Mik + One: The Official Project to Product Podcast by Dr. Mik Kersten

In this episode of Mik + One, we’re flipping the script! Debbie Konrad, an early Value Stream Management advocate, interviews Mik. The two discuss a new report, the 2023 Project to Product State of the Industry Report, that analyzed anonymized data from 2022 of 3600+ software delivery teams representing over 38,000 business product owners and engineers combined with 326 targeted survey respondents in 34 of the world’s leading enterprises. It revealed that five years into the shift from project to product, following the publication of Mik's seminal book on the subject, only 8 percent of sample have operationalized the product model. Debbie and Mik discuss how the report’s findings are timely and relevant, as technology leaders are under increasing pressure to match tech giants and unicorns on digital innovation and wrestle the competitive advantage from the hands of a few companies. In this episode, Mik shares how to shift the management approach in digital portfolios from a project to a product-based model. Debbie and Mik also address the importance of combining systems data with survey data in order to provide additional insights into the adoption curve of value stream management. Key discussions include:  The 2023 Project to Product State of the Industry Report The seven dimensions of change required for a product operating model Product Management Maturity Insights from the 2021 State of Value Stream Management Report The Journey from Product Experimentation to Operationalization Survey Responses and System Data on Product Operating Model Transformations Autonomy and Dependencies for High Performance Teams The Benefits of Value Management for Software Development Teams Implementing Build and Run Teams for Software at Scale The Importance of Backlog Management and Prioritization in Product Management Creating an Effective Product Management Function: Strategies for Success Exploring the Benefits of Flow Metrics for Improved Efficiency and Time to Market Subscribe to the Mik + One podcast today so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to leave your review. Follow Mik on Twitter: @mik_kersten #MikPlusOne www.planview.com Additional Resources: Download the 2023 Project to Product State of the Industry Report and connect with Debbie Portfolio SAFe Dean Leffingwell on the Mik + One Podcast: Part 1, Part 2 MarTech Dave West - podcast episode Learn more and join the Flow Framework Community here For more information on the 2023 Project to Product State of the Industry Report, go here: https://projecttoproduct.org/podcast/mik-kersten-interview

Joining Mik in this episode of Mik + One is Carol Houle, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Financial Services and Insurance at Atos. With over two decades of experience in building and renovating businesses seeking to focus on strategic digital transformations, Carol shares success stories and challenging lessons she has learned in her professional journey. Carol and Mik talk about the complexities of agile transformation, and the role that education can play in optimizing value streams.   Mik and Carol also have a transformative discussion about how the shift from project to product is actually a shift of mindset, and for a shift of mindset to occur acknowledgment from a higher place within individuals, and fundamentally within the organization, is crucial.  Key discussions include:   Carol’s background and history in the industry  Improving technology in the last decade  What is agile transformation?  How to measure improvement and maintain autonomy   The need for shifting mindsets and education  Special focus sessions for executives and how they can be utilized  The value of servant leadership and empowerment   Setting up systems that include feedback loops to create a sense of control  Instrumentation of business value to connect to your business strategy  Why digital transformation is the vehicle for building relationships Subscribe to the Mik + One podcast today so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to leave your review.  Follow Mik on Twitter:  @mik_kersten #MikPlusOne  www.tasktop.com  Additional Resources:  Connect with Carol  Portfolio SAFe  Dean Leffingwell on the Mik + One Podcast: Part 1, Part 2  MarTech  Dave West - podcast episode  Scrum Studio  Greenfield project  Skunkworks  Bimodal IT  Agile Release Train  Mik + One Podcast Episode 20: Justin Watts  For more information on Carol Houle, please visit: https://projecttoproduct.org/podcast/carol-houle/  

Joining Mik in this episode of Mik + One is Mark Fields, Senior Advisor to TPG Capital, a member of Planview's board of directors, and former CEO of Ford Motor Company. Mark has presided over three decades of strategic and digital transformations at global businesses and shares how he consistently succeeded with a focus on product. He discusses the value of possessing agility, a unified vision, and a rallying cry as a business to create a product that delivers more value and potentially diverts a company off more common value streams.  In this episode, Mik and Mark also discuss drive-by-wire and how a point of view on what the future is, creates a demand for businesses to create organizational structure that can support strategy. Key discussions include:  Early steps in Mark’s career Turning Mazda around in Japan Functional divides between business, technology, and operations Focusing on product is how you get customers Unifying vision and having a rallying cry in a business Turning products into platforms  Diverting off common platforms to deliver customer missions ECUs in vehicles and the cost AWS and Azure bills for organizations Ford’s Mach-E Digital companies Mark is on the board of and how he is helping them thrive Learnings and agility Subscribe to the Mik + One podcast today so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to leave your review. Follow Mik on Twitter: @mik_kersten #MikPlusOne www.tasktop.com Additional Resources: Connect with Mark Portfolio SAFe Dean Leffingwell on the Mik + One Podcast: Part 1, Part 2 MarTech Dave West - podcast episode Scrum Studio Greenfield project Skunkworks Bimodal IT Agile Release Train Mik + One Podcast Episode 20: Justin Watts For more information about Mark Fields and to view the full list of resources mentioned in this episode, as well as download the transcript, visit: https://projecttoproduct.org/podcast/mark-fields/

