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  • 011 — Rethinking Products: Insights from a FinTech Leader — Jens Riewe
    2024/11/22

    SUMMARY

    In this conversation, Jens Riewe and Sabrina Mach explore the intricacies of product leadership, particularly in the fintech sector. They discuss the importance of rethinking products, embracing failure, and fostering a startup culture that encourages innovation. Jens shares insights on building a team that prioritizes user insights and the challenges faced in a startup environment. The discussion also delves into the role of leadership in creating a supportive atmosphere for creativity and the necessity of adapting to market changes. Finally, Jens offers practical tips for those looking to rethink their products and leadership approaches.


    TAKEAWAYS

    • Rethinking products is essential for success in a competitive market.

    • Embracing failure as a learning opportunity fosters innovation.

    • Prototyping helps in understanding user behavior and refining products.

    • Leadership sets the tone for a culture of innovation and trust.

    • It's important to create an environment where team members feel safe to experiment and fail.

    • Stop doing estimation sessions to focus on quality over speed.

    • Act your way to new thinking by encouraging experimentation.

    • Reading novels can provide new perspectives and inspire creativity.

    • Networking with peers can help in overcoming common challenges.

    • Every team needs a different setup to thrive and innovate.


    • SOUND BITES

      • "Networking is key to growth."

      • "Stop doing estimation sessions."

      • "Act your way to new thinking."


      CONNECT WITH US

      • Jens Riewe (Guest on the show)

      • Sabrina Mach (Host of the show)


      CHAPTERS

      00:00 Introduction to the Conversation

      00:27 Jens Riewe's Background and Journey

      03:26 Rethinking Products in FinTech

      11:27 Challenges of Startup Culture

      15:27 Embracing Failure and Learning

      22:26 User-Centric Product Development

      26:52 Integrating Renovation into the User Journey

      31:56 The Now Next Later Roadmap

      37:57 Rethinking Leadership for Product Success

      41:45 Challenges in Product Development

      48:43 Getting Started with Rethinking Products

      55:44 How This Helps us Create Better Products

      58:44 Jen's Content Recommendations

      01:03:06 Connect with Jens

      01:04:07 A question to our listeners


      KEYWORDS

      product leadership, fintech, startup culture, user insights, leadership, prototyping, failure, learning, product management, innovation, de-risking products, risk management, product discovery, continuous discovery, fail fast


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    1 時間 5 分
  • 010 — Applying Product Thinking to Platform Teams — with Fátima Rodríguez
    2024/11/08

    In this conversation, Fátima Rodríguez Calvo shares her insights on applying product thinking to platform teams, emphasizing the importance of understanding internal users, overcoming challenges in product management, and the necessity of collaboration and communication.

    She discusses her journey into product management, the significance of measuring success, and the role of ROI calculators in demonstrating value.

    Fátima also addresses common misconceptions about product thinking and provides actionable steps for integrating these principles into platform teams.

    TAKEAWAYS

    • Product thinking is essential for platform teams to deliver value.
    • Internal users are often overlooked but are crucial for product success.
    • Collaboration with stakeholders enhances the product development process.
    • Measuring success is vital to track progress and make informed decisions.
    • Using ROI calculators can help demonstrate the value of platform products.
    • Start small and build trust with stakeholders through experimentation.
    • Understanding user needs is key to creating effective internal tools.
    • Product thinking should be applied incrementally, not all at once.
    • Engaging with users can provide valuable insights for product development.
    • Continuous learning and adaptation are necessary for successful product management.


    SOUND BITES "You can start small and very lightweight." "Collaboration is really a key piece." "The platform products are products themselves." CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro to Show and Guest 01:02 Challenges in Applying Product Thinking 02:59 Defining Product Thinking for Internal Users 06:13 The Importance of User Engagement 09:10 Exploring the Retailer Project 11:56 Recommendations for Product Thinking Implementation 15:22 Prioritizing Ideas with ICE Framework 18:01 Calculating Impact and ROI 23:40 Understanding Adoption Rates and User Value 25:15 The Role of ROI Calculators in Stakeholder Engagement 27:40 Defining Success Metrics for Product Development 30:41 Overcoming Challenges in Product Thinking 33:35 Building Trust Through Small Experiments 36:53 Communicating Learnings and Failures 39:10 Using Evidence to Drive Decisions 42:54 The Importance of Multiple Ideas in Decision Making 45:11 Misconceptions About Product Thinking 49:08 Identifying Minimum Viable Products 50:54 Finding Smaller Slices for Experimentation 53:58 Lessons Learned from Product Thinking Implementation 01:02:52 Getting Started with Product Thinking in Platform Teams 01:05:20 The Importance of Product Thinking for Platform Teams 01:07:00 Recommended Resources for Product Thinking


