Hi Product People,
PMs focus on solving problems for customers, but who solves their problems?
Too often, product managers find themselves bogged down by misaligned priorities, scattered processes, and a lack of visibility into what really matters. Product Operations helps solve this by creating the systems, tools, and support teams need to focus and deliver.
In this week’s Product Thinking podcast, I spoke with Mark Rosenberg, Vice President of Product, and Vivian Phinney, Senior Product Manager of Product Operations, both from Workday, about how they’re using product operations to empower their teams.
Mark shares how he revamped product operations in the Workday Financial division, which solves over 2,000 customers. Vivian was his first hire into the role where she got to work right away producing value by reducing cognitive load for product teams through lightweight standardization and building data-driven solutions. Together, they highlight how product operations can strike the right balance between alignment and autonomy without slowing teams down.
Product operations isn’t about adding more processes for the sake of it. It’s about creating the systems, visibility, and support that help product teams stay focused and effective. When done right, it simplifies workflows, reduces friction, and gives PMs the clarity they need to deliver real results.
They also talk about how prioritization frameworks bring clarity to product teams, why standardization doesn’t have to feel heavy, and how just enough process can go a long way. The discussion dives into the balance between central governance and division-specific flexibility, and why improving visibility and decision-making is critical for teams at scale.
Product operations might not get as much attention as product management itself, but its impact is hard to ignore. It’s the key to helping teams work smarter, align with leadership, and stay focused on what matters most.
What’s been your biggest challenge with product operations in your team? Reply to this email or share your thoughts on my latest LinkedIn post and let’s continue the conversation.
P.S. If you’ve ever struggled with setting an effective product strategy, our newest course, Mastering Product Strategy, will show you how!
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See you next week,
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Melissa Perri
Founder Product Institute, Board Member, and Teacher
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