Product Thinking

AI is moving quickly from experimentation into real products, but in regulated and high-trust environments the stakes are much higher. In this compilation episode of the Product Thinking Podcast, host Melissa Perri brings together perspectives from multiple product leaders to explore what it really takes to ship AI responsibly when accuracy, trust, and risk management matter.
You will hear from Maryam Ashoori, who works at IBM and was involved in building Watsonx. She explains what AI agents actually are, why large language models hallucinate, and how guardrails and human oversight help teams manage calculated risk as systems become more autonomous.
The episode also features Magda Armbruster, Head of Product at Natural Cycles, and Jessica Hall, Chief Product Officer at Just Eat Takeaway. Together they share how embedding regulation, prioritizing data privacy, and being honest about cost, governance, and capability building can turn compliance and trust into enablers rather than blockers for AI-driven products.

You’ll hear us talk about:
What AI agents can and cannot do
Maryam breaks down how agents reason, plan, and take action, and why their probabilistic nature leads to hallucinations. She explains why this behavior is acceptable in low-risk contexts but dangerous in high-stakes domains without proper safeguards.
Managing risk with guardrails and humans in the loop
The conversation explores how teams can design agentic guardrails and decision flows that keep AI systems close to verified truth, while escalating sensitive or high-risk situations to humans for review.
Embedding regulation and privacy into product development
Magda shares how Natural Cycles integrates quality assurance, regulatory, and compliance partners directly into day-to-day product work, and why strong privacy practices and user control are core product strategy rather than afterthoughts.
The real cost of AI and long-term responsibility
Jessica discusses the often underestimated costs of building and running AI systems, from unit economics to team capability, and why product leaders must balance simplicity, governance, bias mitigation, and customer trust instead of chasing hype.

Episode resources:
Check our courses: https://productinstitute.com/
Maryam Ashoori LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mashoori/
Magda Armbruster LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/magda-armbruster-326692a/
Jessica Hall LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-hall-4223b0/
Product Thinking Podcast Episode 241: https://www.produxlabs.com/product-thinking-blog/episode-241-ai-strategy
Product Thinking Podcast Episode 251: https://www.produxlabs.com/product-thinking-blog/episode-251-femtech-innovation
Product Thinking Podcast Episode 199: https://www.produxlabs.com/product-thinking-blog/2024/11/27/episode-199-the-true-cost-of-ai-beyond-the-hype-and-into-reality-with-jessica-hall

In this episode of the Product Thinking Podcast, Melissa Perri delves into the intricate world of organizational design for product management teams. She explores how to structure teams effectively around value streams, rather than falling into the trap of organizing by architecture.
Melissa emphasizes the critical role of platform teams and the importance of starting with a solid product strategy before diving into organizational design.
Melissa sheds light on the necessity for product managers to have a clear roadmap ownership and the challenges of maintaining short layers of control in large organizations to enable quick decision-making. She also discusses the benefits of platform teams in scaling services across an organization, stressing the need for high collaboration and alignment with customer-facing teams.
Want to understand how to build a product management organization that maximizes business and customer value? Listen to this insightful episode for practical advice and strategic insights from Melissa Perri.

You’ll hear us talk about:
01:33 - Organizing Around Value Streams
Melissa discusses the importance of structuring product management teams around value streams, ensuring clear ownership of roadmaps and effective delivery of customer value.
02:32 - Avoiding Organizational Bottlenecks
Melissa explains the drawbacks of having too many layers in decision-making processes within large organizations, advocating for shorter control layers to enhance efficiency and decision speed.
06:38 - The Role of Platform Teams
The episode highlights the strategic importance of platform teams in scaling services organization-wide, emphasizing the need for these teams to align closely with customer-facing value streams.