    CONNECT WITH US

    • Fátima Rodríguez Calvo (Guest on the show)

    • Sabrina Mach (Host of the show)


    KEYWORDS

    Product Thinking, Platform Teams, Internal Tools, User Experience, Product Management, ROI, Agile, Software Development, Stakeholder Engagement, Continuous Discovery, Developer Experience, Developer Productivity


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    1 時間 10 分
  • 009 — The Future of Sustainable Product Development — With Christine Kuhn
    2024/10/25

    In this conversation, Christine Kuhn discusses the integration of sustainability into product management, particularly at Kleinanzeigen.

    Christine shares her journey into sustainability, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and a holistic approach that balances ecological, economic, and social factors.

    She explores practical strategies for product managers to raise awareness, shift consumer mindsets, and measure success in sustainability initiatives.

    The discussion highlights the challenges and misconceptions surrounding sustainability, as well as actionable steps for individuals and organizations to adopt a sustainability mindset.


    TAKEAWAYS

    • Sustainability consists of ecological, economic, and social pillars.
    • Authenticity is crucial to avoid greenwashing.
    • Shifting consumer behavior towards secondhand products is essential.
    • Sustainability should be integrated into company culture.
    • Measuring CO2 footprint helps track sustainability efforts.
    • Educating users about sustainability can influence their choices.
    • Testing initiatives can provide data to support sustainability efforts.
    • Balancing short-term and long-term goals is a challenge.
    • Technology choices can impact sustainability outcomes.
    • Sustainability can enhance the long-term value of products.


    SOUND BITES

    "Sustainability is definitely more than a trend."

    "We try to make secondhand your first choice."

    "It's about prolonging a product's life."


    CHAPTERS

    00:00 Intro to show

    00:26 Intro to Guest

    01:40 Christine's Journey into Sustainability

    04:19 Kleinanzeigen's Core Values and Sustainability

    07:01 Authenticity in Sustainability Practices

    08:46 Integrating Sustainability into Daily Product Management

    12:24 Shifting Consumer Behavior Towards Sustainability

    15:57 Leveraging Community for Sustainable Practices

    18:35 Measuring Success in Sustainability Initiatives

    21:54 Making Sustainability Tangible and Measurable

    25:14 Segmenting and personalising the experience

    27:17 Understanding Sustainability and Misconceptions

    30:27 Shifting Perceptions on Secondhand Goods

    34:35 Hard things when integrating sustainability

    37:08 Challenges in Product Management and Sustainability

    39:57 Integrating Sustainability into Company Culture

    43:52 Technology Choices and Sustainability

    45:50 Principles for Successful Sustainability Conversations

    50:03 Balancing Business and Sustainability Focus

    53:04 Creating Better Products through Sustainability

    55:10 Connect with Christine

    55:56 A question to our listeners

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    57 分
  • 008 — Why Product Modernisation is also Modernisation a Business — With Andrea Bandera
    2024/10/10

    The product expert Andrea Bandera highlights that any product modernisation is also always a business modernisation. A fact that is often overlooked.

    But when a Business Model becomes obsolete, companies must modernise their products and the organisation that enables the creation of those products.

    Andrea shares his experience in working with ERP companies that are trying to make the shift from custom solutions for large individual customers to creating products that are used by multiple small and midsized customers.

