Product Mastery Now for Product Managers, Leaders, and Innovators

Rich Mironov, a product leadership expert with over 40 years of experience, shares invaluable insights for CPOs and product VPs. He highlights the three core challenges these leaders face: effectively communicating product value in financial terms, building trust through strategic wins, and minimizing product waste. Mironov emphasizes that executives prioritize revenue impact, making it crucial to showcase product outcomes. He also discusses the importance of delegation, effective team structures, and establishing rituals to enhance product influence.

Lessons from Saturday Night Live for improving product team culture Watch on YouTube TLDR John Krewson, who began his career in sketch comedy before moving to software product development, explains what product teams can learn from sketch comedy. Like comedy writers, product teams must be able to be vulnerable, throw away unsuccessful ideas, and prioritize delivering valuable products over perfect products. John shares principles and practices adapted from sketch comedy that product managers can use to balance autonomy and accountability, make meetings more engaging, and understand customer problems. Introduction What if the secret to building breakthrough products is less about an innovation framework and more about the chaotic, creative energy of a Saturday Night Live writers’ room? Specifically, can sketch comedy principles revolutionize the way your software teams collaborate, create, and deliver products that customers love? We are about to find out, and I won’t keep you in suspense—lessons from sketch comedy can make you a better product manager and developer. In this episode, you’ll hear specific techniques to transform boring meetings into energizing collaborative sessions, practical methods to help your team improve ideas fast, and a new approach to product ownership that distributes creative control without losing focus. Our guest is John Krewson, who brings a unique perspective as a 25-year software industry veteran and professional sketch comedy performer, including a brush with SNL. He’s the founder of Sketch Development Services, has coached everyone from startups to Fortune 50 companies on agile transformation, and wrote the book on applying sketch comedy principles to product development, titled Pitch, Sketch, Launch. Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers John Krewson’s Journey: John began his career as a professional actor and performed as a background player on Saturday Night Live. He then switched careers to software development and worked his way up to management, leadership, and consulting roles. As a product leader, John found himself relying on his training as an actor and director. How Sketch Comedy Principles Inform Product Development:A software development team builds features without knowing whether they will satisfy the customer, in much the same way as a sketch comedy team has no idea if their sketch will be funny. The sketch comedy team mitigates risk by making their sketch only three and a half minutes long. Similar to software features, the sketch is a tight, independent unit of value, where the risk is mitigated by its independentness. John studied the process of moving from an idea to a product in sketch comedy, particularly at SNL, and, along with a comedy sketch writer, wrote about how that process could be applied to product development in Pitch, Sketch, Launch. Efficiency and Iteration:In sketch comedy, 90% of sketches don’t go on the air. Comedy teams practice their ideas on small audiences to figure out which sketches are funny before bringing them to a big show. In product development, ideas should be iterated upon using customer feedback. Vulnerability and Transparency:Sketch comedy teams have thick skins because they’ve been told they’re not funny 90% of the time. Organization culture can allow teams to be vulnerable enough to put ideas forward that may have a 90% chance of being unsuccessful. Always Be Ready:Lorne Michaels said, “We don’t go on because it’s ready. We go on because it’s 11:30.” Saturday Night Live has never missed a deadline in 50 years, not by aiming to be perfect, but by presenting the best version they can get done by Saturday. Rather than trying to figure out the most efficient way of landing the plane, they figure out the most valuable way of landing the plane. Opportunities to Play:At John’s company, Sketch, the product development teams take dedicated “play days” to play with and react to each others’ ideas, whether good or bad. Autonomy and Accountability:At SNL, sketch writers have 100% autonomy over writing their sketches during the week, but the director has accountability over the final show by choosing which sketches are performed. Similarly, product teams can balance autonomy and accountability by allowing independent units to build features, while having overarching accountability to select which features make it into the final product. Agile and Scrum:In an analogy to Scrum, on SNL, the director Lorne Michaels is the product owner, who articulates the vision for the product. The sketch writers and cast members are the development team, which executes on the vision. State managers and directors facilitate the execution and support the development team. The Role of the Product Owner:The product owner knows more about the customer than anyone else on the team. John suggests that the product owner should spend a third of their time with their customers understanding