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.

Subscribe for free: https://afonsofranco.substack.com/My guest today is Daniel Elizalde.Daniel has trained more than 1500 people in product management, including folks from top tech companies like Tesla, Microsoft, and more.He's been working in Product for over 25 years, in so many different industries - and is the author of the book The B2B Innovators Map.This conversation was a deep dive into Product Management applied to B2B products, covering:* The importance of mapping out your industry in B2B* Why your first 10 customers in B2B equals product market fit* How to find your first 10 paying customers in B2B* Building a discovery network with potential customers* Experiment roadmaps vs product roadmaps* Relevant experiments and discovery techniques in B2B* Understanding why customers should be prioritized over users in most B2B cases* The importance of understanding how big the problem you're solving is and how it's related to willingness to pay* Testing viability in B2B* Main mistakes people make when transitioning from B2C to B2B..Daniel is currently teaching a new course: Mastering B2B Product Innovation.Whether you are building new enterprise software or B2B IoT solutions, this course may be what you’re looking for to know you are leading your team in the right direction. Make sure you check it out! 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

In this engaging discussion, Bruce McCarthy, author of 'Product Roadmaps Relaunched' and 'Aligned: Stakeholder Management for Product Leaders', shares his extensive expertise on managing stakeholders. He highlights the vital role of OKRs in fostering alignment and collaboration across teams. Bruce shares real-world examples showcasing the consequences of misalignment. He also provides practical tips for decision-making, emphasizing empathy in conflict resolution and the importance of defining roles within organizations for effective governance.

Petra Wille, author of "Strong Product People" and founder of the Product at Heart conference, shares her expertise as a leading product coach. She discusses the common challenges faced by product leaders, emphasizing the importance of tailored frameworks and time management. Petra highlights the benefits of coaching and creating strong Communities of Practice. Listeners can enjoy a unique role-playing exercise that showcases effective coaching techniques, making this a must-listen for anyone in product leadership.

Manuel Pais, co-author of Team Topologies book and DevOps leader, discusses team interaction modes, stream-aligned teams, Conway's law, infrastructure changes, Shibsted case study, value-stream thinking, product ops teams, and common antipatterns in team structures.

John Cutler, an influential product thinker and author of the popular newsletter The Beautiful Mess, shares invaluable insights about working in high-performing product organizations. He dives into the messy realities behind what it means to be the 'best', stressing the importance of context and culture. John discusses the nuances of team dynamics, the continuous improvement mindset, and effective prioritization strategies. He also highlights the role of collaboration among product, design, and engineering to enhance product strategy.

Bob Moesta, co-creator of the Jobs to Be Done framework and CEO of Re-wired Group, shares insights from his extensive experience in product development. He discusses how understanding a customer's context and desired outcomes can revolutionize product innovation. Moesta emphasizes that just 10-12 interviews can reveal vital patterns and highlights the importance of aligning product, design, and marketing teams through JTBD. He also critiques traditional competitive analysis and showcases the effectiveness of a problem-centric approach in product planning.