In this Talking Roadmaps bonus episode, Phil Hornby sits down with Silvija Gelevski ahead of the Product Strategy Panel at Product World EU. Silvija challenges the common misconception that strategy is just prioritisation, sharing insights from 60+ global projects on aligning teams, markets, and technology. She explains why winning products come from deliberate choices, strategic clarity, and resilience—not simply shipping faster.

In this Talking Roadmaps teaser, Phil Hornby speaks with Esra Yetis about why transformation efforts collapse despite heavy investment in AI and modern tooling. Esra highlights the hidden organisational bottlenecks behind failed change, challenges the myth that process equals control, and explains how leaders can design empowering guardrails instead of bureaucracy to unlock faster, more resilient product teams.

In this Talking Roadmaps bonus episode, Phil Hornby speaks with Ana Zrno, Product Operations Director, about moderating the Product Operations Panel at Product World EU. They explore misconceptions around AI replacing product ops, why first principles still matter, and how human-centric thinking underpins effective operations. Ana shares practical insights from her experience, highlighting how grounding teams in fundamentals enables better decisions, stronger products, and adaptability in an AI-driven landscape.

In this Talking Roadmaps episode, Phil Hornby speaks with Dan Dalton about why product management is drifting toward process over progress. Dan shares lessons from roles at companies like Sage, Pendo, and Meta, arguing for a return to first-principles thinking, deeper individual contributor mastery, and real-world experience over career acceleration. The conversation challenges PMs to prioritise outcomes, rediscover craft, and rethink what effective product work actually looks like.

In this Talking Roadmaps episode, Phil Hornby interviews Emanuela Milina ahead of the Product Development Panel, exploring why product success is driven less by quality and more by attention, perception, and social spread. Emanuela challenges traditional product thinking, arguing teams must focus on behavioural drivers like curiosity and storytelling, closing the gap between internal product vision and real-world user value in an increasingly crowded digital landscape.

In this episode of Talking Roadmaps, Phil Hornby speaks with Clemens Lutsch about moving beyond “checkbox agility” toward a more modern, human-centered approach. They explore why user stories and MVPs often fail to capture real value, how teams drift into solution-first thinking, and how international standards and Industry 5.0 principles can guide better, evidence-based product decisions.

In this episode, Phil Hornby speaks with Alex Veale about Scaling Product Leadership Without Scaling Headcount. They explore the “scaling paradox,” sharing a real case study of expanding into Australia while maintaining quality under pressure. Alex reveals how embedding AI into product workflows reduced cognitive load, improved decision-making, and enabled faster iteration—without adding team members.

In this Talking Roadmaps bonus episode, Phil Hornby speaks with Johannes Robier about shifting product thinking from feature obsession to emotional impact. Robier challenges the “killer feature” mindset, explaining why products overloaded with functionality often fail to resonate. Instead, he shares how intentionally designed “wow moments” drive advocacy, delight, and memorability—grounded in years of research into the science of user experience and emotional engagement.

In this Talking Roadmaps bonus episode, Phil Hornby speaks with Johannes Robier about shifting product thinking from feature obsession to emotional impact. Robier challenges the “killer feature” mindset, explaining why products overloaded with functionality often fail to resonate. Instead, he shares how intentionally designed “wow moments” drive advocacy, delight, and memorability—grounded in years of research into the science of user experience and emotional engagement.