Hi Product People,

Ever wondered how to make product operations more impactful?

This week on the Product Thinking Podcast, I sat down with Hugo Froes, Head of Operations at OLX. Hugo shared his journey from UX and service design into the heart of product operations, highlighting how strategic alignment and reduced friction empower teams to deliver real value.

One quote that stuck with me was when Hugo mentioned,

"The truth of the matter is the minute we're a blocker or something is totally dependent on us, we failed."

This encapsulates the essence of product operations: adding value without becoming a bottleneck.

Our conversation dives deep into how Hugo has transformed product operations at OLX into a well-oiled machine. We discussed the importance of building bridges between teams, optimizing processes, and the role AI could play in product management.

There's so much to unpack and learn from his experiences! I believe you'll find this episode incredibly valuable.

Want to hear the full conversation? Tune in to this episode of the Product Thinking Podcast and explore how you, too, can enhance product operations in your organization!

🎧 Listen to the full episode here: Apple | Spotify

Looking forward to hearing from you!

See you soon,

Melissa Perri

Founder Product Institute, Board Member, and Teacher

Key Moments on the Podcast to Check Out:

25:08 - Making OKRs Work Across the Organization

Hugo discusses the challenges and solutions for standardizing OKR frameworks to ensure consistent and measurable outcomes while allowing flexibility for team-specific practices.

30:41 - The Product Ops Mix

Hugo explains the multi-faceted approach of OLX's product operations team, focusing on improving efficiency, streamlining processes, and supporting organizational growth through strategic tooling.

39:03 - Measuring Value in Product Management

Hugo and Melissa explore the importance of continuously validating product value against business outcomes, emphasizing learning over feature delivery.

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