    TAKEAWAYS

    • Modernization is essential for products to remain competitive.
    • Understanding the organizational ecosystem is crucial for successful modernization.
    • Shifting from a technology-driven approach to a customer-centric mindset is necessary.
    • Risk aversion can hinder modernization efforts; organizations must embrace experimentation.
    • New competencies in product management and design are vital for modernization.
    • Effective communication and collaboration across functions are key to success.
    • Measuring product usage helps identify areas for improvement.
    • Leadership must be willing to challenge the status quo for effective change.
    • Modernization is an ongoing journey, not a one-time project.
    • Customer value creation should drive product development.
    • The Journey of Product Modernization
    • From Technology to Organizational Change


    SOUND BITES

    • "Every product will face a moment to modernize."
    • "Modernization is not just about technology."
    • "Think of the product as the outcome of the ecosystem system."
    • “Ask yourself: What is valuable for customers that affects our business”


    CHAPTERS

    00:00 Intro to show

    00:29 Intro to guest

    03:54 Understand the Ecosystem that Generates the Product

    11:26 A Shift in Target Audience is a Business Change

    19:21 Managing Risk and Embracing Experimentation

    23:42 The First Step To Modernise New Business Strategy

    28:10 Shifting from full plan to thin slice

    33:20 Lessons learned: Value of talking to customers

    35:31 Lesson learned: Breaking down complexity is hard

    38:22 Success Principle: Understand the system around the product

    39:03 Success Principle: Bring in Design and Product Competencies at Leadership Level

    42:39 Tips for Newly brought in Leaders

    46:42 Thinking in Adaptive Systems: People, Technology, Tools and Interactions

    49:47 Success Principle: Measure Signs of Positive Progress

    50:58 Success Principle: Think of the Product as a System

    51:54 Success Principle: Start From the Money

    52:48 Andreas View on How to Create Better Products

    55:20 Andrea's Content Recommendations

    59:46 Connect with Andrea

    01:00:45 A question to our listeners


    CONNECT WITH US

    Andrea Bandera (Guest on this show)

    Sabrina Mach (Host of this show)


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    1 時間 2 分
  • 007 — Practical Steps for De-risking Your Product — With Raffaella Roviglioni
    2024/09/19

    In this conversation, Raffaella Roviglioni discusses the critical role of user research in de-risking product development.


    Raffaella shares her journey FROM focusing solely on user research TO understanding its strategic importance in product decision-making.


    They explore various methods of identifying opportunities for innovation, the importance of continuous research, and the need for triangulating data from multiple sources.


    Raffaella emphasizes the significance of understanding customer mental models and the necessity of mapping assumptions to inform better product decisions.


    The conversation also touches on handling objections, lessons learned from research experiences, and practical steps for organizations to enhance their research practices.


    TAKEAWAYS

    * User research is essential for informed product decisions.

    * Continuous research helps adapt to changing customer needs.

    * Triangulating data from various sources provides a holistic view.

    * Mapping assumptions can significantly reduce risks in product development.

    * Flexibility and creativity are crucial in research processes.

    * Involving stakeholders in research fosters ownership of findings.

    * Understanding customer mental models is key to successful product design.

    * Research should be an ongoing effort throughout the product lifecycle.

    * Effective communication can help address objections to research findings.

    * Investing in tailored research enhances competitive advantage.


    SOUNDBITES

    * "Research can reduce risk in product development."

    * "User research is not a one-time activity."

    * "Triangulation of data is crucial."


    CHAPTERS

    00:00 Intro to Show

    00:29 Intro to the Guest

    01:44 Shifting Focus From Research Activities to Creating Impact

    04:17 De-Risking Product Development with User Research

    07:39 Qualifying Ideas and Prioritizing Features

    13:31 Triangulation of Data for a Holistic Understanding

    22:07 How User Research De-Risks Products

    24:24 Why Best Practice Reports are not Enough

    32:57 When to De-Risk: From Idea identification to Post-Launch

    38:42 Misconception: Research is easy

    38:42 Misconception: Sampling Doesn't Matter

    43:41 Lesson Learned: Being Flexible and Creative in Research

    46:30 Lesson Learned: Involving Stakeholders in the Research Process

    52:52 Practical Takeaways for Aspiring User Researchers

    58:49 Practical Takeaways for Advanced Researchers

    58:49 Practical Takeaways for Business Leaders

    01:01:29 Success Principle: Adaptability as a Principle in Research

    01:02:27 Success Principle: Creativity in tackling challenges

    01:04:08 Success Principle: Rigor in Ensuring Research Quality

    01:05:04 Addressing Objections through Explanation and Rationale

    01:10:34 Creating Better Product by Investing the Best Product Ideas

    01:13:07 Raffaella's Content Recommendation

    01:14:38 Connect with Raffaella

    01:15:04 A Question to our Listeners


    KEYWORDS

    innovation, de-risking, product, product development, software delivery, UX research, user research, design research, qualitative research, product strategy, customer insights, digital transformation, research methods, product management, data strategy, hypotheses validation, qualifying ideas, prioritizing ideas, continuous discovery, risk reduction

