Navigating the Maze of Product Operations with Dan Corbin

"Product operations is all about removing obstacles and helping product people accomplish everything that we teach in our product management classes – being data-driven, making sure that you're letting the market guide your decisions, and that you're following best practices."

-      Dan Corbin, Proven Agile and Product Management leaderIn this episode of Product Chats, we have seasoned product professional Dan Corbin joining the podcast. Dan has worked at all levels of product management, from individual product management to product leadership roles in start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. His past roles allow him to provide first-hand knowledge about the implementation and benefits of product operations, as well as the challenges businesses might face when introducing this function.

Dan is passionate about mentoring the next generation of product leaders, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and adaptability in an ever-changing market landscape. His dedication to excellence and innovation makes him a true pioneer, continuously pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the product management sphere.

Key Takeaways:

Understanding Product Ops: The episode begins by clarifying what product operations is, how it differs from DevOps and Design Ops. While all three roles share the aim of improving efficiency and effectiveness within their respective domains, they each have a unique focus: product operations on the product management process, DevOps on the software development and delivery process, and Design Ops on the design process.

AI Has Entered the Chat: AI aids product managers in consolidating and analyzing data from various sources. AI can process information from different platforms like Zendesk tickets, App Store reviews, or interview data from tools like Dovetail, and surface up key insights. This ability helps product managers to have a comprehensive understanding of their product's performance, customer feedback, market trends, and more, leading to more informed decision-making.

The Three Pillars of Product Ops: The conversation outlines the three foundational pillars of Product Ops: Business and Data Insights, Customer and Market Insights, and Processes and Procedures. These areas work together to make operations smoother, improve data analysis, and facilitate better strategic planning.

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Dan Corbin is a product management and marketing veteran, bringing over two decades of frontline experience and thought leadership to the industry. With a career spanning across innovative startups to Fortune 500 companies, Dan has become synonymous with turning visionary ideas into market-leading products.

Dan's expertise is not confined to the classroom; he is a seasoned speaker, known for his compelling talks at major conferences and seminars where he shares his insights on product strategy, development, and go-to-market tactics. His contributions to the field are widely recognized, making him a sought-after consultant for organizations striving to achieve competitive differentiation and customer-centric solutions.

He is also an instructor at Pragmatic Institute, where he has been instrumental in shaping the futures of product professionals through his engaging teaching methodologies and deep understanding of market needs.

ABOUT PRAGMATIC INSTITUTE:

Since 1993, we’ve provided training and professional development for product, design, and data professionals to accelerate innovation, increase customer satisfaction, and bolster revenue. Through our comprehensive methods and propriety Pragmatic Framework, we train professionals with the skills needed to accelerate their product management and product marketing careers, increase team efficiency, and boost revenue.

Our online, in-person, and on-demand courses are taught by industry experts with decades of experience at top companies like Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Hallmark, Quaker Oats, and Dun & Bradstreet. We offer individual course training