts

Applications for the Inclusive Product Management Accelerator open June 8th. Learn more at foster.uw.edu/ipm-accelerator   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Avinoam Zelenko (LinkedIn) as they discuss the emotional side of product management. Successful PMs understand user frustrations, desires, and aspirations, using emotional insight to improve the product. They foster collaboration and motivation through empathy, active listening, and effective communication. Moreover, they prioritize self-care, embracing self-compassion to navigate challenges and setbacks, benefiting personal growth and effective leadership.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 02:38 Emotional side of product management 07:43 ELMR framework 11:39 Focus on internal work too 13:40 Kindness is clarity 16:04 How to be kind when others are not? 20:20 Get feedback from close people and mimic how others interact with certain personalities 22:15 How salespeople manage their emotions? 26:42 Balancing emotions of external and internal stakeholders 33:58 Let your team be comfortable to ask questions 35:02 Showing your emotions when applying for a remote PM role 41:24 “Intuition is more important than being data driven…” 50:51 Can emotions help measure success and risk? 53:35 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem welcome Leslie Thomas Jr. (Microsoft) as they discuss how PMs manage their energy and mental health. Work and personal life can be physically, emotionally, and mentally draining. So how can we recharge ourselves to keep thriving and stay motivated? Join today's conversation as they share some tips on how they manage their energy and some self-care tips to keep us mentally healthy.    Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 05:38 What's draining your energy? 11:40 Bringing your team along in the journey 15:25 Body doubling 17:27 Doing work that involves working with people 18:27 Go back to the things that gave you a lot of energy 20:00 Gratitude 21:11 How can you separate yourself from work? 23:51 “Gratitude and anxiety can't exist at the same time…” 27:02 Use anxiety to your advantage 28:52 Anxiety vs. Pressure 34:02 Reward yourself 36:30 What is mental health? 38:57 Having a mindfulness practice 40:49 Start your day with a walk 42:57 Prioritize what's important to you 46:34 How to say no and set boundaries 50:37 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Michael W. Lam (Zoom) as they discuss how to thrive in a product led organization. PMs can thrive in a product-led organization by adopting a data-driven mindset, leveraging customer insights to inform decision-making, and prioritizing cross-functional collaboration to align teams and drive innovation. By staying attuned to market trends, embracing agile methodologies, and fostering a customer-centric culture, PMs can navigate the dynamic landscape, deliver exceptional products, and achieve long-term success in a product-led organization.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 05:54 What's a product led organization? 06:54 Important for the customer vs. PMs 09:15 Building instead of outsourcing 17:34 Aligning product teams for success 21:37 How to thrive in a product led organization 24:31 Product leaders protecting their products from salespeople 25:37 Recognize the product you're building and who it is for 29:47 Main differences between product led organizations and other organizations 32:09 Data vs. Emotions 40:04 Free trials and free tiers products 45:06 Risk Assessment Framework 51:40 Final thoughts

Join us in Seattle for the Inclusive Product Management Summit on May 12th and May 13th. Info at https://summit.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman welcomes Michael Broome (Vituity) and John Mark Nickels (Waymo) as they discuss how PMs can develop a team culture. PMs play a critical role in creating and shaping the culture of their teams. Team culture refers to the shared beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors that shape the way a group of individuals works together towards a common goal. As a PM, it is important to be intentional about creating and shaping the culture of your team to ensure that it aligns with the values and goals of the organization.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   Resources: Foster the Product: Leading teams and aligning stakeholders toward a common vision - Foster Blog (uw.edu) Lead from the Core: The 4 Principles for Profit and Prosperity - Jay Steinfeld   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 05:00 How PMs can develop a team culture 06:34 When does a team culture become important 08:43 The right time to start developing a team culture 09:59 Learning team dynamics through sport 12:26 The four ingredients of a team 15:12 When it works for the team but not for an individual 20:07 How to have difficult conversations with your team 21:30 Getting a group to work together 23:58 Having a strategic goal 25:58 The importance of clarity in vision and strategy 29:34 How to learn and celebrate from mistakes 34:31 Frameworks to bring out the best in you 39:00 Motivating teams to reach their potential and set aside personal ego 41:08 Tips to develop a team culture 43:00 Having difficult conversations with people you report to and incentives for a team 47:41 Final thoughts

