In this episode of the Product Thinking Podcast, Melissa Perri talks with Andrew Davidson, Senior Vice President of Products at MongoDB. Andrew has been instrumental in transforming MongoDB from a traditional database company into a comprehensive developer data platform.

As MongoDB evolves, Andrew shares insights into managing technical products and enhancing user experiences, crucial areas for product managers working with complex platforms. Join us as we explore the nuances of product management in the world of databases and developer tools.

Andrew sheds light on maintaining a balance between technical excellence and strategic management, offering valuable lessons for product managers. Tune in to gain actionable insights on how to approach product management for highly technical products like databases and learn how this can impact broader business outcomes.

You'll hear us talk about:

Andrew explains the motivation for creating MongoDB and how it challenged traditional relational databases, emphasizing the need for a system that aligns better with modern computing demands.

We delve into the importance of user experience within technical products, highlighting the layers of user and developer experiences that product managers must consider.

Andrew discusses the importance of balancing internal innovation with customer feedback, stressing the necessity for product managers to engage directly with users to refine the product.

Episode Resources:

Andrew Davidson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewad/

Learn more about MongoDB: https://www.mongodb.com/

Sign up for a free Liveblocks account: https://liveblocks.io/

Timestamps:

00:00 Episode Preview

01:25 Introduction

02:57 Liveblocks

03:40 Dear Melissa

07:56 Early Days in Databases

15:39 MongoDB’s Longevity

21:13 From Database to Developer Data Platform

32:21 Ensuring Product Strategy in Technical Tools

39:51 The Rise of MongoDB Atlas

45:04 Navigating Market Perception and Growth

52:16 Balancing Speed and Stability in Tech

In this episode, Melissa Perri sits down with Kate Towsey, an authority on research operations and author of "Research That Scales." They dive into the significance of research ops in aligning product strategy and operations within a company, emphasizing how research can provide strategic insights essential for product development and organizational growth.

Kate discusses the evolution and necessity of research ops, sharing her journey from content strategy to pioneering the field. She highlights how effective research ops facilitate knowledge management, ensuring that valuable insights are not just gathered but are used to inform business decisions across an organization.

Tune in to discover how Kate's insights can transform your approach to integrating research into product strategy and the benefits of a well-structured research ops framework.

You’ll hear us talk about:

- 08:20 - Solving Recruitment Pain Points

Kate elaborates on the common starting point in research ops: participant recruitment. She discusses how managing this aspect effectively can impact product managers, researchers, and designers by enabling more seamless customer interactions.

- 28:52 - Democratizing Research through Collaboration

Melissa and Kate explore the importance of collaboration between product managers, UX designers, and researchers. They argue that while each role has its specialties, working together can democratize research and lead to better product decisions.

- 42:40 - Breaking Down Silos Between Teams

The discussion turns to the silos that exist within organizations, especially between product marketing and product management. Kate and Melissa share strategies for overcoming these divides to improve customer insights and product outcomes.

Episode Resources:

- Find Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katetowsey/

- Purchase Kate's book, "Research That Scales," on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Research-That-Scales-Operations-Handbook/dp/1959029223/

- Subscribe to the Product Thinking Podcast newsletter for more insights here: https://productinstitute.kit.com/2c8b2a0136

Listen to the full episode to learn more about incorporating research ops into your strategy.

Timestamps:

00:00 Highlights

00:56 Intro

02:20 Dear Melissa

06:57 Kate Towsey's Journey into Research Ops

10:46 Understanding Research Operations

16:14 Challenges in Conducting Customer Research

23:38 The Shift of Research Ops to a Strategic Role

32:06 Collaboration in User Research

35:49 Right Tools to Scale Research

42:40 Research Ops and Product Ops Synergy

In this episode of the Product Thinking Podcast, Melissa Perri welcomes Tony Ulwick, the founder and CEO of Strategyn, and the pioneer behind the jobs-to-be-done theory and Outcome-Driven Innovation (ODI).