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    1 時間 16 分
  • 006 — Building an AI Startup for a Gaming Community — With James Loudon
    2024/09/10

    James Loudon, founder of Campaigns Never Die, shares his journey of creating an AI startup in the gaming space. He saw an opportunity to use generative AI to help Dungeons and Dragons players save time and tell epic stories. James emphasizes the importance of listening to the community and being honest with them throughout the product development process. He also highlights the need for diversity of choice in the AI space to drive better service for the community. TAKEAWAYS

    • Listen to the community and be honest with them throughout the product development process.
    • Embrace diversity of choice in the AI space to drive better service for the community.Experiment with new technologies and iterate quickly to create better products.


    SOUND BITES

    • "Let the AI do the things that feel like work, so you can focus on the fun things."
    • "Go play Dungeons and Dragons, it's an experience you won't find anywhere else."
    • "Keep the lines of communication open with the community to avoid polarization."


    CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro to Show 00:27 Intro to Guest and Topic 01:41 How the journey started: Passion for Building Things 02:30 What Ignited the Idea for the Start-Up0 3:57 How the Idea Supports the Game Play 05:31 Taking the Leap into the Start-Up 08:13 Validating the Idea by Engaging with the Community 13:40 Making the Game More Accessible with AI 17:51 The Tech Side of the Product 21:52 The Impact of the Community on Product Development 25:30 Avoiding the Fallacy: "I am the User" 28:09 Lesson Learned: Inspiration from Community Involvement 30:04 Lesson Learned: Listen More and Engage More

    33:06 Success Principle: A Support Network and Follow a Passion 35:58 Success Principle: Remain Honest With the Community 36:50 Success Principle: Active Listening and Common Purpose 38:29 Creating Better GenAI Products 41:05 James' Content Recommendations 43:52 Connect With James 44:39 A question to our listeners

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    45 分
  • 005 — Applying Product Thinking to Data Products — With Ammara Gafoor
    2024/09/03

    SUMMARY

    The business value expert Ammara Gafoor shares her experience of bringing product thinking to the data space in traditional organisations.

    She explains how she got into this topic and highlights a project where she started with a traditional data project but realised the need to shift focus from implementing specified requirements to understanding the users of the data product. Ammara emphasises the importance of applying product thinking to data projects and how it can lead to better outcomes. She also discusses the challenges of convincing organizations to adopt this new way of thinking and shares strategies for success.


    CHAPTERS

    00:00 Intro to Show

    00:30 Intro to Guest and Topic

    01:38 Getting into Data and Product Thinking

    06:29 Applying Product Thinking to Data

    10:00 Challenges in Traditional Data Organisations

    11:04 Introducing Cross-Functional Teams

    15:14 Showing Success and Gaining Buy-In

    17:51 Regulated vs Unregulated Industries

    19:24 Using Shadow Teams to Start the Transformation

    22:06 Gaining Adoption of Product Thinking in Organisations

    23:34 Pitfalls of Maturity Assessments

    25:50 It's not a one Size Fits all Approach

    28:43 Humanising Data Strategy

    31:41 Practical Takeaways

    33:33 Why Product Thinking Helps Create Better Data Products

    36:01 Principles for Success

    38:03 Ammara's Content Recommendation

    40:13 A Question for you


    TAKEAWAYS

    • Product thinking can be applied to data projects in traditional organizations to improve outcomes
    • Understanding the user journey and identifying decision points can help prioritize and design data products
    • Building trust and effective communication are key to successful implementation of product thinking in the data space
    • Data quality is crucial for effective data products and should be considered throughout the process
    • Applying product thinking to data projects requires a shift in mindset and collaboration across teams


    AMMARA'S CONTENT RECOMMENDATIONS

    • Lauf, Wigald, lauf. A book about a person in Germany who ran 52 marathons a year, one marathon every week.
    • Data Mesh in Practice: Getting Off to the Right Start. An ebook written by Ammara Gafoor.
    • Humanizing Data Strategy by Tiankai Feng. A book about product thinking principles for data and data strategy.