Join us in Seattle for the Inclusive Product Management Summit on May 12th and May 13th. Info at https://summit.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem welcomes Tatyana Mamut (Reforge) as they discuss being in a product-led organization. Becoming a product-led is crucial for PMs because it puts the customer experience at the forefront of decision-making. By focusing on building products that users love and find value in, product-led organizations can drive growth, increase customer loyalty, and gain a competitive advantage in the market. This approach requires a deep understanding of customer needs, constant experimentation, and a willingness to prioritize the long-term success of the product over short-term gains. By adopting a product-led mindset, product managers can build products that not only meet customer needs but also drive business success.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 04:38 What is a product-led organization? 06:28 From customer-centric to being product-led 09:12 The difference between the needs of the business and the needs of the customer 10:36 Should everyone in the organization have a product-led mindset? 14:27 The Hooked Framework 18:49 What role should people play in building a product-led mindset? 22:06 Balancing customer needs and revenue 26:48 The biggest challenge for a PM in a product-led organization 35:27 Can a lean product development process fit within a product-led organization? 38:25 Minimum viable product vs. Minimum lovable product 40:18 The best way to start a product-led team 43:57 Build something that somebody will be willing to pay for 45:38 Metrics that matter in a product-led organization 47:48 Other resources to learn more about product-led organizations 49:32 Final thoughts

Join us in Seattle for the Inclusive Product Management Summit on May 12th and May 13th. Info at https://summit.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Red Russak welcome Anar Taori (Lovingly) and James Brand (Microsoft) as they discuss how using AI tools can help current and aspiring PMs be successful in product development. AI tools can help product managers in numerous ways, including automating repetitive tasks, analyzing large amounts of data to identify patterns and trends, and providing real-time insights into customer behavior, but how can we be sure that this will be reliable for PMs?   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 08:12 AI Tools in product management workflows 15:25 Is AI reliable? 19:16 Prompts you could use to survey Chat GPT instead of customers 21:19 Using GPT for market research 23:52 Giving AI personas 25:14 Ethics behind using AI tools 28:57 AI in Governement 32:08 Providing context & phrasing your question to Chat GPT  35:13 How does Chat GPT absorb the information from users' questions? 38:08 Success stories in using AI tools 42:12 For people planning to use Chat GPT 44:06 How do we know if Chat GPT has the information or the knowledge of specific domains? 47:37 Final thoughts

Join us in Seattle for the Inclusive Product Management Summit on May 12th and May 13th. Info at https://summit.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and Soumeya Benghanem welcome Martie K. Burris (Salesforce) to discuss product management interview strategies. To land the best PM role in the best company, you have to master the art of acing any and all product management interviews. Listen in to the techniques experienced PMs use, their strategies that have worked, and their proven and tested frameworks.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 02:10 The Inclusive Product Management Accelerator program 06:10 PM interviews have evolved over time 09:11 What is the purpose of a PM interview? 13:36 Lead PM interviews focus more on the strategy   14:48 The type of questions to prepare for 17:25 Find resources and practice with other people 20:14 The Do's and Don'ts of PM interview 24:20 Summarize your answer at the end 26:03 Your framework should be your natural thought process  31:01 How to handle rejection 33:47 Is MBA a necessary requirement? 39:55 Strategies to get into the right interview 45:43 Interview people with empathy and listen more  48:45 Be mindful that people are trying to understand your thought process

Join us in Seattle for the Inclusive Product Management Summit on May 12th and May 13th. Info at https://summit.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Red Russak welcome  Charles Wartemberg (Netflix), Dosoo Amenyah (Facebook), and  Nkem Okoye (Instacart) as they discuss the mistakes that made them become better PMs. These experienced professionals candidly share their personal experiences and the common mistakes they made that helped them grow into better product managers.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 09:22 Jumping and transitioning too quickly 12:15 Coping with feeling like a failure 16:49 Having people to share your wins 18:29 Understanding what mattered to the end user not just the internal users 22:11 How do you know if you're making a mistake? 28:17 Signals to look for in a quality translation 34:26 Quantitative signals when it comes to translations 36:57 How to find motivation after the mistake? 43:20 Proceeding when roadblocks happen 45:42 Balancing between data-driven and decision-making with intuition 51:37 Final thoughts

