Product Agility

Send us a textIn this week’s Product Agility Podcast, host Ben Maynard takes the mic solo to tackle one of the most controversial (and misunderstood) statements in product development: "Developers should NEVER talk to customers or users…"😲But wait—should they? Or is this just another myth holding product teams back?Ben dives into the real reasons why some organisations resist letting developers engage with customers, why this mindset stifles innovation, and how shifting towards an outcome-driven approach leads to better products, happier teams, and more business impact.With years of experience bridging the gap between Agile and Product, Ben shares practical strategies for empowering teams to focus on solving real problems rather than just shipping features.Key Takeaways:Why many teams are stuck in a feature factory—and how to break free.The power of direct customer conversations—and why every developer should be involved.Outcome vs. Output: How to stop wasting time and money building the wrong things.The Lean Product Canvas in action: A real-world example of saving tens of thousands by testing ideas early.Leadership mindset shifts: Moving from feature delivery to solving business problems.Practical Insights:How teams can validate their ideas BEFORE writing a single line of code.Why traditional backlog management is failing product teams—and what to do instead.The simple interviewing techniques that empower teams to make better decisions.Scrum Masters & Agile Coaches: How to bring customer learning into sprint reviews.Links & Resources:🔗 Learn more about the Lean Product Canvas → Sheev Workshops: https://sheev.co.uk/training/leanux/📚 Read ‘Who Does What by How Much’ by Jeff Gothelf → https://bit.ly/3EB16ze🔎 Join the conversation on LinkedIn → Ben Maynard’s Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ Ready to challenge the status quo? Listen now and let us know: Do developers in your team talk to customers? Why or why not? 👇Host Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Join Jeff Gothelf, a renowned author and product discovery expert, as he discusses why Lean UX is considered 'dead' and what’s taking its place. He emphasizes the importance of shifting from feature delivery to problem-solving and collaboration within teams. Jeff also introduces the Lean Product Canvas as a pivotal tool for aligning business goals with product discovery and enhancing customer impact. He cautions against blindly adopting AI solutions without understanding core problems, urging teams to focus on outcomes over mere outputs.

Send us a textIn this week’s Product Agility Podcast, we explore the true foundations of high-performing teams with Lucy Widdowson and Paul Barbour, executive team coaches, authors, and lead tutors at Henley Business School. With decades of experience coaching leadership teams, Lucy and Paul share their insights on what separates functional teams from truly exceptional ones—and how organisations can foster collaboration that drives real results.Key Takeaways:What makes a ‘real’ team? Why many groups never reach their full potential.The 7 Key Traits of High-Performing Teams—and how to cultivate them.Breaking silos: The critical role of inter-team collaboration.Psychological courage over safety: Why real progress requires brave conversations.From scepticism to buy-in: How to engage teams resistant to change.Practical Insights:Team Coaching vs. Facilitation: Understanding the difference and when to use each.Shifting ownership to the team so performance improvements last.Leading global teams effectively: Overcoming the challenges of remote collaboration.Cross-team interventions: How getting teams in the same room accelerates progress.Quotable Moment:"You don’t create high-performing teams—you create the conditions for them to emerge."Links & Resources:📖 Read Lucy & Paul’s book: "Building Top-Performing Teams"👉 Amazon Link🌐 Learn more about Lucy & Paul’s work at Performance Edge👉 Performance-Edge.co.ukHost Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Send us a textIn this week’s Product Agility Podcast, we explore the power of effective design with Ashley Nicodemus, a seasoned product designer and Senior Director of Design at UE Group. Ashley shares her deep expertise in mission-critical design and explains why beauty is great—but effectiveness is what truly drives impact.Key Takeaways:Design Beyond Beauty: Why effective design often means making products invisible in mission-critical environments.Focus on Performance: Minimising cognitive load and maximising human performance in high-stakes situations.Adoption Over Change: Learn how aligning with users' natural behaviours can unlock higher adoption rates.Strategic Insights: Why prioritising workflows over aesthetics can make or break your product's success.Practical Insights:Mission-Critical Principles: Discover the surprising rules of designing for environments like aerospace and medical industries.The Power of Minimalism: How “less is more” creates better outcomes in high-stakes environments.Behaviour-First Design: Build around users’ existing workflows rather than forcing new habits.Quotable Moments:“Delight comes not from flashy features but from helping users get their job done seamlessly.”