Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches

Why Product Management is Broken and How to Fix It | Anton Zaides

Feb 17, 2025
Anton Zaides, a seasoned software engineer with 15 years of experience in game development and startup scaling, dives deep into the pitfalls of product management. He unravels critical challenges, including wasted features and misaligned incentives that stifle innovation. Anton shares his journey from frustration to leadership, emphasizing the need for practical insights over theoretical courses. The discussion highlights how a founder's mindset and effective communication can bridge gaps between product managers and engineers, fostering a more innovative environment.
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ANECDOTE

Canceled Feature

  • Anton Zaides's team developed a feature that was canceled the day after release.
  • This highlights how features are often built without proper user validation, leading to wasted effort.
INSIGHT

Innovation Disincentives

  • Software complexity increases as unused features accumulate.
  • Product managers lack incentives to innovate because they're measured on roadmap delivery, not business outcomes.
ANECDOTE

CTO vs. CPO

  • Zaides's company's CTO struggles to convince the CPO to pursue innovative, higher-risk ideas.
  • The CPO prioritizes customer requests and roadmap delivery, neglecting potentially valuable innovations.
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