The Product Artisan Podcast

Product Management - Untangling the Practice

In this episode, Dinker Charak recounts his journey from founding a startup to becoming a consulting product manager at ThoughtWorks. He discusses the challenges of developing a children's app, dealing with the complexities of diverse user and customer needs, and shares his insights on product management in startups, scale-ups, and enterprises. Dinkar also elaborates on his decision to write 'Product Management Untangled' to fill existing knowledge gaps. He emphasizes the importance of empathy for stakeholders and adapting to different management roles across various business environments. 00:00 Introduction to Early Startup Challenges 23:17 Navigating Parent-Child Dynamics in App Usage 25:03 Choosing the Right Product Focus 27:10 Transition to ThoughtWorks and Consulting 27:41 Challenges of Consulting Product Management 30:03 Understanding Different Stakeholders 34:42 Writing a Book on Product Management 37:58 Key Responsibilities of Product Managers 43:37 Conclusion and Contact Information

Navigating Design Hiring and Innovation with Karthi Subbaraman

In this episode of the Product Artisan podcast, host Rajesh welcomes Karthi Subbaraman, a seasoned design leader with a wealth of experience at companies including HP, Microsoft, and Salesforce, and a founder of her own design agency. Karthi shares insights on the unique challenges of design hiring, discussing the importance of empathy and understanding in the hiring process, and the differences between hiring for design roles versus other positions. She explains her approach to evaluating candidates through a mix of take-home assignments and whiteboarding sessions, tailored to the specific needs of the role. Karthi also delves into her background in human-computer interaction and cognitive science, emphasising the importance of understanding human behaviours and needs in designing intuitive and proactive user experiences. She highlights significant projects in her career that have reshaped industries, exemplifying the impact of thoughtful design on user experiences. The conversation covers evolving practices in design and hiring, and the essential role of human understanding in advancing technology and design strategy. 00:00 Welcome to the Product Artisan Podcast 00:09 Introducing Karthi: A Design Leader's Journey 01:01 The LinkedIn Storm: A Deep Dive into Design Hiring 03:17 Specialized Design Roles: Beyond the Basics 05:59 Evolving Hiring Practices: Whiteboarding vs. Take-Home Assignments 13:55 Designing for Humans: The Core of Innovation 23:29 Future-Proofing Design Careers in the AI Era 27:11 Seminal Moments in Design: Changing Ecosystems 34:14 Connecting with Karthi: Insights and Outreach

The Robotics Evolution: From Innovations to Market Realities with Dr. Balaji Viswanathan

In this episode of the Product Artisan podcast, host Rajesh interviews Dr. Balaji Viswanathan, an accomplished startup CEO, founder, inventor, and AI enthusiast with a notable journey from a software developer at Microsoft to pioneering robotics initiatives in India. Dr. Balaji shares his experiences spanning AI and neural networks, starting with an inspiring encounter with Dr. Kalam, leading to multiple startups, including an AI-driven financial analysis tool and a challenge-filled venture into robotics with Mitra Robot, emphasising the market's readiness and the reality of technological adoption. The conversation dives deep into the complexities of building robotics startups, hardware challenges, customer expectations, and the potential impact of generative AI on the future of robotics and product development. 00:00 Welcome to the Product Artisan Podcast 00:32 The Multifaceted Journey of Dr. Balaji Viswanathan 00:59 From AI Experiments to Microsoft: A Tech Odyssey 05:08 The Birth of Zynfin: Navigating Early Market Challenges 12:23 Blackduck: Revolutionising Code Compliance 18:47 The Robotics Venture: Mitra Robot's Early Days 21:33 The Robotics Bubble and the Shift in Hardware Interest 22:30 Challenges and Innovations in Building a Humanoid Robot 22:52 The Maker Space: A Foundation for Robotics Innovation 24:15 Rapid Prototyping: From 3D Models to a Functional Robot 27:05 Building in India: A Mission for Manufacturing and Employment 27:47 Empowering Through Robotics: Stories of Transformation 34:08 The High Expectations and Scope Creep in Robotics 41:30 Generative AI: A Catalyst for Robotics?

Product Management & Travel - New horizons, different perspectives with Prasanna Veeraswamy

In this episode of the Product Artisan podcast, host Rajesh engages in a conversational deep dive with seasoned product leader Prasanna Veeraswamy. With extensive experience building B2B and B2C product portfolios, Prasanna has led cross-functional product teams globally and has been featured on CNN Traveler. The discussion spans Prasanna's early engineering career at Microsoft, transition to product leadership in the travel domain with roles at Hotel Quickly, Cleartrip, KK day, GoPro, and JoinMyTrip, and current advisory roles in product strategy. Topics covered include the influence of travel on product management, the evolution of travel products in response to customer needs and market shifts, leveraging general AI for innovation, managing cross-functional teams, and the unique challenges and opportunities in the travel industry amidst global events like COVID-19 and the rise of AI-powered platforms. Prasanna also shares insights on building effective product teams, embracing generative AI as a productivity tool, and the future of travel products. Follow Prasanna here- https://www.linkedin.com/in/prasanna-veeraswamy-82671a3/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prasanna-veeraswamy-82671a3/] Follow Rajesh here- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rchandran/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rchandran/] 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:58 Career Journey and Transition into Product Management 03:12 Building Products in the Travel Industry 03:38 The Impact of International Experience on Product Management 09:43 The Role of Data in Product Development 13:01 The Influence of Airbnb and COVID-19 on the Travel Industry 16:33 The Future of Travel Products and Industry Trends 19:39 The Saturated Market of Flights and Hotels 19:54 The Dream of Travel and Customer Journey 20:30 The Role of Technology in Enhancing Travel Experience 20:51 The Impact of Conversational AI in Travel Planning 21:32 The Influence of Gen AI in Reshaping Travel Landscape 21:52 The Role of Chatbots in Travel Platforms 22:47 The Threat of Gen AI to Travel Companies 26:47 The Role of Product Teams in Utilizing Gen AI 29:03 The Importance of Cross-Functional Teams in Product Success 33:25 The Debate on T-Shape vs V-Shape Skills 35:58 Closing Remarks and Contact Information

Product Management & AI - What does the future hold? with Ravi Krishnamurthy

In this episode, Ravi shares insights from his dynamic career spanning startups, non-profits, and major tech companies. From co-founding Enlite Networks to leadership roles at LibForAll Foundation, Lucidworks, and ServiceNow, Ravi discusses lessons learned in product building, emphasizing purpose-driven decision-making and execution rigor. He explores the impact of Generative AI on product management, outlines the components of product strategy, and introduces the new Jobs to be Done in the era of AI. This podcast provides a concise yet comprehensive dive into Ravi's rich experiences, offering valuable insights for product professionals navigating diverse tech landscapes. Follow Ravi here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravikmurthy/] Follow Rajesh here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rchandran/]