Episode resources:
Check our courses: https://productinstitute.com/

Srini Raghavan, Chief Product Officer at FreshWorks, joins Melissa Perri to discuss the evolving role of product management in the age of AI. He explores how product managers are transforming into "product builders" with AI as a catalyst for more integrated roles, collapsing traditional processes, and enabling rapid prototyping.
Srini dives into the impact of AI on enhancing customer and employee experiences at FreshWorks. He shares insights on how AI agents are handling repetitive tasks, improving satisfaction, and delivering real outcomes through a relentless focus on customer needs.
Curious about how AI is reshaping product management and the role of product managers? Tune in to hear Srini's insights on leveraging AI for creating uncomplicated user experiences and driving outcome-focused innovation.

You’ll hear us talk about:
05:15 - Transforming Product Managers into Product Builders
Srini discusses the shift towards product managers becoming more involved in design and prototyping phases, with AI reducing the need for separate UX and engineering inputs early on.
18:45 - Enhancing Experiences with AI Agents
Learn about FreshWorks' approach to using AI agents to handle repetitive tasks and improve user satisfaction, providing a more human-like experience.
28:30 - Delivering Uncomplicated User Experiences
Srini explains the importance of simplicity in product setup and management, aiming to serve a diverse range of customers with straightforward user experiences.

Episode resources:
Srini on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srinivasan28/
Freshworks website: https://www.freshworks.com/
Check our courses: https://productinstitute.com/

In this episode, Melissa Perri dives into the intricacies of product management with a focus on both inbound and outbound product management. Whether you're working on internal tools or customer-facing products, the strategic processes involved are crucial and similar across the board.
Melissa discusses the importance of having a strategy, discovery, and delivery process in place to maximize the value stream and mitigate risks, regardless of the product's focus. Melissa provides examples of how internal tools, like algorithms for insurance claims or bank teller systems, can significantly impact customer experience. This episode emphasizes that the core principles of product management remain consistent, whether you're dealing with AI product management or traditional product strategies.
Are you a product manager looking to enhance your understanding of both inbound and outbound product management? Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights into effective product strategies and processes that can be applied to any product type.

You’ll hear us talk about:
1:37 - Understanding Inbound vs Outbound Product Management
Melissa explores the differences and similarities between inbound and outbound product management. She emphasizes the necessity for a strategic approach in both areas, debunking the myth that inbound product management carries less risk.
4:07 - Impact of Internal Tools on Customer Experience
Discussion on how internal tools like bank teller systems and insurance claim algorithms can significantly affect the customer experience. This section highlights the importance of strategic design for internal products.
6:10 - Consistency in Product Management Practices
Melissa stresses that the fundamentals of product management, such as strategy and discovery, remain the same regardless of the product type. She highlights the importance of maintaining a focus on discovery and delivery in AI product management.

Episode resources:
Check our courses: https://productinstitute.com/

In this episode of the Product Thinking Podcast, Melissa Perri is joined by Michael Dodsworth, the founder and CEO of Fanfare. Michael shares his insights on the importance of storytelling in product management and how it can drive product success.
He discusses his transition from engineering roles to leading innovative product launches that create immersive experiences and captivate audiences. Through his experiences, Michael emphasizes the significance of aligning strategic goals with customer engagement to elevate product performance.
Tune in to explore how Michael's approach to storytelling and strategic alignment can transform your product launches into unforgettable experiences.

You'll hear us talk about:
07:36 - The Power of Storytelling in Product Management
Michael Dodsworth explains the essential components of storytelling for product managers. He highlights the importance of simplifying stories to resonate with audiences and making them personal to leave a lasting impression.
23:39 - Turning Product Launches into Immersive Experiences
Melissa and Michael discuss how brands can create engaging and immersive experiences during product launches. Michael shares strategies to avoid negative aspects of product drops and ensure a memorable customer journey.
29:28 - Applying Launch Lessons to Software Products
Melissa asks Michael about translating product launch principles to software companies. Michael emphasizes the necessity of educating customers and having a clear narrative to drive the success of product launches in the tech industry. Episode Resources:

Episode resources:
Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-dodsworth/
Fanfare: https://fanfare.io/
Check the localization report: https://lokalise.com/library/data-reports/localization-revenue-report-2025/
Check our courses: https://productinstitute.com/