Episode 245: Building Product Thinking in Engineering Teams with Matt Watson

Product Thinking

Join Melissa Perri as she sits down with Matt Watson, founder and CEO of Full Scale, to delve into the evolving world of product management and software development. In this insightful conversation, Matt shares his journey from developer to CEO, offering lessons on how to blend engineering expertise with product thinking. Discover how Matt encourages a culture of ownership and courage among teams, and how AI is reshaping the roles of engineers and product managers alike.

If you're interested in enhancing your product management skills and understanding the importance of clarity, communication, and collaboration in tech teams, this episode is a must-listen. Matt’s insights will resonate with anyone looking to break out of the build trap and focus on delivering real value to customers.

Tune in to gain practical strategies for fostering innovation and empowering your team to think beyond the code.

You’ll hear us talk about:

• 10:15 - Encouraging Product Thinking in Engineers

Matt discusses the importance of engineers understanding the product's broader impact, not just focusing on the technical aspects. He emphasizes the need for engineers to see themselves as part of the product team, contributing to the overall vision and strategy.

• 22:40 - The Role of Clarity and Communication

In this segment, Matt highlights the significance of maintaining clarity in software development. He shares how regular communication and one-on-ones are essential for coaching and ensuring everyone understands the vision and scope of projects.

• 35:55 - The Impact of AI on Engineering Roles

Matt explores how AI is transforming traditional engineering roles, pushing engineers to adopt more product thinking. He underscores the growing importance of emotional intelligence and teamwork as AI takes on more technical tasks.

Episode resources:

Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/

Product Driven: https://productdriven.com/

Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/about-us/

Check out Monday dev: http://monday.com/dev

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

Timestamps:

00:00 Matt's career journey

08:07 Giving engineers context and autonomy

15:51 Building psychological safety for courage

21:26 Creating ownership through one-on-ones

26:31 Redefining roles in the age of AI

30:16 Shifting from order takers to product owners