In this episode of The Product Handbook, we review Cracking the PM Interview — the go-to book for aspiring and experienced product managers preparing for interviews.

You’ll learn:

• The main frameworks and strategies the book introduces for tackling product design, strategy, and estimation questions
• How to approach behavioral questions with clarity and structure
• Why understanding company culture and role expectations is just as important as answering questions well
• Practical prep tips around resumes, cover letters, and mock interviews

Whether you’re breaking into product management or aiming for your next role, this episode distills the most valuable lessons from Cracking the PM Interview into actionable takeaways.

In this episode of The Product Handbook, we explore how to run sprint retrospectives that actually drive improvement — not just another round of “what went well, what didn’t.”

You’ll learn:

• The real purpose of retrospectives and why they’re central to agile and Scrum
• Techniques to keep retrospectives fresh, engaging, and psychologically safe
• How to move from vague complaints to actionable improvements the team will follow through on
• Tips for including every voice — not only the loudest ones — and balancing different personalities
• Creative variations and formats (including async) to prevent retro fatigue and keep momentum high

If your retrospectives have ever felt repetitive or uninspiring, this episode gives you the tools to turn them into energizing sessions that build trust, alignment, and continuous improvement.

In this episode of The Product Handbook, we dive into the pre-mortem — a proactive exercise where teams imagine a project has already failed and then work backward to uncover why.

You’ll learn:

• What a pre-mortem is and how it differs from post-mortems and risk reviews
• How “prospective hindsight” helps teams spot blind spots before launch
• Practical templates and facilitation tips to surface risks around timelines, resources, and competition
• How pre-mortems foster open communication, trust, and alignment across the team
• Creative variations like “Tigers, Paper Tigers, and Elephants” to make risk identification engaging and effective

If you’ve ever wished you could spot problems before they derail a launch, this episode shows how to use pre-mortems to stress-test your plans — and dramatically improve your odds of success.

In this episode of The Product Handbook, we explore how product managers can run post-mortems that actually drive learning and improvement — without the blame game.

You’ll learn:

• What makes a post-mortem different from a retrospective, and when to use each
• How to structure a post-mortem for clear insights and actionable outcomes
• Techniques to keep the process focused on systems and decisions, not individual mistakes
• The role of documentation and follow-ups in building long-term team resilience
• How AI tools are starting to streamline analysis, reporting, and action tracking

If you’ve ever wrapped a project or release and thought, “We should’ve learned more from this,” this episode gives you the framework to make post-mortems a habit that strengthens your team and your product.

In this episode of The Product Handbook, we explore how APIs have evolved from technical connectors to full-fledged products — and what it takes to manage them successfully.

You’ll learn:

• The fundamentals of APIs — requests, responses, authentication, and what they mean in practice
• The difference between internal and external APIs, and how each drives business value
• Why APIs should be treated like products, with strategy, customer focus, and clear success metrics
• The emerging role of the API Product Manager — from setting vision to engaging the developer community
• Key metrics to track adoption, reliability, and ecosystem impact

If you’ve ever wondered how APIs shape modern products, or what it means to manage one like a product manager, this episode connects the dots — from endpoints to ecosystems.

In this episode of The Product Handbook, we look at how product teams can brainstorm effectively — moving beyond sticky notes and chaos to structured, creative problem-solving.

You’ll learn:

• Proven brainstorming methods like Crazy 8s, SCAMPER, and Design Thinking sessions — and when to use each
• How to avoid groupthink and ensure diverse voices actually shape the outcome
• Tools for remote and hybrid brainstorming that keep energy high and ideas flowing
• How to connect ideation sessions to real product decisions, MVPs, and discovery work

If your brainstorming sessions have ever felt like noisy idea dumps with no clear results, this episode shows you how to bring structure, creativity, and focus to your team’s innovation process.

In this episode of The Product Handbook, we explore how product managers can navigate tough conversations with engineers and designers — the kind that can make or break collaboration.

You’ll learn:

• How to prepare for difficult discussions with empathy, clarity, and data
• The psychology behind conflict — and how reframing, perspective-taking, and emotional regulation can change the outcome
• Practical tactics for design feedback sessions, sprint debates, and roadmap disagreements
• How to move from tension to alignment by focusing on shared goals and mutual respect

If you’ve ever walked into a meeting knowing it might get uncomfortable, this episode gives you the tools to manage conflict constructively and strengthen your partnerships instead of straining them.

In this episode of The Product Handbook, we break down the concept of technical debt — what it is, why it matters, and how product managers can handle it without drowning in metaphors.

You’ll learn:

• What technical debt actually means, and how to spot it in your product or team
• The trade-offs that create debt — from time pressure to outdated technology — and why it compounds like interest
• How to prioritize repayment alongside new features without losing stakeholder trust
• Communication strategies for explaining technical debt to non-technical audiences and getting buy-in to address it

If you’ve ever struggled to defend refactoring or tech investment on your roadmap, this episode gives you the language and tools to make technical debt a visible, manageable part of your product strategy.

In this episode of The Product Handbook, we unpack what really happens to products — and the product managers who build them — during mergers and acquisitions.

You’ll learn:

• The role of product management in due diligence, from portfolio assessment to tech and market fit
• Why many M&A deals fail, and how misaligned strategy or ignored technical debt play a big part
• The cultural and organizational challenges of integrating teams and products post-merger
• How PMs can navigate the uncertainty, protect customer value, and find opportunities in the chaos

If you’ve ever wondered what an acquisition means for your roadmap, your team, or your role, this episode gives you the inside view of how products survive — or sometimes don’t — when companies come together.

In this episode of The Product Handbook, we dive into the psychology of pricing — and how small tweaks can change the way customers perceive value.

You’ll learn:

• How anchoring shapes purchasing decisions and why the first price shown matters so much
• The decoy effect and how an extra option can make your preferred plan look irresistible
• Why .99 pricing, freemium models, and value-based pricing work the way they do
• How to test and validate your pricing strategy with data instead of guesswork

If you’ve ever wondered why a subscription suddenly feels like a bargain or why one menu item makes the rest look affordable, this episode unpacks the frameworks and tactics behind pricing that sells.