Scandinavian Product Podcast

My guest today is Beth Stensen.Beth is a gem in the Design world in Norway.She was Head of Design at Ruter (the company responsible for the plan, coordination, order and market of public transport in Oslo & Akershus), she then became the CEO at Netlife (famous for their Y Oslo Conference), and now she's the Head of Design at Posten Bring - the leading post company in the Nordics.Beth has a lot of experience with transformations and this conversation is packed with insights and advice from her journey - as well as reflections on the Product Movement and how it's impacting Design, and its future.We covered:* The “Product” Movement and its impact to Design* Making room for the intangibles* Reflections on “tension” between Design and Product* Ruter’s transformational journey* A practical example of what a great Product Vision looks like* Tips to navigate transformation as a Designer and Design leader* Insights from Beth’s journey at Posten Bring so far* The Future of Design* And moreI really loved talking with Beth. There’s so much wisdom here. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did :) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afonsofranco.substack.com

Christina Wodtke, a Stanford professor and author of "Radical Focus," shares her insights on OKRs and their implementation in organizations. She explains why not every team needs OKRs, emphasizing the importance of psychological safety and a supportive culture. The conversation contrasts outcome-based key results with output-focused metrics, while also addressing the unique challenges faced by startups versus larger corporations. Wodtke highlights effective collaboration within cross-functional teams and the need for clear goals to navigate complexities in project management.

In this engaging conversation, Espen Sundve, former CPO at Oda and senior advisor at Schibsted, teams up with Marius Røstad, CPO at Aidn, a groundbreaking healthcare scaleup. They dive into the art of creating strategic product frameworks and emphasize the importance of understanding user needs before development. Workplace dynamics come alive as they discuss fostering team alignment amidst rapid growth. Their insights on balancing speed and quality, along with the significance of customer feedback, provide valuable lessons for aspiring product leaders.

In this enlightening discussion, bestselling authors Teresa Torres and Petra Wille share their expertise on product discovery. Teresa, known for her insights in 'Continuous Discovery Habits,' emphasizes the difference between user research and true product discovery. Petra spotlights the importance of aligning product outcomes with strategic goals. They explore pitfalls to avoid, the significance of strategic context, and how to leverage KPI trees for success. With practical advice and storytelling tips, they reveal how to effectively communicate product vision to leadership.

April Dunford, a globally renowned marketing expert and author of best-selling books like "Obviously Awesome," shares invaluable insights on product positioning. She discusses why companies often stumble in this area and emphasizes that positioning requires collaboration across teams. April outlines her step-by-step process for defining ideal customer profiles and highlights the common pitfalls to avoid. Additionally, she clarifies the distinctions between messaging, branding, and positioning, revealing how effective positioning translates to compelling sales pitches.

Itamar Gilad, a former product leader at Gmail, YouTube, and Microsoft, joins Bruce McCarthy, an expert in product roadmapping, to challenge conventional views on roadmaps. They discuss the pitfalls of output-based approaches, advocating for flexible, outcome-driven roadmaps. With insights on the GIST framework, they emphasize the necessity of collaboration and effective communication in product development. The conversation also touches on stakeholder management and the importance of user engagement in crafting meaningful, high-impact products.

My guest today is Melissa Perri.Melissa is the author of the bestselling book "Escaping the Build Trap" and recently co-authored “Product Operations: How successful companies build better products at scale”.She runs a successful CPO Accelerator, is a former professor at Harvard Business School, serves on several Boards, and is the Founder of Product Institute.In this conversation, we explore:* The role of Product Ops* The main misconceptions with Product Ops* The 3 key pillars of Product Ops* How do you get started and how to scale the team* How Product Ops support Product Teams and Product Leaders* Product Ops as an enabling teams and how to measure its success* The most important skills in a CPO* What most CPOs struggle with and why* And more!—Where to find Melissa Perri:• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissajeanperri/• Product Institute Website—💪 Companies I think you should know about:UX Signals - Don’t let your busy schedule stop you from talking to users.Automatically recruit interviews and user tests with people who are using your product. Talk to them while their user experience is still fresh in their mind.Used by big companies like DNB Bank, Vipps MobilePay, NAV, and many more.Tell them Afonso sent you, and get 50% off your trial.Know more here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afonsofranco.substack.com

Ryan Singer, author of 'Shape Up' and a key figure at Basecamp, shares his insights on effective product development. He discusses why traditional frameworks like Scrum often fall short and the importance of shaping work before diving in. Ryan emphasizes the need for framing, using time constraints strategically, and highlights the evolving roles within product teams. Expect golden nuggets on navigating collaboration and enhancing project clarity to ensure teams ship valuable work consistently.

Janna Bastow, Co-founder of Mind the Product and CEO of ProdPad, shares her insights on effective product management. She discusses the creation of her popular roadmap framework, Now, Next, Later, spotlighting the importance of flexibility and user feedback. The conversation delves into how roadmaps can align with OKRs for strategic success and the significance of reflective practices in product teams. Janna also highlights the role of AI in reshaping product management, stressing the need for critical thinking and adaptability in this evolving landscape.

Daniel Elizalde, an expert in B2B product innovation with over 25 years of experience, shares invaluable insights on developing successful B2B products. He emphasizes the significance of identifying key stakeholders and understanding industry context. Daniel discusses how to secure your first customers and the importance of prioritizing customer pain points over user needs in B2B settings. He also highlights common pitfalls when transitioning from B2C to B2B and the critical role of internal alignment and funding in the innovation process.