Data Product Management in Action: The Practitioner's Podcast

S1 Ep#24: Product at the Core: Managing Data, AI, and ML

Nov 20, 2024

Tefi Trabuchi, a Data Platform Product Manager at SumUp with a background in developing data observability tools at Glovo, shares her journey in transforming a reactive data team into a user-oriented powerhouse. She discusses overcoming burnout, resistance to user research, and the pivotal role of user interviews in shaping strategic goals. Tefi also emphasizes the importance of balancing compliance, risk reduction, and innovation, while highlighting the necessity of clear communication in complex data environments.

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ANECDOTE

Overwhelmed Team

Tefi joined SumUp when the data platform team lacked a clear vision and was overwhelmed with requests.
The team was burnt out, treating the number of tickets solved as a success metric, without a product strategy.

ADVICE

Prioritize Users

Focus on a smaller subset of users when a product or platform team struggles with too many requests.
Prioritize based on company goals and user needs, not just loudest complaints.

ADVICE

Written Narratives

Use written narratives to align teams, tribes, and corporate goals.
Consider user needs, current state, and desired future state.

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The Data Product Management In Action podcast, brought to you by Soda and executive producer Scott Hirleman, is a platform for data product management practitioners to share insights and experiences.

In Episode 24 of Data Product Management in Action, our host Nick Zervoudis is joined byTefi Trabuchi, Data Platform Product Manager at SumUp, to discuss her experience transforming a reactive data platform team into a user-focused, strategy-driven powerhouse. Tefi shares how she tackled challenges like burnout, prioritization struggles, and resistance to product practices such as user research and OKRs. She highlights the pivotal role of user interviews in shifting mindsets and the delicate balance between reducing risk, ensuring compliance, and driving innovation. Tefi also emphasizes the value of clear communication and curiosity when working in highly technical domains. This episode offers practical insights for product managers navigating the complexities of data, AI, and machine learning.

About our host Nick Zervoudis: Nick is Head of Product at CKDelta, an AI software business within the CKHutchison Holdings group. Nick oversees a portfolio of data products and works with sister companies to uncover new opportunities to innovate using data,analytics, and machine learning.Nick's career has revolved around data and advanced analytics from day one,having worked as an analyst, consultant, product manager, and instructor for startups, SMEs, and enterprises including PepsiCo, Sainsbury's, Lloyds BankingGroup, IKEA, Capgemini Invent, BrainStation, QuantSpark, and Hg Capital. Nick is also the co-host ofLondon's Data Product Management meetup, andspeaks & writes regularly about data & AI product management. Connect with Nick on LinkedIn.
About our guest Tefi Trabuchi:Tefi is a Data Platform Product Manager at SumUp, where she focuses on making sure our data tools are not only secure and efficient but also provide a smooth user experience for our internal teams. Before this, she led the development of an in-house Data Observability tool at Glovo, introducing governance rules and SLAs for key datasets. Tefi enjoys working closely with teams to create practical solutions that make accessing and using data easier and more intuitive, so everyone can make more informed decisions faster. Connect with Tefi on LinkedIn.

All views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect their employers or anyone else.

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