<![CDATA[Product Small Talk: Behind the Scenes]]>https://productsmalltalk.substack.com/s/behind-the-sceneshttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1ZTc!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F696f0fd9-ce83-4de7-ad3b-43eed9890049_829x829.pngProduct Small Talk: Behind the Sceneshttps://productsmalltalk.substack.com/s/behind-the-scenesSubstackSun, 03 May 2026 20:25:52 GMT<![CDATA[How I Use AI to Save 30 Days a Year (Part 3)]]>https://productsmalltalk.substack.com/p/how-i-use-ai-to-save-30-days-a-year-4dchttps://productsmalltalk.substack.com/p/how-i-use-ai-to-save-30-days-a-year-4dcMon, 28 Oct 2024 12:31:08 GMTIn this final stretch, I'll guide you step by step through integrating AI into your routine, using my case study, in which I combined Glean + ChatGPT to supercharge my weekly status updates, saving 30+ minutes per report.

In case you missed the posts from the last two weeks:

Here are the steps I took:

1. Define objective: After reviewing my weekly and mon…

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]]><![CDATA[BTS- The Product Review Guide]]>https://productsmalltalk.substack.com/p/bts-the-product-review-guidehttps://productsmalltalk.substack.com/p/bts-the-product-review-guideWed, 28 Aug 2024 22:01:23 GMTHi, this is Wayne. Every month, I will publish an in-depth, step-by-step guide on improving PM craft to help you become 30% more effective at work. I appreciate your support, and if there’s a topic you’re interested in exploring together, don’t hesitate to reach out 🤝

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Cheers!

Delivering consistent product review outcomes is crucial to a product manager’s craft and career. A well-executed product review should aim to have the following outcome:

  • Getting Your Asks Met: Clearly communicate your needs and objectives to gain the necessary support.

  • Encouraging Healthy Engagement: Foster a collaborative environment where feedback is constructive and focused.

  • Creating More Advocates: Turn stakeholders into champions of your product by building trust and confidence in your work.

In case you missed my original weekly post on product reviews, check out “I messed up my product review” and how to overcome it.

Three Phases of Preparation for a Product Review

Phase 1: Prep/Discovery

Prepping the Workstream:

  • Determine the Need for a Review: Assess whether a review is necessary or the discussion can be handled asynchronously. Define clear goals and objectives.

  • Initial Alignment: Discuss the review topic with your manager and skip-level manager to ensure focus on the right areas.

  • Create a Quick Brief: Provide a high-level overview outlining the review's flow, structure, and key points [reference].

  • Assemble a Working Team: Form a cross-functional team (e.g., designer, engineer, data scientist) and schedule regular check-ins leading to the review.

Decision Maker Preparation:

  • Identify Key Decision Makers: Know the crucial decision-makers and ensure they are invited to the review.

  • Understand Historical Context: Research any relevant background information regarding what stakeholders know about the topic. Understanding what didn’t work well in the past is critical to setting the right expectations.

  • Learn Review Styles: Anticipate your audience’s review styles (e.g., data-driven, UX-focused) and prepare accordingly.

  • Invite the Right Support: Ensure the right individuals are present to provide support during the review. This can be engineer managers/directors to support technical discussions, or design leads to weigh in on the UX decisions.

  • Address Dependencies and Constraints: Identify and resolve any dependencies or constraints beforehand to avoid surprises during the review. You want to minimize any “no-brainers” ahead of the review. The most obvious one here is whether you have gotten alignment with other stakeholders or teams.

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]]><![CDATA[No Two Product Managers Are the Same]]>https://productsmalltalk.substack.com/p/no-two-product-managers-are-the-samehttps://productsmalltalk.substack.com/p/no-two-product-managers-are-the-sameSat, 03 Aug 2024 22:24:43 GMTHi, this is Wayne. Every month, I’ll share a PM reflection on my personal experiences of breaking into and working in tech. I’ll provide insights from my PM journey and career growth. I appreciate your support, and if there’s a topic you’re interested in exploring together, feel free to reach out 🤝

Consider subscribing to get the full experience!

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Cheers!

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]]><![CDATA[Performance Reviews in Tech: The Real Deal]]>https://productsmalltalk.substack.com/p/performance-reviews-in-tech-the-realhttps://productsmalltalk.substack.com/p/performance-reviews-in-tech-the-realSat, 03 Aug 2024 22:22:15 GMTHi, this is Wayne. Every month, I’ll share a PM reflection on my personal experiences of breaking into and working in tech. I’ll provide insights from my PM journey and career growth. I appreciate your support, and if there’s a topic you’re interested in exploring together, feel free to reach out 🤝

Consider subscribing to get the full experience!

Subscribe now

Cheers!

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]]><![CDATA[Intentional Time Management: More Productive Than Any AI Tools]]>https://productsmalltalk.substack.com/p/intentional-time-management-morehttps://productsmalltalk.substack.com/p/intentional-time-management-moreSat, 03 Aug 2024 22:19:05 GMTHi, this is Wayne. Every month, I’ll share a PM reflection on my personal experiences of breaking into and working in tech. I’ll provide insights from my PM journey and career growth. I appreciate your support, and if there’s a topic you’re interested in exploring together, feel free to reach out 🤝

Consider subscribing to get the full experience!

Subscribe now

Cheers!

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]]><![CDATA[Breaking into Product Management: The Truth No One Tells You ]]>https://productsmalltalk.substack.com/p/launching-into-product-managementhttps://productsmalltalk.substack.com/p/launching-into-product-managementSat, 03 Aug 2024 21:44:40 GMTHi, this is Wayne. Every month, I’ll share a PM reflection on my personal experiences of breaking into and working in tech. I’ll provide insights from my PM journey and career growth. I appreciate your support, and if there’s a topic you’re interested in exploring together, feel free to reach out 🤝

Consider subscribing to get the full experience!

Subscribe now

Cheers!

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