In this episode of the Productized Podcast, host Pedro Ganço sits down with Phil Hornby, a seasoned product leader, coach, and co-host of "Talking Roadmaps." With over two decades of experience spanning SaaS, IoT, Automotive, and more, Phil has dedicated his career to helping product leaders think clearly, make strong decisions, and take powerful action. As he finalizes his upcoming book, ‘It Depends: The Secret Handbook for Making High-Impact Product Decisions in Context’, Phil shares his insights into the evolving challenges and opportunities in product management (PM). In this episode, he discusses the nuances of decision-making, the importance of constraints in innovation, and how to foster entrepreneurial thinking within teams, whether in startups or large enterprises.
In this episode, Phil covered:
The evolution of product management and its deep-rooted history.
Common pitfalls in decision-making and how to overcome them.
The balance between intuition, data, and feedback in making sound product decisions.
How constraints fuel creativity and problem-solving.
The role of entrepreneurial product teams in both startups and large corporations.
The future of product management and the shifting role of PMs in organizations.
Some Takeaways from Phil:
Product decision-making is at the core of product management. Phil emphasises that the entire discipline of product management revolves around making informed decisions. From setting strategy to prioritizing roadmaps, product managers must excel in decision-making. He highlights that every decision should be rooted in understanding the problem deeply and leveraging context to drive high-impact outcomes.
"It depends" is the foundation of great decision-making. The phrase "it depends" is often the default response in product management, but Phil explains why this is not a deflection—it is an acknowledgment of the need for context. Product managers must evaluate financial, market, and user constraints before making decisions. Understanding dependencies and trade-offs ensures that choices align with business and customer needs.
Constraints drive creativity and innovation. Many product teams view constraints as blockers, but Phil argues that they are the ultimate catalysts for innovation. He shares a real-world example of working on an automotive diagnostic tool where hardware and budget constraints forced his team to develop a groundbreaking abstraction model that became their competitive advantage. Constraints push teams to think outside the box and find elegant solutions to complex problems.
The best product teams understand collaboration. Regardless of size, successful product teams operate with a deep respect for cross-functional collaboration. Phil warns against the increasing trend of product managers becoming too technical and losing sight of their business and customer responsibilities. He reminds PMs that they should not replicate the expertise of engineers or designers but instead serve as the bridge between business, technology, and design to drive product success.
Entrepreneurial thinking is critical for both startups and enterprises. Phil highlights that entrepreneurial thinking is not limited to startups; it is a mindset that can and should be fostered in larger organizations. The key lies in giving product teams enough autonomy to experiment and make decisions within well-defined boundaries. Organizations that empower teams with clear missions and constraints unlock creativity and problem-solving at scale.
The role of product managers is shifting back toward business strategy. Over the past decade, product management has leaned heavily toward execution and technical work, but Phil sees a shift back toward business strategy. Companies now expect product managers to focus on commercial success, pricing strategies, and value creation rather than just delivery. Understanding financial impact and aligning product development with business goals will define the next generation of great PMs.
Hybrid teams require intentional structure and collaboration. Having worked remotely since 2008, Phil shares that hybrid teams must be deliberate in how they collaborate. He emphasizes the importance of "high-bandwidth moments"—whether in-person or virtual—where critical discussions and relationship-building occur. Remote teams thrive when they balance structured communication with flexibility, ensuring alignment across distributed teams.
🎉 Mark your calendars for the Productized Conference 2025! Join us in Lisbon for the 10th anniversary of this premier event, where PM leaders from around the world gather for insightful talks, masterclasses, workshops, and networking. Don’t miss out! Get your tickets now at https://www.productized.co
Connect with Phil Hornby:
Website: https://www.forproductpeople.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philhornby/
Talking Roadmaps Podcast: https://www.talkingroadmaps.com
Topics covered in this episode:
[00:00] Introduction to product management challenges
[06:30] Evolution of decision-making in product
[14:45] The role of constraints in innovation
[20:30] Entrepreneurial thinking in large organisations
[30:00] The pendulum shift in product management
[38:10] Building effective hybrid and remote teams
[44:50] The future of product management
[49:00] Final thoughts and key takeaways
Referenced:
1. Agile: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agile_management
2. Product Management: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product_management
3. OKRs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OKR
4. Talking Roadmaps Podcast: https://www.talkingroadmaps.com
5. *It Depends* (Phil Hornby’s upcoming book): https://www.forproductpeople.com/content/appearances/it-depends-the-art-of-product-decision-making-phil-hornby-product-coach-the-product-development-podcast
6. Lean Startup: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean_startup
7. Marty Cagan: https://www.svpg.com/team/marty-cagan/
8. Procter & Gamble Brand Management Memo (1931): https://www.mindtheproduct.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/McElroyBrandMan.pdf
9. Roadmap Prioritization: https://contentsquare.com/guides/product-roadmaps/prioritization/
10. Neil McElroy and the Birth of Product Management: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_H._McElroy
11. Product Trio Model:https://www.producttalk.org/2021/05/product-trio/
12. The Role of Product Marketing in Product Success: https://tomorrow-people.com/insights/what-is-product-marketing-and-why-is-it-important-for-success/#:~:text=Product%20marketing%20actually%20starts%20with,ensuring%20success%20of%20a%20product.
13. Decision-making Frameworks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision-making
14. The Cynefin Framework: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynefin_framework
15. The Importance of Cross-functional Teams: https://hbr.org/2019/05/cross-silo-leadership
16. Impact of Constraints on Creativity: https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesnycouncil/2019/09/03/how-constraints-help-or-inhibit-innovation/
17. Importance of Business Acumen for PMs: https://medium.com/productized-io/business-acumen-for-product-managers-why-its-crucial-and-how-to-develop-it-cd4720771e6e
18. Balancing Data and Intuition in Decision-making: https://www.reworked.co/leadership/balance-intuition-and-data-to-master-the-art-of-decision-making/
19. The Future of Remote Work: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/whats-next-for-remote-work-an-analysis-of-2000-tasks-800-jobs-and-nine-countries
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