Build What’s Next: Digital Product Perspectives

In this insightful episode of Build What's Next: Digital Product Perspectives, industry experts delve into the complexities of managing API developer portals from an organizational perspective. The discussion focuses on critical aspects of API lifecycle management, governance structures, and the importance of dedicated support teams.

Key points discussed include:

• The crucial role of versioning strategy in API management
• The emergence and importance of the API Product Manager role
• Organizational structures for API Centers of Excellence (COE)
• The challenges of documentation and support
• The impact of AI on API development and management
• Governance models and their implementation

The experts emphasize several critical success factors:

1. Versioning Strategy:
   • Support periods of 12-18 months for major API versions
   • Clear distinction between major and minor version changes
   • Proper communication around versioning and maintenance windows
2. API Product Management:
   • The need for dedicated API product managers
   • Balance between technical and business acumen
   • Liaison role between developers and business lines
3. Organizational Structure:
   • Centralized vs. decentralized approaches
   • The role of digital transformation teams
   • Evolution from centralized to federated models
4. Support and Documentation:
   • The importance of dedicated support teams
   • Challenges with engineer-written documentation
   • Treatment of internal vs. external developer needs

The episode concludes with insights into the future impact of AI on API development and management, including code generation, security analysis, and automated documentation.

Episode Resources:

• Example products mentioned: Traceable AI
• Related topics: REST APIs, API Security, Developer Experience
• Topics for further exploration: Distributed architectures, Team structures

Episode Highlights:

• [01:34] Versioning strategy and support timeframes
• [06:03] The role of API product managers
• [13:02] Internal vs. external developer needs
• [17:27] Governance processes and emotional aspects
• [24:48] AI's impact on API development
• [28:04] Future of API discovery and management

In this insightful episode of Build What's Next: Digital Product Perspectives, API expert Jeff Nibler and Michael Gray, Head of Engineering at Method, share their extensive experience with developer portals and API platforms. The discussion covers the transformation of developer portals over the past 5-7 years and crucial elements for success.

Key points discussed include:

• The importance of discoverability and user experience in developer portals
• Different approaches for internal versus external developer portals
• The evolution from viewing APIs as utilities to seeing them as products
• Building effective support structures for API programs
• The role of sandbox environments and documentation in developer success

Key insights shared:

1. Focus on Developer Experience:
   • The importance of clear, human-readable documentation
   • Making APIs discoverable and easily accessible
   • Providing interactive consoles and sandbox environments
2. Internal vs External Portals:
   • Internal portals focus on avoiding API duplication
   • External portals require additional polish and marketing elements
   • Different support structures are needed for each type
3. Support Structures:
   • The need for specialized API support teams
   • Finding the right balance between developer expertise and support efficiency
   • Integration of support ticketing within the portal
4. Documentation Best Practices:
   • Making content accessible to both technical and non-technical audiences
   • Using a CMS for efficient content management
   • Implementing effective tagging and search capabilities

The episode concludes with practical advice for organizations starting their developer portal journey, emphasizing the importance of fundamentals like solid API design, security considerations, and developer experience.

Episode Resources:

• Best practices for API documentation
• Developer portal platforms and tools
• API design guidelines
• Support team structures
• Content management systems for developer portals

Episode Highlights:

• [05:48] Discussion of developer portal evolution
• [17:25] Sandbox environments and developer experience
• [24:53] Internal portal considerations
• [29:31] Support team structures
• [34:14] Starting a developer portal journey

Key Quotes:

• "The golden rule for me on this topic has always been as much DIY as absolutely possible, everywhere possible."
• "The struggling moment that causes them to create a space. Because if they don't ask a question, there's no space in their brain for them to see your product."
• "I want my API people talking to your API people, and that's great, but I don't want them talking to my API developers because they're busy."

In this enlightening episode of Build What's Next: Digital Product Perspectives, Bob Moesta, an engineer turned innovation expert and co-architect of the Jobs to be Done theory, shares his unique approach to product development and innovation. With over 3,500 products under his belt, Bob brings a wealth of experience to the table.