Connect with leading product managers at the Inclusive Product Management Summit, May 12th and 13th in Seattle. Learn more at https://summit.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Sheena (D'ornellas) Mclean (Butterflio) and Fedor Sandakov as they discuss how to land a PM role using Chat GPT. Lots of prompts and tips on how Chat GPT can help your transition to become a PM so make sure to check out today's episode!   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 06:26 What needs to be done to break into PM 09:10 Writing cover letters using Chat GPT 15:07 Competing for a job where other aspiring PMs also use Chat GPT 16:04 Ways to improve your prompt 18:55 Long-term effect of using AI 20:19 Prompts to use for the job search process 23:50 Chat GPT as an interviewer 25:41 Reframing resumes  27:45 Teach Chat GPT to write in a different tone and voice 30:03 Entry-level books for someone transitioning to a PM role 33:52 Doctors as PMs 43:19 How transparent should you be in your interview that you use Chat GPT? 49:43 Chat GPT can't replace human 51:36 Final thoughts + resource for Chat GPT prompts

Last chance for early bird pricing for the Inclusive Product Management Summit. Register today at https://summit.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Amirtha Raman (Amazon) as they discuss if PMs really do need to innovate. Innovation is the process of creating something new or improving an existing product or service. Innovation is a critical aspect of product management and can help product managers succeed in their roles.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 01:43 Do PMs really innovate? 05:04 What does innovation mean? 07:57 Innovation = huge shifts 10:07 High standard innovation 15:27 Is TikTok innovative? 19:37 Innovation in companies 24:45 Innovation vs. imitation 30:59 Gartner Hype Cycle 33:43 The IOA framework 39:35 Buzzword Blitz 44:23 Final thoughts  

Join us in Seattle on May 12th and 13th for the Inclusive Product Management Summit. Early bird pricing on registration available at https://summit.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Lewis C. Lin (ManageBetter) and Dontae Delgado (Amazon) as they discuss one of the famous AI chatbots available right now, ChatGPT. In this week's episode, the panelists will share the pros and cons of using ChatGPT and if there is really a chance that it can take over PMs?   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 05:09 Is ChatGPT taking over PMs jobs? 07:25 PM tasks you can do with ChatGPT 11:20 Can ChatGPT do user research? 15:53 Using ChatGPT to surface more information & brainstorming 19:38 The correct prompts to use  27:42 Your first ChatGPT prompt 30:54 Data safety in ChatGPT 33:38 Should you tell others that you use ChatGPT? 36:07 Bigger companies using AI 41:19 ChatGPT helping to improve your day-to-day  44:59 Buzzword Blitz 47:39 ChatGPT taking over the intelligence of the next generation 55:57 Final thoughts

Join us in Seattle on May 12th and 13th for the Inclusive Product Management Summit. Early bird pricing on registration available at https://summit.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Kristina Brecko (University of Rochester) and Spencer Hardwick (Ticketmaster) as they discuss about Kristina's research and whether you should release free updates or charge for a new version of your product. We'll also find out why some people choose not to upgrade and how to know if there is value added before you click that update button!   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 05:01 Kristina's research 08:38 Updates and new versions in a PMs point of view 12:29 The main drivers for updates 15:25 Making people aware of the updates and let them be willing to update 17:47 When should you price upgrades? 25:33 Maturity of the market 28:25 Friction and resistance of users  39:39 Why do some users choose to upgrade vs. not to upgrade? 45:24 Upgrading only when there is value added 48:30 Final thoughts