“A great product feels like an extension of its user—effortless and intuitive.”Links and Resources:Explore Ashley’s work at UE Group: https://www.uegroup.com/Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-nicodemus-23632867/💬 Ready to rethink your approach to design? Tune in now and tell us: How does your product balance beauty with effectiveness?Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Don’t miss this episode—your users will thank you!Host Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Send us a textIn this week’s Product Agility Podcast, we explore the critical link between strategy and OKRs with Sebastien Prioris, a seasoned product leader and founder of Stratify. Seb shares why so many organisations struggle to make OKRs work—and how a clear, actionable strategy can change everything.Key Takeaways:OKRs Alone Aren’t Enough: Why they fail without a strong strategy behind them.The Missing Link: How to connect your vision, objectives, and execution seamlessly.Empowering Teams: Align OKRs with outcome-driven goals to foster success.Strategic Debt: The hidden cost of ignoring foundational strategic work.Practical Insights:Crafting Strategy: Treat strategy as an optimisation problem for better results.Breaking Silos: Use strategy to align teams and drive cross-functional collaboration.Outcome-Focused Leadership: Embed strategic thinking at every level of your organisation.Quotable Moments:“OKRs aren’t dead, but they’re meaningless without the strategy to back them up.”“A great strategy connects vision to execution and empowers teams to thrive.”Links and Resources:Explore Stratify: https://stratify.me/Connect with Seb Prioris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebprioris/💬 Ready to rethink your approach to OKRs and strategy? Tune in now and share your thoughts: Is your organization focused on the right thing?Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Don’t miss this episode—it could transform how you think about strategy and OKRs!Host Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Ivett Ördög, a seasoned engineer and product leader known for her Lean Poker workshop, shares transformative insights on leveraging feedback in product development. She discusses the critical impact of early and frequent user feedback on shaping successful products. Ivett emphasizes building trust through effective feedback loops and how feature adoption rates should be the key success metric. She also introduces gamified learning with Lean Poker to enhance team collaboration and rapid experimentation, making it easier for teams to adapt and thrive.

Send us a textIn this special Christmas episode of the Product Agility Podcast, host Ben Maynard reflects on the past year and shares a message of gratitude and optimism.From challenges to triumphs, this year has been one of growth, connection, and inspiring conversations with amazing guests from across the agile and product communities. Ben also shares his hopes for the future, some candid behind-the-scenes insights, and his Christmas wish for more feedback and interaction from listeners like you.If you’ve ever wondered what drives the Product Agility Podcast, this warm and engaging message is the perfect way to close out the year and gear up for the exciting plans ahead.Key Takeaways:Gratitude: Celebrating our growing community of frequent listeners.Honest Reflections: The challenges and rewards of balancing podcasting with life and work.Looking Ahead: A sneak peek into 2025 with promises of more inspiring guests and diverse perspectives.Links and Resources:Connect with us: hello@sheev.co.uk or message us on LinkedIn!Got a story or feedback? We’d love to hear from you.This uplifting episode is a fitting wrap-up to 2024, offering a glimpse into the dedication and passion behind every conversation. Tune in for a dose of Christmas cheer and start the new year inspired!Host Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Send us a textIn this episode of the Product Agility Podcast, Ben Maynard welcomes Abdo Wahba, presentation coach and product expert, to explore why so many presentations fail to create stakeholder buy-in—and more importantly, how to fix them. Drawing from over 1,300 hours of coaching experience, Abdo shares practical techniques to improve your communication skills and effectively influence stakeholders.If you’ve ever struggled with delivering impactful presentations that resonate with senior leaders or align your team, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you succeed.Key Takeaways:Start from the End: Why leading with your conclusion hooks