Key points discussed include:

• The importance of identifying customers' struggling moments as the seed for all innovation
• Understanding the progress customers are trying to make rather than focusing solely on product features
• The concept of "Jobs to be Done" and how it applies to various industries
• The difference between supply-side and demand-side thinking in product development
• How to uncover hidden customer needs and motivations
• The importance of context in creating value for customers
• Strategies for effective product positioning and marketing

Bob illustrates these concepts through engaging case studies:

1. Snickers vs. Milky Way: How two seemingly similar products serve entirely different customer needs
   
   
   
2. Intercom: How understanding different customer jobs led to a 15x growth in revenue
   
   
   
3. Autobooks: How reframing the sales process around customer buying timelines led to significant growth

He challenges listeners to rethink their approach to product development, marketing, and sales by focusing on the progress customers are trying to make in their lives. Bob emphasizes that successful innovation isn't about adding more features but understanding and addressing customer struggles.

The episode concludes with three key tips for innovators:

1. Find struggling moments
   
   
   
2. Think about the progress people are trying to make
   
   
   
3. Understand and manage trade-offs in product development

Bob's insights offer a fresh perspective on innovation, encouraging businesses to look beyond traditional product-centric approaches and truly understand their customers' needs and motivations.

Episode Resources:

• About Bob Moesta 
• Bob's Podcast: The Circuit Breaker
• Books by Bob Moesta:
  • Demand Side Sales
  • Learning to Build
  • Upcoming book on talent and career development (release expected in October/November)
• Recommended Reading: Works by Clayton Christensen on disruptive innovation and Jobs to be Done theory

Episode Highlights:

• [06:41] The importance of struggling moments in innovation
• [08:37] Understanding context and outcome in customer needs
• [17:45] The seed for all innovation: struggling moments
• [25:16] Case study: Snickers vs. Milky Way
• [33:27] Case study: Intercom's growth through Jobs to be Done
• [41:13] Case study: 

In this insightful episode of Build What's Next: Digital Product Perspectives, speaker Michael Arena delves into the complex world of workplace networks and their impact on innovation, performance, and overall business success. Drawing from extensive research conducted during and after the pandemic, he explores how our professional connections have been dramatically reshaped and what this means for the future of work.

Key points discussed include:

• The importance of different types of social capital: bonding (within teams) and bridging (across teams and external connections)
• How the pandemic affected these networks, leading to increased bonding but decreased bridging connections
• The limitations of arbitrary hybrid work policies and the need for intentional design of work environments
• The concept of "form follows function" in workplace design, tailoring network structures to specific work purposes (discovery, development, scaling, and delivery)
• Real-world examples of how networks drive innovation, from surfing communities to tech giants like Apple and Amazon
• Strategies for intentionally cultivating the right types of connections to drive desired outcomes

Michael challenges listeners to think critically about their current work arrangements and offers a framework for creating more effective, purpose-driven workplace networks. He argues that by understanding the science behind these networks and intentionally designing work environments, organizations can significantly boost their innovation capabilities, productivity, and overall performance in the post-pandemic era.

Episode Resources:

• Michael's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-arena-21b6164/ 
• Method Website: https://www.method.com
• Recommended Reading: "Momentum Generation" HBO documentary
• Further Reading: Research by Ron Burt on network advantages

Episode Highlights:

• [00:02:00] The importance of strategic alignment in workplace networks
• [00:05:47] How bonding and bridging connections responded differently to virtual work
• [00:08:18] The "neighbourhood effect" and its impact on organizational fabric
• [00:11:13] The fallacy of arbitrary hybrid work policies
• [00:13:27] Introduction of the "form follows function" model for workplace design
• [00:15:44] Real-world examples of network-driven innovation (surfing community, Apple)
• [00:17:15] The three advantages of network brokers in driving innovation
• [00:21:23] Case study: General Motors' urban mobility innovation
• [00:25:16] Amazon's approach to customer-centric innovation

Quotes:

• "Our connections matter to everything from your overall well-being to your overall performance to whether or not you're satisfied or stressed out in the workplace."
• "Proximity matters immensely in the network. In fact, I would have told you pre-pandemic that productivity would tank if we went to a virtual working environment. I was wrong clearly, and I would have said that because most of the studies were focused on proximity and productivity. Turns out that proximity matters But intentionality trumps proximity."
• "You can't connect the dots looking forward, you only connect them looking backwards." - Steve Jobs (as referenced by Michael)
• "97% of your vehicle's time is idle. Right now it's sitting in a garage or a parking space somewhere, and that's not a good value prop for your second most expensive asset that you have."

