AI is not coming for your job… but maybe for your Jira board! There has been SO much written lately about the “end of the… <insert product manager and other product trifecta roles here>” that it has become a cliche…

As I start on my consulting journey, helping companies move to the product operating model, clients increasingly ask what books, articles, and podcasts I might suggest for someone new to product operations. The good news/bad news is that there is an increasing wealth of resources for someone to dig into, so much so that it can be overwhelming.

Keeping up with the terms and buzzwords that make up the Generative AI ecosystem can be daunting — and that’s coming from someone who reads and listens to podcasts nearly every day on this very topic! While I may know more about this topic than the average person, I can admit that it’s still only enough to be dangerous. Loosely understanding and discussing these concepts with colleagues and stakeholders will only get you so far.

In the future, every company — including the one you work for now — will have to be an “AI company” to survive. That’s not hyperbole, it’s a fact.

Generative AI isn’t just about speeding up (or fully automating) tasks — it’s a tool that enhances human intelligence and improves the quality of your work output. In fact, I think much of the focus on efficiency gains (and the subsequent debate about workforce reductions) misses the point…

Outputs are the tangible results of our efforts — the features we ship, the tools we implement, or the products we launch. Conversely, outcomes are the measurable impacts that outputs have on our business goals and user experiences.