attention and drives decisions.Engaging Stakeholders: Practical steps to tailor your message to resonate with your audience.Storytelling in Business: How to use stories to build emotional connections.Focus on One Key Takeaway: Ensuring your message is clear, memorable, and actionable.Practical Tools & Methods:Audience-Centric Frameworks: Flip the script to prioritise what your audience needs to hear.Gossip as a Strategy: Engage through relatable stories and examples that hold attention.Houston, We Have a Problem Template: A storytelling structure for framing problems and solutions effectively.Quotable Moments:"Your audience doesn’t care about your process; they care about what it means for them." "Focus on one takeaway—because chances are that’s all they’ll remember."Links and Resources:Connect with Abdo Wahba: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdelrahmanwahba/This engaging conversation provides a masterclass in making your presentations matter. Whether you’re pitching to stakeholders, rallying a team, or presenting at a conference, you’ll learn how to inspire action and drive alignment.Host Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Send us a textIn this episode of the Product Agility Podcast, Ben welcomes Tamas Kokeny, CTO of Bobcats Coding, to explore the often-overlooked yet critical intersection of technology and product agility. Tamas brings his extensive technical expertise to discuss how to prioritise early testing over relying solely on sophisticated metrics to create products that truly resonate with users.If you've ever grappled with finding the balance between innovation and pragmatism in product development, this episode delivers insights and real-world advice to transform your approach.Key Takeaways:Early Testing Over Perfection: Why embracing failure and quick iterations often yields better results than long-term product visions.From Vision to Validation: Practical tips on avoiding the trap of building for months only to find no market fit.Building the Right Infrastructure: Insights into setting up systems for continuous experimentation and feature toggling.Mindset Shift: Moving from "house-building" to "evolutionary" thinking in digital product development.Practical Tools & Methods:Concierge MVPs: How manual processes and simple tools like Google Sheets can validate ideas without heavy investment.Feature Toggles: Streamline experimentation with small user cohorts before scaling features.Case Study Insights: Stories of startups succeeding with minimal viable products and adaptive strategies.Quotable Moments:"Most product ideas are bad, and that's okay. The goal is to quickly figure out which ones aren't.""The infrastructure for testing isn't optional—it's the lifeblood of lean product development.""Digital products should evolve daily, not be treated like static house blueprints."Links and Resources:Learn more about Bobcats Coding: bobcatscoding.comConnect with Tamas Kokeny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eggdice/This candid and knowledge-packed conversation reveals how to innovate smarter, build products users love, and stay ahead in an ever-changing digital landscape.Host Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Send us a textIn this episode of the Product Agility Podcast, Ben speaks with Jurriaan Kamer, thought leader, consultant, and co-author of Unblock: How to Create Focused and Adaptable Organizations. Jurriaan shares insights from his experience helping organisations overcome bureaucracy, embrace aligned autonomy, and foster true agility at every level.If you’ve ever wondered how to move beyond vague mission statements and create strategies that work, this episode offers practical advice and actionable frameworks to help you build a more adaptable, focused organization.Key Takeaways:Aligned Autonomy in Practice: How to balance alignment with autonomy to empower teams while maintaining organisational focus.The Power of Strategic Intent: Replacing vague mission statements with clear, strategic intent to guide decisions and achieve impactful outcomes.Tackling Harmony Addiction: Why avoiding conflict can harm team growth and how to foster constructive disagreement.From Cascading to Integration: Why traditional strategy rollouts fail and how participatory change can improve engagement and results.Practical Tools & Methods:Even Over Statements: A method to clarify trade-offs and prioritise effectively across teams.Self-Alignment Workshops: Ways to involve teams in co-creating strategies that align with organisational goals.Quotable Moments:"Strategy isn’t a deck—it’s a cohesive set of choices that enable you to win.""True leadership is about designing systems, not directing traffic."Links and Resources:Connect with Jurriaan Kamer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jurriaankamerLearn more about Unblock: www.unblock.worksHost Bio Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80