In this episode of Build What's Next: Digital Product Perspectives, host Ben Nichols, a director on the Digital Solutions team at Method, is joined by Kalpesh Nanji, former global chief product officer at Honeywell. They delve into the critical role of customer-centric discovery in product management and its impact on shaping business strategy.

Join them as they discuss:

• The importance of strategic alignment between product and business strategies
• Tactics for effective customer discovery and insights gathering
• Overcoming organizational challenges in implementing customer-centric approaches
• The role of data and storytelling in influencing executive decisions
• Balancing inherited strategies with new customer insights
• The importance of cross-functional collaboration in customer discovery
• Strategies for upskilling product teams in customer-centric methodologies

Kalpesh Nanji brings his extensive experience as a global chief product officer, sharing insights on how to create a customer-centric culture within organizations of various sizes. Ben Nichols contributes his perspective from working with multiple organizations, identifying common pain points and gaps between product and business strategies.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Episode Resources:

• Ben Nichols on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennichols5
• Kalpesh Nanji on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalpeshnanji
• Method Website: https://www.method.com

Episode Highlights:

• [00:02:00] The Importance of Strategic Alignment
• [00:05:47] Enabling Product Managers to Spend Time with Customers
• [00:08:18] Cross-Functional Collaboration in Customer Discovery
• [00:11:13] Co-Innovation and Strategic Partnerships with Customers
• [00:13:27] Using Data to Influence and Pivot Inherited Strategies
• [00:15:44] Creating a Narrative for Executive Buy-In
• [00:17:15] Prioritizing Customer Insights Using Horizon Planning
• [00:21:23] Upskilling Product Teams for Effective Customer Discovery
• [00:25:16] Top Three Takeaways for Successful Customer-Centric Discovery

Quotes:

• "As a product manager, I think using the tools that you have data is critical, right, ensuring that hey, if you're going to shift or make it pivot, for example, you have an inherited strategy, you identify that may or may not work for the customer or the organization. You get back to the executive team and you provide the data right." - Kalpesh Nanji
• "One of the things that we always want to try to do when you visit customers is not just focus on their challenges of today, but also determine and help them focus on their challenges of tomorrow." - Kalpesh Nanji
• "Data is critical synthesizing that data, creating a narrative around that data storytelling is critical as well. When you try to get some buy-in from an executive team tying in that story to where the business is going as an organization right." - Kalpesh Nanji

In this episode of Build What's Next: Digital Product Perspectives, host Josh Lucas discusses customer engagement and loyalty in digital channels. The episode features Mike Frankel, VP of Memberships at Petco, and Morgan Sorbaro, Director of Digital Transformation at Mavis Tire.

Key topics discussed include:
• The importance of customer engagement and loyalty in today's digital landscape
• Strategies for digital transformation and improving customer experience
• The role of personalization in customer engagement
• Balancing digital and in-store experiences in an omnichannel environment
• Challenges and opportunities in implementing loyalty programs
• The importance of employee engagement in driving customer loyalty
• Gathering and implementing customer feedback to improve services
• The future of customer engagement and loyalty in a digital-first world

Mike Frankel brings his experience from Petco, where he focuses on driving growth, retention, and engagement through membership programs. Morgan Sorbaro shares insights from Mavis Tire's digital transformation journey, emphasizing the importance of creating a seamless customer experience in the automotive service industry.

Episode Resources:
• Mike Frankel on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mfrankel04
• Morgan Sorbaro on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-sorbaro
• Petco Website - https://www.petco.com
• Mavis Tire Website - https://www.mavistire.com
• Andy Busan on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andybusam
• Josh Lucas on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-lucas
• Method Website - https://www.method.com

Episode Highlights:
• [00:01:50] Introduction of guests and their backgrounds
• [00:05:26] Customer engagement strategies in different industries
• [00:07:01] Digital transformation and its impact on customer experience
• [00:13:25] The role of in-store employees in customer engagement
• [00:17:51] Differentiating through customer experience
• [00:24:54] Personalization strategies and challenges
• [00:30:40] Gathering and implementing customer feedback
• [00:33:30] Lessons learned and advice for improving customer experiences