their problems, a third understanding the product and backlog, and a third with their team understanding engineering constraints and communicating customer insights to the developers. The best product owners help the development team see the customer and their problems as clearly as the product owner does. Lean Coffee:John mixes up the routine by occasionally using a meeting structure called Lean Coffee. Everyone writes what they would like to talk about on a sticky note and puts the notes on a whiteboard. Everyone votes on what they’d like to talk about. The team talks about the topic with the most votes for 5 minutes, then for 2 more minutes if the majority wants to keep talking about it. Then they move on to the next highest voted topic. Topics include a mix of business concerns and fun or random topics. The leader facilitates an environment where play, fun, and lightness are encouraged. Useful Links Check out John’s book, Pitch, Sketch, Launch Connect with John on LinkedIn Learn more about Sketch Development Innovation Quote “We don’t go on because it’s ready. We go on because it’s 11:30.” – Lorne Michaels “Nothing great was ever built by the team that couldn’t wait to clock out.” – John Krewson Application Questions How would expecting up to 90% of your ideas to be rejected change the way your product team currently operates? How can you help foster a resilient, open, vulnerable culture on your product team? What might regular “play” or creative sessions look like for a product or engineering team in your organization? How could distributing creative control (while still maintaining focus) benefit or challenge your current team structure? How does your team balance the tension between waiting to be “ready” and pushing forward to deliver value on a deadline? Bio John Krewson is the founder and CEO of Sketch Development Services, a St. Louis based consultancy that focuses on helping companies simplify the complex process of delivering software.   Founded in 2015, Sketch is a two-time member of the Inc 5000. Sketch has worked with dozens of companies from startups to the Fortune 50 to help them learn, adopt, and apply new ways of working to match an ever-changing work environment.   Prior to establishing Sketch, John’s career path encompassed various roles, including software developer, project manager, technology leader, and consultant. In addition to his professional endeavors, John has a unique past in the entertainment industry. In 1997, he made a brief appearance on Saturday Night Live.   Drawing parallels between knowledge workers and entertainers, John frequently incorporates his acting background into his presentations and training events, offering unique insights and lessons that resonate with audiences.  Thanks! Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below. Source

Winning product portfolios in physical product development Watch on YouTube TLDR In this episode, Matt Carr, VP of Design at Umbra, joins us to discuss the intersection of design leadership, product strategy, and innovation in physical product development. Matt shares practical frameworks Umbra uses to balance creative vision and business reality, offers insights into managing a global product portfolio, discusses approaches to cross-functional collaboration, and highlights how direct customer interaction (especially via e-commerce and social media) drives rapid product iteration. Product managers will find actionable tactics for portfolio balancing, design decision-making, and fostering a design-led culture. Introduction What does it take to design products that delight consumers while hitting profit targets? We are examining design leadership and product strategy with someone who has mastered both. If you’ve ever struggled to balance creative vision with commercial reality, or wondered how to scale design across global teams, this episode will give you frameworks you can use immediately.  Matt Carr is VP of Design at Umbra, the Canadian-based company that designs products for every room of the home. He’s spent 25 years at Umbra, from junior designer to leading their global design operations. He’s created products that have been featured in The New York Times, Surface Magazine, and Met Home. More importantly, he’s built systems for “balancing business and imagination” that keep Umbra at the front of innovation. Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers Umbra’s Global Design DNA:Matt explains how Umbra crafts products “for every room in your home.” Their five core values guide design: modern aesthetic, originality, casual sensibility, accessibility (price), and functionality. Product Portfolio Management:Umbra maintains long-standing lines (the maintenance bucket), continually innovates with blue sky ideas, and expands on successes through thoughtful derivatives, all while staying globally relevant. Case Study: Bellwood Photo Frame:As part of Umbra’s long-standing commitment to picture frames—a core “maintenance” product category—Matt Carr and his team recognized the need to innovate in a saturated market. Unlike traditional frames, the Bellwood features a single, continuous curve around the corners, giving it a modern, sculptural feel. It’s designed to look attractive from all angles, not just the front—a key differentiator from standard frames with plain or unsightly backs. The price-point allows Umbra to deliver premium feel at a price accessible to their global customer base. Practical Design Process:Matt outlines the design journey from early sketch and cardboard