Joining Mik in this episode of Mik + One is Brendan Hopper, is the CIO for technology at Commonwealth Bank Group. He is responsible for ensuring the bank has a world leading IT engineering capability and is making the right technology investments and decisions. Brendan shares what drives his passion for driving innovation and flow at organizations and why technology should become an accelerator, not a disruptor for organizations and their customers.  In this episode, Mik and Brendan also discuss org structure and the core principle that to be evolutionary means focusing on small increments and not just major redesigns. Key discussions include:  Brendan’s professional journey in strategy and engineering How velocity can drive safety Building technology that real people delight in Creating a transformation network that is course correcting Lessons Brendan has learned in shifting from project to product  The need for feedback cycles in transformation Understanding data that bottlenecks at the value stream level and the organization level. Restoring and repairing organizational design Why org structure has to continually change Moving teams between value streams when roadmapping what is next What Brendan is focused on today Subscribe to the Mik + One podcast today so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to leave your review. Follow Mik on Twitter: @mik_kersten #MikPlusOne www.tasktop.com Additional Resources: Connect with Brendan Portfolio SAFe Dean Leffingwell on the Mik + One Podcast: Part 1, Part 2 MarTech Dave West - podcast episode Scrum Studio Greenfield project Skunkworks Bimodal IT Agile Release Train Mik + One Podcast Episode 20: Justin Watts For more information about Brendan Hopper and to view the full list of resources mentioned in this episode, as well as download the transcript, visit: https://projecttoproduct.org/podcast/brendan-hopper/

Joining Mik on this episode of Mik + One is Steve Berez, advisory partner at Bain & Company and co-author of Doing Agile Right, Transformation Without Chaos. In this episode, Mik and Steve discuss: Insights into Steve’s 30+ year journey developing Bain’s technology practice Real examples of implementing agile practices and how to do it right How to get buy-in from Finance teams and demonstrate the value of a capacity-based mindset Strategies organizations can take to realize Agile benefits more quickly How Doing Agile Right can improve the business technology dialogue Subscribe to the Mik + One podcast today so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to leave your review. Follow Mik on Twitter: @mik_kersten #MikPlusOne www.tasktop.com   Additional Resources: Connect with Steve Doing Agile Right Dean Leffingwell on the Mik + One Podcast: Part 1, Part 2   For more information about Steve Berez and to view the full list of resources mentioned in this episode, as well as download the transcript, visit: https://projecttoproduct.org/podcast/steve-berez/

In this episode of Mik + One, Mik is joined by Razat Gaurav, Chief Executive Officer at Planview.  In this episode, Mik and Razat discuss the trillion-dollar opportunity ahead to rebuild the future of how the enterprise works. Topics include: How new market realities will impact the way we think about transformations Designing foundational capabilities with resiliency in mind to maximize flow and unlock value Deep dive into the three “waves” that optimize software value streams The fundamental nature of operationalizing with learning cycles and feedback loops How Tasktop joining Planview will dramatically accelerate the ability to help the world's organizations survive and thrive in the age of software Subscribe to the Mik + One podcast today so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to leave your review. Follow Mik on Twitter: @mik_kersten #MikPlusOne www.tasktop.com For more information about Razat Gaurav and to view the full list of resources mentioned in this episode, as well as download the transcript, visit: https://projecttoproduct.org/podcast/razat-gaurav/  

Joining Mik in this episode of Mik + One is Sejal Amin, current Chief Product and Technology Officer for Khoros, where she leads global product development teams to build great experiences for customers. In this episode, Mik and Sejal discuss a wide range of topics around continuous improvement, team health, organizational design, and flow. Key discussions include: Lessons Sejal learned from making the shift from project to product and barriers to overcome when making that shift The importance of team culture and emphasizing the health of the team Strategies to accelerate and make lasting organizational changes that focus on outcomes; including an example of a structure and data-driven environment in which teams can thrive Proven tools that increase team performance to effectively work around data and flow Structuring a product and team hierarchy that is conducive to a successful project to product transformation that enables continuous learning, improvement and innovation Subscribe to the Mik + One podcast today so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to leave your review. Follow Mik on Twitter: @mik_kersten #MikPlusOne www.tasktop.com  

Geordie Henderson, General Manager at AWS Messaging and Streaming, previously led engineering at Hootsuite. In this engaging discussion, he shares insights on scaling high-performing teams and the importance of organizational design. Geordie discusses the transition to microservices and effective team structures like 'two pizza teams.' He also emphasizes the role of Single Threader Owners in aligning product and engineering efforts, the value of clear metrics, and innovative dynamics crucial for organizational success.

Darrell Fernandes, Head of Product Technology at TIAA, shares his expertise on enhancing organizational efficiency to boost customer value. He discusses five key accountabilities for IT product managers and the importance of aligning Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) with business outcomes. Darrell highlights strategies for building cross-functional Agile Release Trains and operationalizing ideas to gain leadership buy-in. He also emphasizes the role of flow metrics in fostering collaboration and the significance of talent in driving customer-centric outcomes.

Joining Mik in this episode of Mik + One is Manuel Pais, co-author of Team Topologies: Organizing Business and Technology Teams for Fast Flow. In this episode, Mik and Manuel discuss some of the key themes in Team Topologies, as well as other topics including: Manuel's learnings and key tips on how to effectively manage team collaboration in the shift to remote-first and hybrid working The relationship between the ideas behind the Flow Framework and Team Topologies Advice on how to set up value streams to enable and improve team flow and capacity when delivering digital experiences Implementing a reorganization and advice to leaders on how to approach this, and why it’s important to understand, implement and evolve the team topology Treating platforms as products and the importance of investing in platform teams to manage cognitive load and provide greater value to customers Subscribe to the Mik + One podcast today so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to leave your review. Follow Mik on Twitter: @mik_kersten #MikPlusOne www.tasktop.com For more information about Manuel Pais and to view the full list of resources featured in this episode, as well as download the transcript, visit: https://projecttoproduct.org/podcast/manuel-pais/