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Product Thinking Newsletter by Melissa Perri

Design-Led or Product-Led... What's the difference?

Published 7 months ago • 3 min read

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Hi Product people,

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How do you build a culture that not only embraces design but also leverages it to transform products and user experiences?

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This week on Product Thinking, I sat down with Oliver Seil, Vice President of Design at Belkin, to discuss the journey of evolving Belkin into a design-centric company.

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"When we make people feel smart, we succeed. We don't want people to feel stupid because they couldn't figure out how to use the product."

This philosophy shapes everything at Belkin, from product design to consumer insights. Oliver shared how vital it is for organizations to integrate empathy and creativity into their design processes.

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By doing so, they can effectively translate technological advancements into meaningful user experiences, ensuring that every product enhances the lives of its users. Our conversation delved deeply into the strategies and mindsets required to foster such a culture.

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We also touched on how teams can balance rapid prototyping with the demands of manufacturing, emphasizing the importance of embracing experimentation and consumer feedback before full-scale production.

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I hope you find Oliver's insights as inspiring as I did. Want to understand how design thinking can invigorate your product and company culture?

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🎧 Listen to the full episode here: Apple | Spotify​

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Looking forward to hearing from you!

See you soon,

Melissa Perri

Founder Product Institute, Board Member, and Teacher
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Key Moments on the Podcast to Check Out:

  • 14:20 - The Importance of Executive Buy-In for Cultural Change

Oliver explains how having the support from top leadership, such as the CEO and a chief design officer, was crucial to fostering a design-focused culture at Belkin, promoting an environment where design is celebrated and integrated into the company's DNA.

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  • 21:47 - Embracing Experimentation in Design

Oliver shares strategies for balancing the need for rapid prototyping with the constraints of manufacturing timelines. He emphasizes the importance of testing and validating products through consumer feedback before full-scale production.

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  • 25:29 - Collaboration Between Product Managers and Designers

Highlighting the significance of prototyping and communication, Oliver discusses how designers can effectively share their ideas and collaborate with product managers to bring innovative products to life.

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Episode resources:

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Do you have a product dilemma you just can’t solve? Are you in need of some pointed career guidance? We’ve got a direct line to Melissa, so now’s your chance to ask her anything you’d like. You can record a voice message here, or you can submit a question via form below. Melissa just might answer it in a future Dear Melissa segment of the podcast.

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The CPO Accelerator is a members-only live virtual course for product leaders taught by Melissa Perri. The move from product leader to VP or CPO can be challenging. It takes a whole new set of skills to succeed at the next level, and you may be the first person at your company to hold this seat at the executive table.

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Product Thinking Newsletter by Melissa Perri

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