prototypes to iterative 3D models and tooling, emphasizing early, low-cost experimentation and the importance of cross-functional team input. The process involves: Identifying the Need or Opportunity Cross-Functional Brainstorming Early Concept Development Iterative Refinement and Prototyping Continuous Cross-Departmental Input Alignment with Brand DNA Customer Feedback and Iteration Final Development and Launch Consumer-Driven Innovation:Umbra’s internal team members often represent the target customer, but rapid feedback loops with end users—especially via e-commerce and social media—now accelerate product refinement, color choices, and new category opportunities. Ensuring Design Consistency at Scale:Matt explains how Umbra collaborates with external designers worldwide while maintaining brand DNA. Matt shares how great ideas are adapted through internal “design massage” to align with company ethos. Useful Links Learn more about Umbra Connect with Umbra on Instagram Connect with Matt on LinkedIn Innovation Quote “Your last impression is your lasting impression.” – Matt Carr Application Questions How can you adopt Umbra’s approach of balancing “blue sky” innovation and “maintenance” portfolio projects in your own product line? What are ways to involve cross-functional teams (manufacturing, sales, marketing) early and meaningfully in your design and development process? In what ways are you soliciting and incorporating direct customer feedback into product iteration, and how might you leverage newer channels like social media more effectively? How do you ensure that new product ideas—whether internal or external—consistently align with and reinforce your brand’s design principles? What prototyping strategies could you use to rapidly test and improve product concepts before significant investment in tooling or development? Bio Matt’s passion for design was first sparked when he interned at Douglas Cardinal Architects. He went on to study at Humber School of Industrial Design, where he received an ‘All-Canadian Academic’ award for scholastic and varsity achievements. An integral part of the Umbra design team since 2001, Matt has contributed countless designs to their product line. His work has been featured multiple times in The New York Times, The Daily Telegraph, Surface Magazine, I.D Magazine, Met Home, Monocle, and Living Etc. Matt is compelled to create product that balances business and imagination. Subtle details, an appreciation for imperfection, and the reinvention of traditional objects are distinguishing features of his designs. As VP of Design, Matt oversees a global design department headquartered in Toronto.  Thanks! Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below. Source

In this discussion, Blair LaCorte, a seasoned leader, investor, and former CEO of AEye, shares insights from coaching 50+ CEOs. He highlights how aligning product strategy with company goals is crucial for success. Blair underscores the importance of saying no, making strategic trade-offs, and nurturing team culture. Drawing on his diverse experiences, he reflects on building effective product teams and the psychology of human behavior in business, while offering valuable advice for product managers seeking growth and purpose.

Dr. Joseph Michelli, a renowned speaker and consultant, shares insights on how human-centered product innovation is reshaping healthcare. He discusses One Medical's unique approach to integrating technology in patient care while maintaining a personal touch. The conversation touches on balancing automation with empathy, the importance of employee satisfaction, and how exceptional customer experiences drive loyalty. Michelli also highlights lessons from brands like Ritz-Carlton and Starbucks, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement in service delivery.

The biggest challenges when moving from individual contributor to product VP Watch on YouTube TLDR In this episode, I welcome Piers Fallowfield Cooper—executive coach and author of Are You Still the Future?—to explore one of the most critical career transitions in product management: moving from individual contributor to product leader. We discuss why success as a product manager doesn’t guarantee success in leadership, the mindset and skills required to thrive as a product VP, the importance of personal strengths and adaptability, and practical advice for building a successful, energized team. Introduction Let me paint a picture of a common occurrence. Product VPs and leaders start out as individual contributors, i.e., product managers. Because of their outstanding work, delivering value for the organization and delighting customers, the product manager’s responsibilities and influence quickly increases, resulting in a promotion to Product VP. Sounds great, right? Maybe not—a couple months after the promotion they are struggling and their teams are frustrated. If you were that newly promoted VP, you would be wondering if you made a terrible mistake.  Let’s turn that around. This discussion will help to equip you for the most critical transition in product management careers—the leap from individual contributor to product leader. This isn’t just about getting promoted; it’s about fundamentally shifting how you think, act, and add value. And, if you are already a product leader, this discussion will also help you improve and how you mentor your ICs.  