Quotes:
• "Approximately 80% of pet parents consider their pet a part of their family and want to do the very best for them, but only have to know what to do." - Mike Frankel
• "For us, that's kind of our first way to engage with customers, is taking a bad day and making it not so bad." - Morgan Sarro
• "We're trying to rethink what this industry could be like and how convenient it could be for customers and it all through providing this better digital customer experience." - Morgan Sarro
• "Customers who are part of our paid membership program spend three times that of an average customer." - Mike Frankel
• "The vision is that a customer can come into the shop. We'll be able to figure out quickly what's wrong with their car, and what all their needs are. We'll give them accurate wait times, which is a huge pain point in our industry." - Morgan Sorbaro

In this episode of Build What's Next: Digital Product Perspectives, host Blair Holt delves into the rapidly changing automotive industry with two expert guests: Josh Batie, Vice President of Autonomous Vehicles at Toyota Motors North America, and Evangelos Simoudis, founder and managing director of Synapse Partners.

The discussion covers a wide range of topics, including:
• The concept and potential of software-defined vehicles
• The impact of autonomous driving technology on customer experience
• Changing business models in the automotive industry
• The evolution from car ownership to mobility as a service
• The role of data in shaping the future of transportation
• Challenges in implementing new technologies in the automotive industry
• The future of car dealerships and retail models
• Regional differences in customer preferences and regulations
• The intersection of vehicles with smart infrastructure

Josh Batie brings insights from Toyota's perspective, discussing their approach to autonomous vehicles and the challenges of implementing new technologies in a traditional automotive company. Evangelos Simoudis offers a broader industry perspective, drawing from his experience as an investor and author in the automotive technology space.

Together, they paint a picture of an industry transitioning from traditional car manufacturing to providing comprehensive mobility solutions. They emphasize the importance of customer experience, data utilization, and adapting to regional differences in the evolving automotive landscape.

Episode Resources:
• Evangelos Simoudis' book: "The Flagship Experience: How Artificial Intelligence and Software-Defined Vehicles Will Revolutionize the Automotive Customer Experience"
• Toyota Motors North America website: https://www.toyota.com/usa/
• Synapse Partners website: https://synapsepartners.co/
• Method Website: https://www.method.com

Episode Highlights:
• [00:02:44] Definition and potential of software-defined vehicles
• [00:09:02] Impact of autonomous driving on customer experience
• [00:15:17] Challenges in automotive product development cycles
• [00:20:51] The future of car dealerships and retail models
• [00:26:00] The importance of customer education for new vehicle technologies
• [00:30:20] Regional differences in automotive preferences and regulations
• [00:35:42] The concept of vehicle journey vs. customer journey
• [00:41:17] Data privacy concerns and transparency in the automotive industry

Quotes:
• "The biggest capabilities that [software-defined vehicles] can update their functionality over the air and the first one that we saw having that capability are the Tesla vehicles, But now several others do." - Evangelos Simoudis
• "If I lived in Orange County and I worked, say, in L A. And I drove an hour and a half there and an hour and a half back every day, and I could get in my car, plug it in an address, open up my laptop, turn on my phone, watch my Netflix. I could have an hour and a half back each way, three hours a day, five days a week. If you do the math, that's a month of your life back." - Josh Batie
• "The reason I said earlier that today the definition of software-defined vehicle is a bit muddled is because the incumbent automotive industry has to transition to the clean definition. The clean definition is when we start having the so-called zonal architectures and central computer architectures very much like we have in a data center." - Evangelos Simoudis
• "60

In this episode of Build What's Next: Digital Product Perspectives, host Michael Gray is joined by Jeremy Mack, Solutions Architect, and Mike Storiale, VP of Innovation at Synchrony. They delve into the world of generative AI and its implications for businesses and society at large.

Join them as they discuss:
• The definition and potential of generative AI
• How generative AI is changing product development and customer interactions
• The ethical considerations and security implications of AI adoption
• The future of work and new job roles emerging from AI technology
• Practical applications of AI in various industries
• The challenges of implementing AI in enterprise environments
• The importance of education and training in the AI era

Jeremy Mack brings nearly nine years of experience at Synchrony, with a background in startups and various agencies. As a Solutions Architect, he oversees technical strategy and decision-making in the company's incubation group.

Mike Storiale, with almost five years at Synchrony, leads product incubation on the technology side. His team focuses on developing new products and capabilities for future horizons, typically looking at trends and potential products 2-3 years out.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube Podcasts.

