The document discusses the role and evolution of product operations over time in software companies. It describes how product operations helps to scale the company, sets standards and processes, and improves communication and decision making. Product operations is an enabling function that helps product managers with tools, processes, communication, and data. As a company grows from start-up to growth to enterprise phases, the product operations team and approach needs to adapt.

1. The one about
Product
Operations
Juan Sanchez Martinez
Product Operations Manager
Brainly
Beata Kupiec
Director, Product Center of
Excellence
Brainly

2. ● what
● why
● who
Product
Operations

3. Product
Operations one
year later… Beata Kupiec
Director,
Product Center of Excellence
Brainly

4. ● One year of leading PM OPS
● discussions with PM OPS in
companies worldwide
● Product Operations
workshop by Denise Tilles
Lessons
Learned

5. https://www.productoperations.com/

6. Typical Evolution of Software Company
Founding Team Exec Team Exec Team Exec Team
Sales
Marketing
Product
&
Tech
Start-up phase Early Phase Growth Phase
Sales
HR
Customer
Success
Product
&
Tech
Marketing
Enterprise Phase
Business Line A
Sales
Customer
Success
Product
&
Tech
Marketing
HR
Finance
Business Line A
Sales
Customer
Success
Product
&
Tech
Marketing
https://melissaperri.com/blog/2019/7/19/product-
operations-the-fuel-for-winning-product-strategies
Product
OPS
Product
OPS
Director of Product
Strategy and Operations
Product
OPS
Product
OPS
Start small…
… it will help you to
scale when you grow !

7. “Product Operations is
an enablement
function for product
management”
- Melissa Perri
“Product Ops helps with
process, efficiency and
decision making by
improving
communication and
removing friction points.”
- PLA Report

8. helps to scale
set standards
& processes
improves
communication
enables
making
quicker
decisions
What Product Operations do ?

9. Product
Operations
Problem

10. ● Tools
● Processes
● Communication
● Data
Product Operations Manager
● Right hand of CPO or VP
of Product
● Deep product expertise is
NOT a MUST
● Change management &
stakeholders management
IS a MUST

11. How
Tools
● roadmap
● OKRs
● insights/feedback
● experiments
● data
Processes
● planning
● roadmap review
● monthlies
● quarterlies
People
● Product Manager
role &
responsibilities
● professional growth
● career guide
● knowledge sharing
● PM principles, 101
● product org
structure
Standards
● templates
- business case
- project charter
- experiments
● communication/
presentations
● reporting

12. PM OPS do not make decisions
PM OPS enable the decisions to be made
Denise Tilles

13. Lessons learned…

14. Michael Papanek, pic by Maui Houn
Constant Change & Stakeholders Management !

15. Save money
- Excel rules !
Tools
Roadmap
A good roadmap is a
communication tool –
tailor the roadmap to
your audience.
C-level needs slides

16. ● Early Phase -> Growth Phase -> Enterprise Phase
- adapt to needs
- embedded vs centralized PM OPS
● B2B vs B2C
- feedback gathering and governing
- metrics tracking (revenue)
● Reports, dashboards
- no one has time to read offline -> reports/dashboards without a meeting
to discuss them will never be read offline
Processes

17. ● Operational Execution
all activities related with current
product plans, execution & communication
● Strategic Planning
all activities related to next year product strategy,
budget, teams
● Product Management
planning & alignment workshops; all hands, social
events, offsites
Planning
Execution
Product
Management
Product Operating System

18. Roadmap Reviews
Product Reviews
Product Leaders
Check-in
KPIs Reviews
Product Updates
Product Operating System
Participants Goal Content Cadence Comms
monthly
quarterly
ev. 6 weeks
weekly
ev. release slack
slack
email/slack
email
email
Transparency &
alignment on next
month's priorities
Visibility on quarterly
progress towards
achieving the
product goals and
biz KPIs
Alignment,nt on
upcoming plans &
priorities; input to
PMs planning
Update on progress
on main KPIs &
decision making
when needed
Cross org
communication on
deliverables &
moved metrics if
applies
Release notes inlc.
Initiative description as
per template
Next 6 weeks plans
New requests discuss ,
trade offs, & greenlight
progress ->data on
metrics
Insights
Learnings
Next quarter goals
Leading metrics
dashboards
Revenue metrics
Roadmaps of each area
OKRs, initiatives,
priorities
Mandatory: PMs
Optional: Eng mngrs,
Leads, Designers, Copy
Mandatory: PMs, PM
leads, CPO, VP, ENG
mngrs,
Mandatory: PM leads
Optional: VP, CPO
Mandatory: PMs, PM
leads, CPO, VP, ENG
mngrs,
Comms to org by PMs

19. ● Templates
- easy to read by various audiences
- save time to prep communication
- help to maintain communication
efficiency
Standards
"Sometimes there's no time for
democracy and we just
implement standards agreed with
leadership & everyone has to follow"
- iterate as much as you can
- involve PMs and other
stakeholders
- adapt to your needs

20. ● Shout out loud & even louder if you do not agree
with over hiring
People
● Product Management 101 is a MUST
● Hire right people for the roles on ALL
levels
● Foster CULTURE & MINDSET

21. Power is in Collaboration of Operations !
PM
OPS
Design
OPS
Eng
OPS
Sales
OPS
● research
● discovery
● design process
● teams maturity
matrix
Data:
● revenue
● churn
● retention
DA
OPS
● experimenting
framework

22. ● communicate your plans & deliverables
- all hands
- broadcasts
- newsletter
Show your value
● Measure your success:
- operational efficiency
- satisfaction
- time to decision
- time to market
- PMs attrition

23. ● sponsorship
● support
● discipline
PM OPS team
is set to
enforce rigor
across org!
Needed for success…
LEADERSHIP

24. “Don’t procrastinate
on Product Ops”
Denise Tilles
Start small…
… it will help you to
scale when you grow !

25. Q&A
Thank you!

26. local communities in 200+
cities around the world
the global professional
network for product people
1,000+

27. Your voice
matters!