Our guest is Piers Fallowfield-Cooper, who has coached over 130 C-suite executives through major leadership transitions. He’s spent 30 years in senior executive roles himself scaling companies across finance, technology, and e-publishing. His book Are You Still The Future? was a Business Book of the Year finalist in 2024. He knows how to effectively navigate the journey from individual contributor to executive leader.  Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers The Challenge of the Transition:Many product VPs begin as outstanding product managers, but leadership requires a shift from “I” to “we.” The skills and knowledge that led to promotion often don’t translate to success at the next level—leadership is less about specific expertise and more about asking the right questions, fostering a broader perspective, and leading through others. T-Shaped Leadership:Piers explains the necessity of moving from being a deep specialist to developing broad horizontal skills—an essential shift in most careers, including product management. Find Your Sweet Spot:Ambition doesn’t always mean you want or would be happier in a leadership role. Ask yourself why you want to get promoted and consider what trade-offs come with increased responsibility. Key Shifts for Aspiring Leaders: The move from “doing” to “thinking and leading.” Creating regular thinking time with diverse stimuli. Observing and reflecting on effective leadership styles, then building a personal leadership approach authentic to you. Focusing on helping the team succeed, rather than being everyone’s friend. Strengths, Energy & Environment: Use tools like Strengths Finder to identify what energizes you, not just what you’re competent at. Play to your energizing strengths, focus on what the business needs, and work where you add the most value. Provide an environment that fosters high performance: ensure adequate sleep, a positive environment, and fair, slightly challenging deadlines. Adaptability is key; those who are flexible can thrive in changing environments. Leadership Pitfalls & Practical Advice: Avoid “day one stupid”—don’t rush to fix things before understanding what works. Ask, “What do we do really well here?” and “Are there dumb things we should stop?” Don’t overthink or second-guess; often learning comes from experience, not theory. As a leader, work to not trigger the fight/flight/freeze response in your team by ensuring fairness, and predictability. Foster trust by showing vulnerability. Create a coaching and learning environment for your team, helping others to succeed rather than micromanaging. Useful Links Connect with Piers on LinkedIn Check out Are You Still The Future? Visit Piers’s website Innovation Quotes “The robots will adapt, will you?” – Piers Fallowfield-Cooper “Today’s certainties are tomorrow’s absurdities.” – Peter Drucker “Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future.” – Yogi Berra Application Questions What was the most surprising challenge you faced (or anticipate facing) in moving from an individual contributor role to a leadership role? How can product leaders create an environment that maximizes team performance and individual energy? Why is it important to reflect on your own motives for pursuing leadership, and what tools or approaches help with that reflection? How can leaders best identify and develop the strengths of their team members to benefit both the individuals and the organization? What does adaptability mean to you in the context of product leadership, and how have you practiced it in your career so far? Bio Described by a number 10 insider as “The anti establishment, establishment coach”, Piers Fallowfield-Cooper’s goal is to help business leaders to be more successful, fulfilled and to support them in their journey from good to exceptional. His bestselling book, Are You Still The Future?: How learning to be flexible and read the signals in the system kept me relevant and prepared for every step on my leadership journey, was a finalist for the Business Book Awards 2024 Leadership category. Piers works with clients globally – in the UK, US, Europe, the Middle and Far East, Australasia and Southern Africa. He is currently celebrating 20 years of making a difference in leader’s lives (and having great fun). His experience includes over 30 years as a senior executive with various MD, President, CEO, and Chairman roles in global finance, digital media and technology. Clients value the fact that Piers has walked in their shoes and can genuinely and authentically empathise with their situation. Thanks! Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below. Source

How product managers can make their own futures Watch on YouTube TLDR In this episode of Product Mastery Now, we’re joined by Robin Champ, VP of Strategic Foresight at LBL Strategies and Harvard Extension School instructor. Robin shares practical approaches for product managers and leaders to anticipate, rather than merely react to, disruptions in the market and competitive landscape. Through the Strategic Foresight Framework, scenario planning, and trend scanning, Robin explains how to create agile strategies that help organizations deliver value in uncertain futures. Introduction Any product manager with some experience knows the frustration of being blindsided—competitor launches that catch you off-guard, market shifts that kill your roadmap, or customer behaviors that seemingly emerge overnight. Many product teams are in a cycle of reacting to change and putting out fires. Instead, what if you could anticipate change? By the end of this episode, you’ll have the strategic foresight framework that is taught at Harvard and applied in organizations. Our guest is Robin Champ, Vice President of Strategic Foresight at LBL Strategies and Harvard Extension School instructor. Robin spent 33 years applying foresight in the highest-stakes environments—the U.S. Secret Service and Department of Defense. She trains executives on the strategic planning methodologies that equips them to stay ahead of competitive threats and create opportunities. Also, Robin is speaking on Tuesday, September 16th, 2025, at my favorite product innovation conference, the Product Development and Management Association’s Ignite Innovation Conference. Learn more about the conference at www.PDMAsummit.com. Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers What is Strategic Foresight? Foresight vs. Forecasting: Foresight embraces uncertainty and explores multiple possible futures rather than making a single prediction. Scenario Planning: Organizations develop strategies by considering different directions the future could take, enabling agility and preparedness for disruption. Why Product Managers Need Foresight Competitive Advantage: With foresight, product managers are better equipped to stay ahead of market changes, competitor launches, and evolving customer behavior. Case Example: Robin describes applying scenario planning with a senior living community to anticipate shifting senior preferences and invent innovative solutions. Foresight Methodologies Environmental Scanning: Deliberately monitoring signals and trends in the market and society via tools like LinkedIn, futurist publications, and AI-powered analytics. Futures Wheel: Mapping out potential first-, second-, and third-order impacts of proposed changes or emerging trends. Bringing in Creativity: Leveraging both human creativity (e.g., involving science fiction writers) and AI tools to generate diverse and imaginative future scenarios. Practical Application Use scenario planning and futures wheels to consider the implications of market shifts, like changing education delivery models with AI and shorter attention spans. Scanning can be both manual and AI-assisted; following futurists can keep PMs ahead of upcoming trends. Strategic foresight enhances not just resilience, but also innovation and relevance. Useful Links Connect with Robin on LinkedIn Check out the Harvard course Robin teaches, Mastering Foresight: Scenario-Based Planning Register for the PDMA Ignite Innovation Conference and use code PDMAChad20 for 20% off your registration for the All-Access Pass or the Summit Pass Learn more about LBL Strategies  Innovation Quote “Organizations have to make their futures or risk being overtaken by the future.” – Clark Murdock, Future Making Application Questions How could scenario planning or the futures wheel help your product team be more agile in the face of uncertainty? In what ways are you currently scanning for trends or signals in your market? What could you do to improve this process? Where could your organization benefit from shifting from forecasting to strategic foresight in its strategy or product planning? What are the most disruptive “unknowns” facing your product category—how well prepared are you? How might you use AI or creative exercises (like science fiction narratives) to inspire future-focused thinking within your product team? Bio Robin L. Champ is Vice President of Strategic Foresight at LBL Strategies;  a Certified Strategy Management Professional (SMP);  and an instructor at Harvard Extension School. She helps organizations anticipate change, navigate uncertainty, and design strategies that drive real impact. With a background that includes leading foresight and strategy efforts at the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Defense, Robin brings a practical, future-focused approach grounded in decades of experience. Today, she works with leaders across sectors to turn insight into action.  Thanks! Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below. Source

How product managers can build customer-centric AI products Watch on YouTube TLDR Juanjo Duran, Chief Product Officer & Chief Marketing Officer at Exoticca, joins Product Mastery Now to share how to create AI-powered product features customers actually love, not just features that sound impressive. Drawing on 25+ years in diverse leadership roles, Juanjo discusses leveraging customer obsession, data-driven decisions, and practical frameworks to balance innovation with execution. Learn how to embed AI across teams, structure innovation projects, and use the customer journey—from inspiration through to objection handling—as your roadmap for building differentiated products that deliver real value. Introduction Picture this: You’re a product leader trying to build AI features that customers actually use, not just technology that sounds impressive in board meetings. You’re scaling your product organization while maintaining innovation momentum. And you’re doing all this in an industry where the stakes for getting it wrong are high. We are discussing building smarter products that integrate AI that customers actually want. We’ll also explore practical frameworks for balancing innovation with execution in rapidly scaling organizations.  Our guest is Juanjo Duran, Chief Product Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Exoticca, a leading travel tech platform that provides multi-day travel packages. Juanjo brings a unique perspective—25+ years in consumer goods at P&G and Mars, operations leadership at easyJet, marketing at eDreams, and now product leadership at Exoticca.   Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers Key Topics & Takeaways From FMCG to Travel Tech: The Leadership Thread Juanjo describes his journey from Procter & Gamble and Mars, to travel and product leadership at Exoticca. The unifying principle? Putting the customer at the center, leveraging data-driven decisions, and focusing on how brands create value. The Travel Customer Journey Redefined In travel, the journey starts the moment a customer begins browsing for trips, not just when booking or traveling. Product pages are transformed to make users fall in love with destinations, describe the experience simply, and address objections upfront. Structuring Innovation: Purpose-Driven Evaluation Initiatives at Exoticca are filtered by their fit with company purpose: making dream trips accessible, creating extraordinary experiences, and serving customers end-to-end. Innovation efforts are prioritized by value to customers, strategic fit, feasibility, and business impact. The AI Journey: From Efficiency to Customer Value Early AI efforts focused on automating repetitive tasks for efficiency. The real shift came from asking: “How can AI deliver better value for customers?” AI is embedded across every team, used in personalizing customer experiences, managing dynamic trip pricing, addressing customer queries (pre/post booking), and predicting pricing far in advance. Innovation Project Structure Cross-functional discovery and alignment at the outset saves time later. Prototyping, rapid iteration, and A/B testing form the foundation of execution. Not every tool or solution needs to be built in-house—focus in-house efforts on core differentiators, and look outward for other solutions. Useful Links Connect with Juanjo on LinkedIn Learn more about Exoticca Innovation Quotes “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”  – attributed to Peter Drucker “Inspiration? Of course it exists but it has to find you working.” – Pablo Picasso Application Questions How can your organization better map and influence the customer journey to enhance product experiences? When thinking about adopting AI, how do you balance efficiency gains versus solving genuine customer problems? What criteria should guide your decision to build versus buy AI or tech solutions? How can cross-functional collaboration be improved during the innovation process in your organization? Which part of your product experience could be transformed by focusing on customer emotions rather than solely on features or benefits? Bio Juanjo Duran is a Global Travel and FMCG Executive (CEO/CMO/CPO) passionate about how Technological transformation can improve consumers’ lives. Currently CPO and CMO of a game changing travel tech disruptor where he is exploring AI as a Value Accelerator for consumers. Juanjo was previously CEO of Deliberry, a game changing grocery business disruptor and also Venture Capital Investor and Consumer & Brand Tech Advisor.   Juanjo is passionate about change and leadership. He was lucky to learn from the best leaders and the best companies: 20 years in P&G learning from the best about proactively and methodically driving brand’s constant growth, 7 years in Mars Inc learning from the best about leading people through values and principles and learning from the best about digital transformation in the most evolved industry, TravelTech, at easyJet and eDreams ODIGEO, still the biggest e-commmerce in Europe.  Juanjo believes that technology has to help us to live better and wants to be an active part of that. He is now leading a very promising project that will allow people to travel more and better. Thanks! Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below. Source

The 2025 PDMA Ignite Innovation Summit Watch on YouTube TLDR Today I’m sitting down with Bill Reed and Spike Ross-Corbett, PDMA board members and co-chairs of the 2025 Ignite Innovation Conference planning committee. We reflect on top takeaways from past PDMA conferences, including invaluable lessons on customer research, adaptive product development, building cultures of innovation, and leveraging networking opportunities. Spike and Bill also offer a sneak peek into this year’s conference in Chicago, highlighting fresh formats, hands-on workshops, and powerful networking. Get practical insights to elevate your product management game and learn how to unlock a special discount for the upcoming summit. Introduction As a product professional, what is your favorite conference to attend? We have a lot of good options, but mine has been Ignite Innovation, which the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA) runs annually. I attended the first one in 2006 after hearing about it in a local group of product professionals. Since then, I have attended most years when I could, and I will be there again this year. It is being held at the Marriott Marquis in Chicago from September 13th-16th. This episode will discuss examples of what we have learned at past conferences and what we expect to learn this year.  Joining me are two board members of PDMA who are also the co-chairs for the committee planning the conference—Bill Reid and Spike Ross-Corbett.  Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers PDMA Ignite Innovation Conference:My favorite product development and management conference, hosted in Chicago, September 13th-16th, 2025. Meet the Guests: Bill Reed: Leads product and innovation teams at Boulder Imaging, with a rich history in innovation, patents, and engineering. Spike Ross Corbett: Heads product development at Portland Marketing Analytics, focusing on making marketing ROI analysis accessible. Past Conference Takeaways: Geoff Thatcher’s Experience Design Model: Apply theme park design (attract, trust, inform, internalize, act) to product management. (423: Transforming products into experiences – with Geoff Thatcher) Andrea Ruttenberg on Voice of Customer: Needs-based interviews are the foundation for innovation success. You don’t need hundreds—just strong qualitative insights. (477: Three-step VOC system – with Andrea Ruttenberg, PhD) Marissa Mayer’s 20% Time Story: Google’s AdSense was born from a culture that allows even “bad ideas” to be pursued, powering breakthrough innovation. Networking Impact: Random dinner groups at past conferences fostered lasting professional connections. Peter Monkhouse on Embracing Uncertainty: Adaptive, iterative development and embracing uncertainty helps PMs tackle ambiguity with confidence. (439: Differences and similarities between product and project management – with Peter Monkhouse) Sarah Robb O’Hagan on Qualitative Interviews: One-on-one interviews with 12 high school athletes gave Gatorade the insights they needed to turn around a struggling company. DFW Innovation Culture (Outstanding Corporate Innovator Award Winner): Everyone can be an innovator. Cross-org training fosters every-employee innovation, even in public sector contexts. (508: The practices of the most innovative companies – with 2024 Outstanding Corporate Innovator winner) Stop the Stupid: Doug Hall’s catchphrase to remind everyone on your team to innovate. (522: Stop the stupid using proactive problem solving – with Doug Hall) AI-Accelerated Design Sprints: Hands-on workshops integrating AI with design sprints showcased in St. Louis. (517: How to conduct an AI Design Sprint – with Mike Hyzy) 2025 Conference Preview: Tangible, Practical Tools: Sessions will give attendees actionable frameworks and tools. Themed Tracks: Innovation execution Product and innovation strategy Deming Institute track on applying systems thinking to innovation Outstanding Corporate Innovator (OCI) Winners: Insights from a century-old company that’s reinventing itself and a fast-growing new entrant. Research to Reality: Engaging academics and practitioners in high-energy, collaborative sessions. Workshops Featuring Industry Experts: Competitive analysis with Dell’s Jay Nakagawa and AI applications in product with MIT’s Dave Robertson. Mastermind Sessions: Guided problem-solving sessions and deep discussions about real problems that product managers face Networking Opportunities: City tours and excursion to innovation hub (MHUB). Innovation Cafe: I’ll be conducting podcast interviews in the Innovation Cafe—come find me! Useful Links Register for the PDMA Ignite Innovation Conference and use code PDMAChad20 for 20% off your registration for the All-Access Pass or the Summit Pass Listen to interviews with Ignite keynote speakers Listen to 546: Strategic foresight gives product managers a competitive edge – with Jod Kaftan Listen to 548: Building a culture of fearless product innovation at Snap-On Tools – with Ben Brenton, PhD Coming soon: 553 with Robin Champ Innovation Quote  “Someone is going to make your product obsolete. Make sure it’s you.” – Edwin Land “I can’t spare this man: He fights.” – Abraham Lincoln Application Questions What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from a professional conference, and how did it impact your product management approach? How can organizations empower employees at every level—not just product or engineering teams—to contribute to innovation? In what ways have you embraced uncertainty in product development, and what processes or tools have helped you do so? What differences have you observed in innovation strategies between established organizations and startups? How has or how could cross-industry networking at events like PDMA’s Ignite Innovation contribute to your product management success? Bio Spike Ross-Corbett is the Summit Chair and a member of the Board of Directors for the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA), where he leads the vision and execution of the annual Ignite Innovation Summit. Professionally, Spike is a Product Manager at Portland Marketing Analytics (PortMA), managing SaaS platforms that deliver data-driven insights and operational efficiency. Spike holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Southern Maine. Before his career in product management, he served in the United States Coast Guard, where he oversaw ordnance programs and training initiatives. He currently resides in Maine.  Bill Reid brings over 35 years of experience in all aspects of product development, from start-ups to global corporations like Ford, GE Aircraft Engines, GM, and Covidien. Since 2007, he has led innovation and consulting efforts through his company, Immersed, and currently serves as Vice President at Boulder Imaging, overseeing hardware engineering, production, supply chain, and professional services. Bill is a certified New Product Development Professional, serves on the PDMA board, and holds degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering. He is the inventor or co-inventor on 24 U.S. patents and the author of Immersed in the Cave, a self-published book on innovation.   Thanks! Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below. 