Episode 221: Balancing Strategy and Execution at Scale with Kristin Dorsett

In this episode of the Product Thinking Podcast, we are joined by Kristin Dorsett, COO at Viator.We dive into how Kristin and her team are building a culture of experimentation, and what it takes to move fast without losing alignment.

Viator, under the TripAdvisor umbrella, has embraced a learning mindset that blends data, customer feedback, and rapid iteration. Kristin shares how cross-functional collaboration empowers decision-making and why they’ve built systems that encourage teams to learn from both successes and failures.

If you're aiming to understand how to balance experimentation with measurable success in your organization, this episode is a must-listen!

You’ll hear us talk about:

• 15:14 Embracing Failure to Succeed

Kristin discusses the importance of cultivating a mindset that celebrates learning from failures and iterating quickly to achieve collective success.

• 28:29 The Role of AI in Product Strategies

How Viator uses AI to improve customer experiences by focusing on solving practical problems, avoiding the trap of using technology for technology’s sake.

• 22:50 Leveraging Customer Feedback

Kristin explains how Viator's voice-of-the-customer program helps product managers identify key areas of improvement, leading to significant enhancements in their checkout conversion.

Episode resources:

• Kristin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristindorsett/
• Viator website: https://www.viator.com/
• Try Liveblocks: https://liveblocks.io/

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

03:12 Dear Melissa

06:18 Transition to COO

12:34 Culture of experimentation

17:48 Practical AI strategy

22:34 Voice of the customer

31:28 Cross-functional leadership