Episode Resources:
• Jeremy Mack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmack
• Mike Storiale on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikestoriale
• Synchrony Website: https://www.synchrony.com
• Michael Gray on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-gray
• Method Website: https://www.method.com

In this episode of Build What's Next: Digital Product Perspectives, host Josh Lucas continues his insightful discussion with Jason Rome and Robert Neer. They explore:
• The concept of "unobstructed wandering" in product discovery and how to turn observations into actionable strategies
• The challenges and best practices of implementing OKRs in product organizations
• The importance of business fluency for product managers and how to develop it
• The evolving role of product managers in 2024 and beyond
• Practical tips for product managers to stay connected with their users and market trends

Jason Rome is the SVP of Digital Strategy and Customer Experience at Method, bringing years of experience in digital strategy and product management. Robert Neer is an Executive in Residence of the Product Management Leadership Accelerator at the University of Washington, with a wealth of knowledge in product leadership and customer-focused problem-solving.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, instructions on how to do this are here.

Episode Resources:
• Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-rome-275b2014
• Robert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertneer
• Method Website: https://www.method.com
• Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-lucas-7844401b

Episode Highlights:
• [00:00:26] The Concept of Unobstructed Wandering in Product Discovery
• [03:49] Techniques for Effective Product Strategy Definition
• [06:10] Implementing OKRs in Product Organizations
• [13:13] Aligning OKRs with Business Value and Product Team Impact
• [15:10] Developing Business Fluency for Product Managers
• [17:35] The Evolving Role of Product Managers in 2024
• [19:15] Practical Tips for Product Discovery and Market Understanding

Quotes:
• "I do like this term unobstructed wandering because, you know, I do believe in hypothesis-driven research. But, you know, I find CX and UX to be this thing that once you see it, you can't unsee it and you just live it everywhere you go and you see opportunities for better UX." --- Jason Rome
• "I like OKRs. But one of the dangers when something gets so well codified as a framework is it's really easy to implement without understanding why you're implementing it or what you hope to accomplish or what you're trying to change by putting it in place." --- Robert Neer
• "Product-oriented thinking and development and problem-solving are critical for any business that believes technology is core to how it will actually build value." --- Robert Neer
• "There are a lot of opportunities to use interesting tools to make that part of your job easier. In which case I then ask, So what do you do with the rest of your time now? And are you equipped to actually go do product discovery and customer discovery and solve those problems and generate the value when the hands-on keyboards time that you take today could be reduced pretty dramatically with some tooling?" --- Robert Neer

In this episode of Build What’s Next: Digital Product Perspectives, we are joined by Jason Rome, Method’s SVP of Digital Strategy and Customer Experience, and Robert Neer, Executive in Residence of the Product Management Leadership Accelerator at the Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington.

Join them as they discuss:
• The state of enterprise product management today
• The challenge of building products that matter to consumers
• The structural issues preventing companies from doing modern product
• How to adapt product strategy to an organization
• And more!

Robert Neer is celebrating fifteen years as an executive product leader in health care. A mastermind in customer-focused problem solving and creating products that stand out, he currently acts as an Executive in Residence of the Product Management Leadership Accelerator at the Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington.

Since 2015, Jason Rome has been SVP of Digital Strategy and Customer Experience at Method. He has also been a part of Skookum, most recently as VP of Digital Strategy and Customer Experience, before leaving the company in 2021.
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts, instructions on how to do this are here.

Episode Resources:
• Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-rome-275b2014
• Robert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertneer
• Method Website: https://www.method.com
• Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-lucas-7844401b

Episode Highlights:
• [04:00] The State of Enterprise Product Management Today
• [07:42] The Challenge of Building a Product that Matters to Customers
• [14:04] Structural Issues Preventing Modern Product Strategy
• [23:46] Adapting Product Strategy to an Organization

Quotes:
• “When you've gotten to the point where you have really achieved a product oriented-model, fundamentally what you should be asking product managers to be accountable for is, are you building a product that answers to a real customer problem? Are you solving a customer problem that matters to your customers in a way that they will love and in a way that you can make money at?” — Robert Neer
• “The act of empowerment takes a certain amount of humility on leadership’s side to say we hope and expect that our teams who are closer to the work and closer to the customers will make smarter decisions than I will.” — Robert Neer
• “Product-oriented thinking and development and problem solving is critical for any business that believes technology is core to how it will actually build value.” — Robert Neer
• “A lot of the companies that initially did product work didn't have to define what it meant to be a product because their product is what they use to make money.” — Jason Rome