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