In this episode, Somer Simpson, VP of Product at Customer.io, joins us to discuss the role of empathy in product management. With a wealth of experience in online media and startups, Somer shares how product managers can drive innovation by cultivating empathy for customers and themselves.

She explores how you can have a human-centered approach when crafting products and how self-reflection grows empathy for customers. Somer also highlights the balance between using AI to close knowledge gaps and maintaining a human touch to truly understand user needs.

Are you ready to discover how empathy can improve your product strategy and execution? Don't miss this conversation that offers wisdom for product managers at every career stage.

You’ll hear us talk about:

13:00 - Embracing Chaos in Product Management

Somer discusses the need to be comfortable with chaos as a product manager. Like whitewater rafting, being a PM is about leaning into chaos rather than resisting it. This helps managers better discern patterns and innovate effectively.

16:30 - Developing True Empathy

Somer explains that empathy goes beyond the simple observation or acknowledgment of customer pain. It involves accepting others' perspectives as valid. She relates this concept to personal growth, suggesting that self-acceptance is crucial for developing authentic empathy

37:49 - Human Touch in Innovation

Somer believes that humans play an irreplaceable role in innovation, despite advancements in AI. While AI can increase efficiency, it's the human understanding and care for customer problems that truly drive product success.

Episode resources:

Somer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/somersimpson/

Customer.io website: https://customer.io/

Check our new course: https://productinstitute.com/p/mastering-product-strategy-overview

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

02:50 Dear Melissa

16:30 Empathy starts with yourself

22:29 Curiosity, failure, and building customer love

28:47 Meaningful discovery and avoiding chaos

33:28 AI can't replace empathy

Join us for an engaging episode of the Product Thinking Podcast as I speak with Mario Rodriguez, Chief Product Officer at GitHub, about the transformative role of AI in product management and development.

In this episode, Mario discusses the integration of AI into GitHub's strategy, particularly through GitHub Copilot, and how it leverages AI to improve creativity in software development.

Mario provides a deep dive into how GitHub Copilot is changing the developer's landscape by freeing them from mundane tasks and allowing them to focus more on creative problem-solving. He also shares his vision for the future of software development and the role AI will play in it.Listen in to learn how AI can be a powerful tool to amplify productivity and creativity in your product management strategy.

You'll hear us talk about:

08:22 - Reimagining Developer Tools

Mario talks about how GitHub Copilot started as an AI-native product, focusing on augmenting human creativity rather than replacing it, and how it strategically integrates with existing developer workflows.

24:12 - Surprises in Copilot Adoption

Discover the unexpected ways developers used GitHub Copilot and how it challenged initial assumptions about product acceptance and success in the market.

32:27 - The Future of Product Management with AI

Explore how AI is shaping the product management field and what it means for the role of product managers in this fast-evolving industry.

Episode resources:

Mario on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariorodriguez3/

Github Copilot: https://github.com/features/copilot

Check our new course: https://productinstitute.com/p/mastering-product-strategy-overview

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

02:45 Dear Melissa

04:52 From Microsoft to GitHub CPO

13:13 Failing toward the right UX for Copilot

16:23 Using evals and metrics to refine AI models

24:03 Seeing Copilot in the wild: surprises and adoption

29:16 AI’s role in augmenting vs. replacing developers

36:26 Embedding AI into product strategy and practice

Dheerja Kaur, Vice President of Product Management at Robinhood, joins Melissa Perri on the Product Thinking Podcast to discuss her journey from engineering to product leadership. Her experience integrating design and user experience into product development at Robinhood has fostered a culture of ambitious thinking and learning by doing.

Dheerja shares insights into balancing experimentation with strategic objectives and emphasizes the importance of empowering product teams to think big while aligning with organizational vision. Would you like to empower your product teams to think ambitiously while staying aligned with business goals? Don't miss out on Dheerja's insights.

You’ll hear us talk about:

• 07:34 - Defining the Product Manager Role

Dheerja reflects on her transition from software engineering to product management at ESPN and how she navigated the shift from a technical role to a strategic one.

• 13:01 - Coaching without Micromanaging

Dheerja shares strategies on finding the balance between providing guidance to new PMs and allowing them the autonomy to grow, fostering a supportive learning environment.

• 28:09 - Balancing Experimentation with Ambitious Goals

Dheerja discusses how to encourage teams to think big and have a portfolio of bets to achieve ambitious objectives while maintaining a culture of learning and experimentation.

Episode resources:

Dheerja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dheerja/

Robinhood website: https://robinhood.com/

Check our new course: https://productinstitute.com/p/mastering-product-strategy-overview

Timestamps:

00:00 Coming Up

00:56 Intro

06:29 Dheerja’s journey into product

13:01 Coaching PMs without micromanaging

17:53 Learning Design

22:16 UX In Finance

28:09 Balancing experimentation with ambitious goals

33:32 Proving the business value of great design

38:43 Embracing risk