Join us in Seattle on May 12th and 13th for the Inclusive Product Management Summit. Early bird pricing on registration available at https://summit.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman welcomes Toyyibat Yussuph, PMP (American Express) and Ria Bhatia (Niantic) with an appearance by Rakesh Kumar (Mastercard) as they discuss the ABCs of platform product management and why this role is important in product management. Platform PMs look at the bigger picture of a product and is an important role because platforms have become a key driver of innovation and growth in many industries.    Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 04:12 What is platform product management? 06:04 User persona in platform PM 08:23 Should you try to be a platform PM? 14:11 Private betas 18:15 Risk assessment 24:00 Prioritization 27:10 How do you know the essentials of the platform? 29:44 Deciding on what project to do 33:36 Alignment  36:01 Balancing the business features vs. tech imperatives 39:32 Buzzword Blitz 42:07 Being a product manager is a landing curve 46:19 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem welcome Alex Selby (Amazon) and Swati Goel (Facebook) to talk about time management. Today's focus is on how much time PMs need to allocate for structured and creative meetings, checking with customers to gather data on existing products, and breaking down your day strategically so you'll have time to refresh your thoughts and replenish your creativity.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 02:17 Why is time management and productivity important? 07:02 Breaking down your day with time bucketing 09:45 For PMs, unstructured, unfocused time is critical 11:47 Block out an hour for yourself everyday 14:29 Deciding how much time to put into strategy versus execution 18:45 Business priorities and where you're product is at 20:41 From 90/10 to 60/40 time allocation with customers 28:33 Look for product adjacent roles or tasks that you can take on 33:20 Pick up patterns from the first customers and bring back to the team for planning 36:03 Learn more about the Inclusive Product Management Accelerator program 38:01 The writing culture in meetings is an artifact while building a product 42:07 Balance between outcome driven structured meetings and allowing creativity 44:23 Allow for creative sessions but facilitation is still needed 48:25 Start conversations with a wide approach first 49:20 Choose which meetings are mandatory for you 51:31 Time management takes a little bit of practice 53:02 How often should PMs check on customers 56:55 “Be specific and strategy in spending your time.” - Alex Selby 57:51 Listen to How to Be More Productive (Ep. 243)

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Kavita Kamani (Microsoft) and Sarada Sahu (Microsoft) as they discuss about user personas. Personas are important for PMs as they help in understanding their users' needs, goals, behaviors, and preferences.    Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 03:56 Customer obsession and starting a user persona 06:02 Who develops the user personas? 09:54 Being specific enough without excluding people 14:00 How many personas is okay to utilize? 15:33 Market segments vs. personas 18:28 Persona for a manufacturer 20:02 Other people who work with personas 23:41 Personas are common language for companies 28:22 Buzzword Blitz 34:58 How to distinguish between persona and segment 37:08 Building a zero to one product 40:25 Trust as an important aspect in a user persona's journey and the product development 42:33 Final thoughts   Links:  https://www.ideou.com/blogs/inspiration/how-to-get-started-with-inclusive-design

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem welcome Garrett Gross (Xemelgo) and JC Landivar (True Tickets) as they discuss the difference between being a startup founder and startup PMs and also corporate PMs. What makes startup founders unique and how can PMs transition to being a founder? Let's find out more from our panelists today!   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 06:15 Being a startup founder 09:46 What makes a startup founder unique? 11:40 From PM to founder  13:38 Influence without authority 15:17 Become a founder vs. become a product manager 24:41 What makes a startup PM? 32:12 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Adam Grupp (Woodhaven Advisors), Greg Young (Collectors Universe), Sumathi Kadambi (Zillow), Marily Nika (Meta), and Sumantro Das (Mattress Firm) as they discuss the importance of decision making in the success of any project. The panel of experts, known and respected in their respective expertise, share valuable tips and insights on what it takes to come up with the right decision.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 01:03 The different styles of decision-making 03:44 “Understand the right process and structure to use to frame up decisions.”  05:37 “The expensive and scary are the ones where it's a long-term commitment you can't change so easily.”  08:05 The cost of failing to make a decision and the fear of decision-making. 12:17 “Create your own metrics for your own product.”  14:57 What's your bold thought on decision-making?  16:37 Is data just confirming what you already know or do you have some wild changes based off of it? 20:02 Half of PM decisions are decisions they're not even conscious of 21:26 Build an ecosystem of experts within the company to help make decisions 24:24 Favorite decision-making matrix regularly used 27:01 Go-to method for sourcing new ideas or iterating mature and new products 34:23 Oftentimes, the best ideas come from unexpected places 37:15 Take what makes you successful but apply it in new places that can help make big changes 39:05 Be very clear on how everyone makes decisions 43:09 Decision-making takes time to build confidence on and to build the tool set 44:27 Some things are hard to let go but maybe they're not where our future is

