Five things we learned at the Pendomonium+#mtpcon roadshow – Amsterdam 2024

This month, Mind the Product and Pendo are on the road to learn from some of the best leaders in the product space. Our first stop was in Amsterdam! Here are five of our key takeaways from recent discussions involving prominent figures like Joe Futty (Booking.com), Ebi Atawodi (Google), Brian Walsh (Pendo), and many more.

In the opening keynote for the day, Joe Futty, VP of Product at Booking.com, discussed the opportunity that AI can bring to personalisation to solve users' problems. He stressed the importance of revisiting users' unmet needs and always learning to stay on top of the Gen AI curve, even if it feels like things are moving fast. "Customers don't like change. Never undermine trust. Make sure you're always focusing on real user problems," he said.

In the panel discussion for the day discussing AI strategy, we were joined by a great range of product leaders: Denzil Naggan, Director of Product at Road, Hannah Gutkauf, Global Managing Partner at Manyone, Pooja Naidu, VP of Product at Mews, and Vidu Sharma, Group Product Manager for Generative AI at Adyen, moderated by Andrii Degeler, Head of Media at The Next Web. The focal point of the discussion delved into the significance of understanding customer needs and indexing organizational knowledge to achieve a product-market fit with AI. Hannah noted, "Have we earned the right to serve them more use cases?" highlighting the necessity of validating customer trust before expanding product offerings.

Vidu also stressed the importance of internal and external expertise.

This ensures that AI strategies are not just technically sound but also aligned with business goals and ethical considerations. Additionally, Hannah explained that AI is not a competitive advantage or value proposition—it’s a baseline expectation for efficiency and customer experience.

The inspirational Ebi Atawodi, director of product management at YouTube Studio, led the second keynote of the day. She shared profound insights on the human side of product management. She believes that "Product managers at their core need to feel that there is a mission worth fighting for." This mission-driven approach fosters a culture of ownership and resilience within teams.

Ebi underscored the value of curiosity and continuous learning: "Curiosity, continue to learn. Start with humility." By maintaining a humble and inquisitive mindset, product managers can better navigate the complexities of AI and drive meaningful innovation.

A key message that resonated with the audience was to look after yourself as a product manager. 

The second panel for the day, featuring Thomas Leitermann, Senior Growth Product Manager at Personio, Hanneke Hoogewerf, Senior Strategic Experience Designer at Ingka Group, IKEA, Heather Williams, Director of Product Management at Elsevier, and moderated by Eva Bosma, Co-host of de Dataloog Podcast, further stressed the importance of effective collaboration, humility, and continuous learning. "Product has always been in flux; users needs are evolving, so we need to ensure that we're evolving with those developing needs," Heather said.

Thomas added that it is important to understand not only the problem but also its priority. Providing clarity is also important to know what the business should focus on to develop great products. Hanneke closed by advocating for a human element to building great: "Be honest with yourself and don't be scared to pivot and try something new. It's all about humans in the end,"

Transitioning teams to become outcome-driven was an important message for Brian Walsh, SVP of Product at Pendo, in his keynote session. He asserted, "Shipping features is not enough. It’s about the outcomes we create." This focus on outcomes ensures that AI implementations directly address user pain points and deliver tangible value.

Brian also encouraged leveraging AI to enhance user understanding at scale: 

By integrating AI into user research processes, organisations can gain deeper insights and tailor their products more effectively.

In the closing keynote for the day, Product Advisor, Janet Bumpas highlighted the competitive advantage that AI brings. Although features are easier than ever to build, it’s a much more competitive market, with many start-ups and large corporations feeling the brunt of the competition. To help us build a profitable business, she stressed that "customers are not buying AI; they are buying solutions to their problems." This customer-centric approach ensures that AI applications are relevant and impactful. Janet also stressed the importance of a clear product vision.

A well-defined vision guides the development process and aligns the team’s efforts towards creating products that truly enhance user experiences.

Across the discussions from panels to keynotes, a common theme is the integration of AI into the broader product strategy. AI should not be seen as an isolated technology but as a tool that enhances the overall business strategy. This requires collaboration across departments and a clear understanding of how AI can solve specific business problems.

Deciding whether to develop AI capabilities in-house or to leverage third-party solutions is a critical consideration. Factors such as resource availability, technical expertise, and strategic goals play a role in this decision. As Joe Futty pointed out, this balance can significantly impact efficiency and innovation.

The fast-paced evolution of product necessitates a culture of continuous learning and curiosity. Product managers and teams must stay informed about the latest advancements and be willing to adapt their strategies accordingly. Ebi Atawodi emphasised curiosity and humility, which are particularly relevant in this context. As she stated in her talk: “The more you know, the more you realise you don’t know,”

As AI becomes more integrated into products, ethical considerations and responsible use become paramount. Companies must establish frameworks and guardrails to ensure that AI applications are fair, transparent, and aligned with ethical standards. Hannah Gutkauf’s point on the need for expertise and frameworks highlights this responsibility.

And just like that, our first stop was done! Thank you to all who made our first stop special, from attendees to volunteers. Be sure to come back to the Mind the Product homepage and Pendo blog in the weeks ahead to read more recaps and the full write-ups of all the talks.