#86 Scaling Continuous Discovery in Product Portfolios with Teresa Torres

We are elated to host Teresa Torres, the renowned product discovery coach behind Product Talk, on our podcast. Drawing from her vast experience, from her collaborations with industry giants like Spotify and Tesco, but also with small, nimble startup teams we discuss about implementing continuous discovery inside organizations, across teams, driven by business outcomes.

Together, we explore the intricacies, challenges, and opportunities of coordinating in complex product landscapes and what it means for organizations navigating these rough waters. Teresa's insights are simple, yet profound and that makes this episode a must listen!

As the mind behind Product Talk, there's arguably a handful who understand the intricacies of continuous discovery better than Teresa Torres does. Her straightforward style and work has set benchmarks in the industry of product design and development. In our conversation, we venture beyond the usual. We discuss the science of maintaining coherence in a portfolio of products, what it means to ideate within the constraints of an organization, and what are some artifacts and visualization tools that can help product development. She also shares her thoughts on the delicate balance of power, as the scales tip in the age of personal technology, highlighting what GenAI and NoCode could mean for the future of the product. 

With her foundational education from Stanford University and Northwestern University, combined with her hands-on experience, Teresa brings a unique blend of academic rigor and practical insights to the table. 

Give this episode a listen, and you are sure to walk away with points to ponder.

Key Highlights
👉 Relationship between continuous discovery, and organizational structure, team structures, product design, product portfolios, scaling etc.
👉 How can cross-functional product team be empowered by the product team.
👉 Why every product needs a has a business outcome, and a revenue model formula.
👉 Balancing between what creates value for customers and the business.
👉 How do you achieve coherence and achieve coherence in complexity, when there is a portfolio of products?
👉 How can tools be used to impose enabling constraints?
👉 Shifting power to the customer with GenAI and personal technology.

Topics /chapters
(00:00) Intro - Scaling Continuous Discovery in Product Portfolios
(00:43) Teresa Torres's Introduction
(03:08) Scaling and Continuous Discovery
(07:31) Accountability, P&L, and Product Centric Organizations
(09:57) Managing coherence in portfolio of products
(16:27) Coordinating in Complexity
(19:26) Artifacts and Visualizations
(23:01) Ideation within constraints
(29:24) Product Expansions in startups
(37:41) Shift of Power from Product Teams to the Consumer // Personal Technology
(41:51) Navigating customer focus in a world of GenAI
(45:25) Breadcrumbs and Suggestions
(48:06) Closing Notes

Remember that you can always find transcripts and key highlights of the episode on our website:  https://boundaryless.io/podcast/teresa-torres

Episode recorded on October 2, 2023.

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Music
Music from Liosound / Walter Mobilio. Find his portfolio here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://blss.io/Podcast-Music⁠⁠⁠⁠