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Why product managers need a systematic framework to de-risk innovation Watch on YouTube TLDR This episode dives deep into the new ISO 56001 standard for innovation management with Dr. Magnus Karlsson, a global leader in the field and a key contributor to the standard. Learn why systematic innovation matters, how ISO 56001 can help organizations move beyond ad hoc creativity to reliable business results, and what practical steps product managers and leaders can take to build innovation capabilities—plus resources for making the standard actionable in your organization. Introduction Are your innovation efforts consistently delivering results, or do they feel more like a series of random experiments? We’re diving into systematic innovation management with one of the foremost experts in the field. This isn’t just about being more creative – it’s about transforming how your organization turns ideas into market success, reliably and repeatedly. Every product leader faces the challenge of delivering value that drives business growth while managing risk. Without a systematic approach, you’re essentially gambling with your innovation resources.  In this episode, you’ll discover exactly how to implement a systematic innovation management approach based on the recently published ISO 56001 framework. Our guest is Dr. Magnus Karlsson, Adjunct Professor in Innovation Management at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Magnus has over a decade of experience as Director of New Business Development and Innovation at Ericsson, where he developed approaches to collaborative innovation. He built on that experience and for nearly 20 years has been instrumental in developing international innovation management standards with the Swedish Institute for Standards, a key contributor to ISO standards. Magnus is also a partner at Amplify, a Sweden company that helps organizations across the world to innovate. While your competitors might still be relying on inspiration and luck, you could be implementing a proven system that delivers consistent innovation results. Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers Systematic vs. Random Innovation:Most organizations still treat innovation as a series of random experiments. ISO 56001 offers a holistic management system, making consistent innovation possible. The Need for Standards:Despite abundant research on what drives innovation, companies struggle to apply best practices at scale, and some organizations risk losing their innovative capability. The ISO 56001 standard codifies proven methods for innovation into a plug-and-play framework. Origins & Purpose of ISO 56001:Developed out of real-world challenges at companies like Ericsson, the standard helps organizations measure, sustain, and grow their innovation capability with clear, certifiable requirements. Framework Overview:Core elements include: Context Analysis: Understand new technologies and opportunities. Innovation Intent: Consider why you need to innovate and what you must achieve. Leadership Involvement: Engage top management in innovation, including defining innovation strategy and promoting innovation culture. Five Building Blocks of the Innovation Process: Identifying opportunities Generating ideas Validating concepts (hypothesis-driven, low-cost experiments) Development Deployment Continuous Improvement:The standard emphasizes ongoing assessment, maturity modeling, and the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle to adapt and grow innovation practices. Roles in Innovation:While no fixed roles are prescribed, clear assignment and development of competencies (with a forthcoming competency framework) are critical for success. Senior leadership engagement is vital, with product managers well-positioned to drive bottom-up and top-down adoption. How Product Managers Can Use ISO 56001:Product managers can consider how their current practices may already be aligned to the ISO 56001 framework and how they could improve their practices, then fill any gaps. Certification & Practical Adoption:Adoption of ISO 56001 not only improves internal capability but also bolsters branding, customer trust, and talent attraction. While certification is new, interest is growing, especially among organizations wanting to benchmark or externally validate their innovation maturity. Useful Links Connect with Magnus on LinkedIn Check out Amplify for more resources about ISO 56001 Innovation Quote “Spend a little to learn a lot.” – Vijay Govindarajan Application Questions How would your organization’s approach to innovation change if you adopted a systematic, standard-based framework like ISO 56001? What are the biggest cultural and leadership barriers to consistent innovation in your workplace, and how could a formal management system help address them? In your product management practice, which of the five process building blocks (identify, generate, validate, develop, deploy) tends to be weakest—and why? How might certification in innovation management (like ISO 56001) impact your organization’s external reputation and internal alignment? What steps can product managers take right now to begin closing the gap between innovation aspirations and a repeatable innovation capability? Bio Dr. Magnus Karlsson is a senior innovation management expert at Amplify, adjunct professor at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, contributor to international standardization at ISO, CEN, and SIS Swedish Institute for Standards, and has a background in group-wide innovation management at Ericsson HQ in Stockholm. Thanks! Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below. Source