Tony shares insights from his groundbreaking work in redefining product development and innovation. He discusses the importance of separating innovation from development processes and why focusing on customer outcomes rather than features leads to more successful products.

Whether you’re a product manager looking to refine your approach or a leader aiming to align teams around customer needs, this episode is a treasure trove of practical guidance and deep insights into mastering the art of innovation.

Tune in to discover how you can leverage ODI to drive your product strategy towards success.

You’ll hear us talk about:

Tony explains the importance of distinguishing between the innovation process—where the product concept is formed—and the development process, where Agile methods come into play. This separation ensures that only market-winning concepts proceed to development.

Tony outlines the steps in Outcome-Driven Innovation, focusing on identifying and addressing customer needs to enhance product success. He emphasizes defining markets and needs before devising solutions.

Tony shares strategies to encourage organizational alignment on the definition and prioritization of customer needs, ensuring all teams work towards a common goal.

Episode Resources:

Tony Ulwick on LinkedIn

Strategyn

In this episode of the Product Thinking Podcast, I am joined by Uday Marepalli, Director of Product Management at Upwork, who brings his expertise from leading AI-driven initiatives to our conversation. Uday shares his insights on building zero to one products within large organizations, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer needs and leveraging AI in product development.

This episode dives into the challenges and strategies for innovating in a way that aligns with both customer expectations and technological capabilities. Want to learn how to effectively launch and scale products in complex environments? Tune in to gain practical insights from Uday's extensive experience in product management.

You'll hear us talk about:

Uday delves into the unique excitement and difficulty of creating something from nothing, stressing the importance of balancing speed with thoughtful validation of hypotheses

Uday discusses how to manage new, sometimes contradictory, information by aligning it with the overarching vision and deciding whether to iterate or pivot.

Uday explores the peculiar challenges of AI products, including data collection and ensuring trust and explainability in AI-driven decisions.

Episode Resources:

Uday Marepalli on LinkedIn

💡 If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to subscribe to the Product Thinking Podcast to catch all the new episodes.

Join Melissa Perri in this insightful episode of the Product Thinking Podcast as she chats with Karthik Suri, Chief Product Officer at Cornerstone OnDemand. Recognized for his expertise in leveraging AI for workforce development, Karthik shares innovative strategies on bridging skill gaps and creating personalized career pathways through generative AI and data intelligence. They explore the transformative potential of AI in talent development, emphasizing the need for a blend of technical and human-centric skills to thrive in today’s dynamic work environment.

Discover how AI is reshaping talent management and why human skills are increasingly in demand, surpassing digital skills threefold. Karthik highlights the significance of adaptable enterprise software that aligns with the evolving needs of workforces.

Curious about how to prepare your organization for the future with AI-driven insights? Tune in to explore the intersection of AI, skills development, and workforce readiness.

You’ll hear us talk about:

Karthik explains how generative AI can assess skills through various data sources, creating holistic profiles for employees. This approach helps organizations identify and develop the necessary skills for career progression.

Karthik shares insights on the importance of a unified user experience and a platform mindset for product strategy. He discusses how integrating design systems and data structures across products enhances customer outcomes.

The conversation delves into the ethical considerations of using AI for performance reviews, highlighting the importance of accountability, explainability, and bias mitigation.

Episode Resources:

Karthik Suri on LinkedIn

Cornerston OnDemand

• 23:52 - Harnessing AI for Skill Detection and Career Growth

• 29:09 - Building a Unified Product Strategy

• 42:57 - Ethical AI in Performance and Skills Evaluation

• Angel Squad
• Productinstitute.com

• Episode 177: The Evolution of User Research: A Conversation with Steve Portigal, Author of Interviewing Users
• Tackling Product Research with C. Todd Lombardo
• Episode 128: Scaling Product Operations with Blake Samic, Former Global Head of Product Operations at Stripe and Uber