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem welcomes Arjun Subramanian as they discuss platform product management. This is one of the most challenging roles in product management as they are the ones who have to work closely with the engineering team to ensure that the product is well-maintained. For those PMs who are interested in this role, in order to be successful in this field, you need not only to understand the core technologies but be able to look at the long-term scalability of the product.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 03:42 What is a platform product? 07:42 Platform as a channel of delivery 12:05 Building a platform too late 16:09 Platform economics 17:48 Metrics of success for platform 21:47 Measuring cost savings 25:05 Mean time to recovery 26:39 Funding the platform team 29:38 Who can be a platform product manager? 34:22 Platform PMs need to be more technical 36:50 Edutainment 38:25 Advice for PMs stitching technologies together into a single platform 42:21 Building a unified user experience 44:27 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Charles Stewart (Autodesk) and Dimple Singhania (Walmart) as they discuss product managing internal tools. PMs should know about the internal tools that companies use to help automate workflows, store data information for security, and connect the different organizations in a company like marketing or finance.    Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 09:42 Measuring success when building an internal tool 11:25 Associate satisfaction 12:38 Building a common language for people to use 14:05 Think about the employee experience 16:18 Take into account the consistency of human behavior 18:28 Communication channels for PMs 22:03 Creating a tool that works for the entire enterprise 24:19 Taking a product market mindset to internal tools 26:08 Build vs. buy 32:09 Competitive advantage in terms of build vs. buy 34:15 Compatibility with your own already built or bought tools 38:45 Product shift 42:23 Pushing forward with the modernization approach 45:52 The friction unique to internal tools 48:37 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman welcomes Darlene Miranda (DailyPay) as they discuss how to make customer obsession as a cross-functional practice. PMs gather data from their customers to help in product improvement and development, but how can a PM let everyone in the organization join this customer obsession?     Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 03:28 Customer obsession 04:55 How customer obsessed are you? 06:35 When PMs don't do enough to make a customer obsession a cross-functional 08:08 Being obsessed with two different types of customers 10:20 Engineering in customer obsession  13:38 Marketing  15:16 Customer obsession from the support function 17:17 Tools and frameworks  21:05 The role of customer support 23:52 What is unique about customer obsession? 26:10 An organization that will help you become customer obsessed 28:05 Cross-functional practice in the early stages of a startup 31:22 How to know if a company is customer obsessed 33:58 Operations functions to maintain customer obsession 36:14 Security and fraud 38:48 Resources for making customer obsession a cross-functional practice 40:55 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and Soumeya Benghanem welcome Kevin Shah (T-Mobile) and Lisa Huang-North (Microsoft) to discuss why product managers need empathy when communicating with customers and while building their career, as well as finding the balance between being empathetic and product success.     Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 03:53 Empathy also matters in how you manage your career 07:36 Do you understand where you are in your personal journey? 10:13 We suffer from survivor bias 13:33 The lack of empathy to certain stakeholders or groups can show up in the execution 16:12 Don't focus on the persona and characteristics, focus on the needs and problems 22:15 Data communication depends on the channels already established 24:48 What's important to users vs what's important to the company 27:16 Try to understand where the misalignment is happening 28:06 Come back to the pain points you're trying to address 31:03 Feeling empowered and having an authentic PM mindset  34:10 An executive does not understand the customers as well as the PMs do 38:53 Myth: “I'm not a great sales person and that's why I think I'll be a great PM.” 43:02 Best relationship between sales and products are centered around culture 44:56 Product managers are artists and creators  49:19 Logically group your community and dedicate different efforts on each segment  56:17 Empathy is your superpower   57:49 Recommended resources for PMs to get better at being empathetic 01:01:16 Drawing a balance between empathy and profitability  01:04:23 Product management is a contact sport and also a team sport 01:09:45 Own the job and be resolute with your standards   01:11:34 You don't have to love something, but you have to be really curious about it

