Discovering the Data Product world with Caroline Zimmerman
Feb 21, 2024
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Caroline Zimmerman, Director of Data Products at Profusion, discusses the evolution into data product management, challenges of managing data products effectively, industry shift towards using data to solve user problems, navigating challenges in different organizations, and the role of data product management in business insights.
Data product management focuses on building valuable solutions adopted by users and delivering ROI.
Applying a product approach to data involves understanding user needs and designing simple, accessible services.
Deep dives
Data product management involves ensuring valuable data products are built
Data product management is responsible for ensuring that the data specialists build valuable products that are adopted by end users and deliver ROI for the company. This role involves offering direction to technical specialists to ensure that they are solving the right problems and caring about the end user experience.
Transitioning from a data background to becoming a data product manager
Caroline Zimmerman, Director of Data Products and Strategy at Profusion, shares her journey from a data background to becoming a data product manager. Initially, she worked in a data strategy role and gradually realized that her expertise aligned with data product management. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the problem space, co-creating solutions with subject matter experts, and implementing a user-centric design approach.
Applying a product approach to data
Caroline highlights the significance of applying a product approach to data. This involves understanding the end user's needs, building products that solve their problems, and focusing on the user experience. She emphasizes the value of multidisciplinary delivery teams, the power of user research in surfacing hidden user needs, and the importance of designing simple and accessible services.
Challenges and opportunities in the data product landscape
In the data product landscape, Caroline observes that many companies struggle with information overload, multiple dashboards, and underutilized data science models. She recommends curating dashboards that provide actionable insights and integrating data science models into workflows to drive value and action. She also notes that most companies have made investments in data but are now seeking ways to build better rather than building more.
Join me in this episode with Caroline Zimmerman, Director of Data Products and Strategy at Profusion, a consultancy mastering data solutions. From a data-centric background, Caroline's evolution into a product manager and leader culminates in her current role as a full-fledged data product leader. Dive into our conversation exploring data product realms and Caroline's intriguing journey into data product management.