In Episode 15 of Talking Roadmaps, Justin Woods sits down with Christine Itwaru to explore whether Product Operations should be seen as a system or a function. Christine shares best practices like treating Product Ops as a product, starting small, iterating continuously, and clarifying roles to avoid overlap with product managers. She also dives into the value of process, scaling challenges, and how Product Ops supports the entire organization in delivering customer value.

In Episode 14 of Talking Roadmaps, Justin Woods interviews Hugo Froes, Head of Product Operations at OLX, about whether Product Ops should ultimately aim to make itself redundant. Hugo shares why Product Ops adds value during scale-ups, how to avoid becoming a bottleneck, the importance of business sponsorship, and best practices for enabling teams rather than owning processes. This thoughtful discussion explores Product Ops as a force multiplier that empowers organisations to mature sustainably.

In episode 13, Jessica Soroky shares how to build and scale an effective product operations team. She explains when to hire product ops, the key pillars (tools, data, enablement, process), and why combining program management with product ops creates huge value. Jessica also dives into hiring best practices, common mistakes, and how product ops drives better go-to-market execution and roadmapping. Packed with practical advice, this conversation highlights how product ops can transform outcomes across stakeholders.

In this bonus episode of Talking Roadmaps, Phil Hornby speaks with Nesrine Changuel about her new book and the power of designing for delight. Nesrine shares how companies like Google, Spotify, and Skype infused emotional connection into products, why “deep delight” drives retention, revenue, and referrals, and how tools like the Delight Grid help product teams map functional and emotional motivators. Discover practical ways to prioritize delight in your product roadmap.

In Episode 12 of Talking Roadmaps, Justin Woods interviews Melissa Perri on the true role of product operations in enabling value creation. Melissa dives deep into the three pillars of product ops—data, research, and process—explaining how they connect strategy to execution and empower both teams and executives. Learn how orgs can scale, standardize, and truly support product managers.

In Episode 11 of Talking Roadmaps, Justin Woods speaks with Paulo Garcia about the evolving role of product operations. Paulo shares practical insights on when to introduce a product ops team, how it enables entire organizations—not just product managers—and best practices like scanning the room, building allies, and balancing tooling with human connection. A must-watch for teams considering formalizing product ops.

In Episode 10 of Talking Roadmaps, Phil Hornby interviews Denise Tilles to unpack what successful product operations really looks like today. They explore the evolving role of product ops in enabling decision-making, how AI is shifting the landscape, and the balance between structure and flexibility. Denise shares practical insights on reporting lines, organizational models, tool misuse, and common pitfalls in scaling product ops teams.

In episode 9 of Talking Roadmaps, Justin Woods interviews Graham Reed to explore whether ProductOps truly creates team awesomeness. Graham shares hard-won lessons on setting up ProductOps from 0 to 1, how to drive audience-centric communication, when to introduce the function, and why it's not just support—but a strategic enabler. They also discuss measurement challenges, cultural resistance, and tips for aligning product and commercial teams.

In Episode 8 of Talking Roadmaps, Phil Hornby interviews Amit Godbole to explore whether Product Operations delivers ROI. They dive into how Product Ops supports data-informed decision-making, roadmap facilitation, and scaling without chaos. Amit shares insights from working with top-tier banks and B2B enterprises, highlighting the balance between process, tools, and intuition. From compliance alignment to co-creating with early customers, this episode offers a deep dive into evolving product practices.