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and Soumeya Benghanem welcome Poorvi Shrivastav (HubSpot) to talk about how to smoothly transition from being an individual contributor to a leadership role. Aside from the tips and guides one can learn and practice while in transition, never lose focus on putting people first.     Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 01:29 Transition from an individual contributor (IC) to Manager 07:43 Who directly reports to you? 08:51 The biggest transition from being an IC to a manager 11:02 3 things you need to succeed in the management role 16:20 Be very clear about the credit that belongs to you 20:13 Tips on how to transition in your first few days 25:29 Focus on outcome, but think about the process too 31:11 How to ace an interview for a leadership role 41:20 When you start leading a team that you are part of 47:38 How do you manage delegation? 50:00 Transition from an IC to management course 52:02 Focus on people first

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast,  marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and Soumeya Benghanem welcome Josh Haftel (Adobe) and Ben Waddle (Expedia) to talk about creating a product out of an idea by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable ones for a faster turn around and quickly get customer feedback, and how product managers need to work with their team instead of managing it.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 01:10 A PMs job is finding clarity and then creating alignment 06:35 The Discovery and Framing framework 09:58 Always start at the fundamentals 15:01 Take the big things down and break them down 17:47 Fail quickly then go into future iterations 19:53 What kind of experimentation should you be doing? 25:31 Pick a problem that you might have some passion for   28:12 Come up with hypotheses about why something's going to work versus why it's not going to work 30:39 Look for skills that your team currently don't have 33:34 Understand who you need to influence and tailor your work products accordingly 38:38 Start with what outcomes matter to the audience you're speaking to 42:52 The fastest way to get something into the hands of the customers 45:30 Break down big assumptions into smaller ones 50:23 Partner with your team to arrive at the best solution 52:55 As a product manager, you don't manage anybody

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Charles Wartemberg (Netflix) and Pamela Fleury (Harvard) as they discuss the best practices during discovery. Gathering feedback and data from customers is very important in managing products so a good PM should be able to know how to get this data and implement it for product improvement.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 06:31 How much time to spend on discovery? 10:30 Recommended resource about discovery work 15:16 The alignment and getting everyone on the same page 18:27 Leveraging product sense 21:03 What does discovery look like in a lot of customer environments? 22:52 Truly understanding the why versus seeing how the market responds 33:59 A product inside a product 40:30 Product marketing team working with the overall marketing team 44:54 Career in product management 53:56 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Julie Seto (Microsoft) and Aneesha Kommineni (Google) as they discuss how human-centered design and engineering can help PMs. Learning more about HCDE is one of the important skills a good PM should have because it lets PMs better understand what the people need and help make a more efficient design.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 06:31 How is HCDE related to other concepts 08:15 Similarities and differences 11:17 Tips for hiring people who have different biases 13:21 Combine different research methodologies 15:06 Design culturally neutral experiences 15:55 Why is human centered design important to learn? 19:20 The use of HCDE in your job 25:33 Tension between human centered design and business objectives 30:02 Differences in applying HCDE in a B2B vs B2C product 37:50 Considering geographical and cultural aspects while designing the product in enterprise 41:50 Resource or bootcamp recommendations 44:44 When someone says no about your human centered design feature 47:52 Universal design vs human centered design 49:06 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Jennifer McGill Walker (Pearson) and Chris Hess, Ph.D. (Pearson) as they discuss the best practices in interviewing a customer. Good PMs need to be able to know the best way and approach to reach out to customers to understand their feedback and concerns that can help to improve a product or service.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 01:45 The importance of discovery 03:22 Interacting with customers will lead back to why you're doing what you do 04:27 Types of interactions with customers 06:34 The interaction format depends on the goal 08:26 Constantly talk with customers 10:37 Use Zoom for recording 12:50 Check your confirmation bias 14:02 Start a earlier than the actual interview when selecting your sample size 15:24 Work on the art of questioning 17:28 Being representative of the population as a whole & be comfortable with silence 19:04 Bring in other people from your team 21:52 Biggest threat to discovery work is time 26:54 Talk about what you've learned & learn from other 29:03 Setting up your work calendar  34:15 How to approach a customer? 35:54 Overcoming suspicion 39:01 Scheduling customer interviews & reaching out manually or automatically 48:13 Final thoughts