    KEYWORDS

    product thinking, data, data products, traditional organisations, projects, products, value, user journey, decision points, trust, data quality, product development, data strategy, business requirements, user needs, jobs to be done


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    41 分
  • 004 — Developer Experience: Building User-Centric Technical Platforms — With Jacob Tiedemann
    2024/08/27

    SUMMARY

    Jacob Tiedemann, a product leader, discusses the importance of Developer Experience (DX) and how it is often overlooked in organisations.


    CHAPTERS

    00:00 Intro to show

    00:27 Intro to Guest and Topic

    04:36 Why Organisations Should Care About Developer Experience

    06:55 Impulse for Starting With Developer Experience

    09:34 Trend Towards Developer Experience

    11:02 Avoiding the Fallacy: "I am the user"

    14:42 User Research with Developers is Hard

    19:04 Developer Experience vs. User Experience vs. Employee Experience25:17Positive and Negative Surprises

    29:37 Measuring the Value of Developer Experience

    36:15 Getting Started with Developer Experience

    41:14 Creating Better Products through Developer Experience

    42:40 Principles for Successful DX

    43:56 Jacob's Content Recommendations

    46:32 A Question to our Listeners


    TAKEAWAYS

    • Developer Experience (DX) is often overlooked in organisations, but it is crucial for ensuring that developers have the tools and resources they need to be productive and successful.
    • A user-centric approach is essential when building technical platforms, as developers are the users of these platforms and their needs should be considered.
    • Conducting user research with developers can be challenging, but it is important to gather their feedback and insights to improve the Developer Experience.
    • Developer Experience overlaps with User Experience and Employee Experience, but it also has its own unique challenges and considerations.
    • Sharing stories and experiences can help stakeholders understand the importance of Developer Experience and the need for user-centric design practices in technical platforms.
    • Developer Experience (DX) is essential for creating better technical products and platforms by reducing wasted efforts and resources and improving user satisfaction.
    • Measuring the value of DX can be done through adoption rates, retention rates, satisfaction metrics, and financial indicators like cost savings and operational efficiency.
    • To start the DX journey, talk to developers, observe their workflows, and identify opportunities for improvement.
    • Build a strategy and start with small, impactful steps.
    • Investing in analytics is a pro tip for tracking user behaviour and gathering insights for continuous improvement.
    • Principles to keep in mind include being human-centric, articulating the business value, and showing prototypes when they're still embarrassing.
    • Recommended resources include 'Team Topologies' by Matthew Skelton and Manuel País, 'Making Work Visible' by Dominika de Grande, and 'Not Forgetting the Whale' by John Ironmonger.


    JACOBS CONTENT RECOMMENDATIONS

    • Team Topologies by Matthew Skelton and Manuel País. “They make user -centricity actionable. It helps you to get into the domain of software development and how things should be working.”

    • Making Work Visible by Dominika de Grande. “She talks about five time thieves that are stealing our time. And she shows ways how get rid of those time thieves by making work visible. — The connection to developer experiences: if you think about those time thieves that are in the book, maybe those are also time thieves for the developers, for your users that you might help with.”

    • And just for the fun of it, a fiction book. Not Forgetting the Whale by John Ironmonger. “What I liked about it, usually the dystopian ones are really ending on a more negative, sad note, or at least there's like an aftertaste that goes in that direction, but that one left me a little bit smiling and happy with a positive outlook for humanity.”

    CONNECT WITH US

    • Jacob Bo Tiedemann (Guest on the show)

    • Sabrina Mach (Host)

    KEYWORDS

    developer experience, user experience, employee experience, user research, technical platforms, developer experience, DX, technical products, platforms, user satisfaction, business goals, adoption rates, retention rates, satisfaction metrics, cost savings, operational efficiency, strategy, small steps, analytics, human-centric, business value, prototypes

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    47 分