How can product leaders create synergy across teams? Creating impactful user-facing products demands robust collaboration across product management, design, and UX research teams. However, the structure of these teams often introduces processes and power dynamics that hinder such collaboration. In this webinar with Amazon Fmr Product Lead Brian Root, product managers, designers, and UX researchers involved in user-facing projects will gain insights and practical tools to foster a more collaborative, innovative, and productive team environment. Join us to gain insights on building cross-functional teams.
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Show Notes:
- Cross-functional teams are important for product development but face challenges with inefficiency and siloed work.
- UX research should be involved earlier in the process to mitigate risks upfront rather than as an afterthought.
- Different team structures like silos, embedded, and roundtables each have benefits and drawbacks to consider.
- The roundtable structure aims to improve collaboration by giving each function a seat at the table.
- Risk frameworks can help define necessary expertise areas for product development.
- Leaders should understand limitations of their own functional experience to avoid biases.
- Intentionality is needed to consider problems from different risk perspectives.
- Context sharing between functions like PMs and designers improves efficiency.
- Strategic involvement of research and design leads to better insights and outcomes.
- Competing priorities within teams require collective problem solving.
- Cross-functional relationships take time to develop trust and understanding.
- Cultural shifts are needed to fully embrace design in enterprise product delivery.
- Engineering expertise is critical but engagement varies between individuals.
- Functional leads can benefit mature teams where possible.
- Awareness of biases helps inclusive leadership of diverse teams.
- Budgeting research/design time improves accountability for the full process.
- Engaging stakeholders builds understanding of necessary process and resources.
- Filling risk expertise gaps requires intentional conversations.
- Testing competing ideas produces the best outcomes when possible.
- Focusing research impact improves marginalized roles in some structures.
About the speaker
I am a collaborative, patent-holding product executive specializing in building impactful customer-facing digital products in eCommerce, FinTech and InsureTech. I have over 12 years of experience leading and managing cross-functional product and design teams at all stages from Series A to Fortune top 2 (Amazon and Walmart). I have built and scaled teams from 0 to up to 15 individuals on several occasions, and I particularly enjoy the challenges of hiring and structuring teams. My passion as a leader has always been to unlock the potential of my reports and mentees. I strongly believe that an impactful, scalable \"what\" (the product) is the result of a strong understanding of the \"why\" (user and business needs) and \"how\" (product management and design best practices). In my non-work life, I enjoy running, cooking, dabbling in statistical modeling of sporting events, and being the best father that I can be to my baby son.
About the host
I'm a product leader focused on delivering exceptional client value by building quality software and engaged teams. I love talking to users about their problems and working with new PMs to grow their careers. I live in Brooklyn, NY with my spouse. Outside of work I love traveling, cooking, and following Philadelphia sports.