It\u2019s no secret that building a great product requires a solid understanding of your customer. But how do you capture that information, and what do you do with it when you\u2019ve found it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Emma Leyden<\/a> knows. As a senior product manager who specializes in human-centered design<\/a>, she\u2019s spent years using unique research techniques to create explosive product growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recently, Emma was with Polygence<\/a>, a high-growth seed-stage startup that connects students with mentors. Before that, she was with IDEO<\/a>, an award-winning global design firm, where she honed her ability to uncover user insights through user research to make product decisions. And before that, she worked at Title Nine<\/a>, an ecommerce women’s clothing company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emma is committed to designing user-centric and data-driven products that drive engagement. She believes that if you create great experiences for customers, business value will follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI’ve really always been focused on understanding the deep needs,\u201d she tells us. \u201cOnce I figure out a user’s need, I can use those insights to inform product decisions and fuel growth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emma brings a robust basket of tools to the table: UX research, design, agile methodologies, and honed skill of marrying user needs and business objectives. We had the pleasure of working with Emma when she was with IDEO, and we caught up with her recently to get her best tips on how today\u2019s product leaders can make a measurable impact on their organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, we\u2019re sharing insights from that chat, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is something uniquely refreshing about talking to a digital leader who remembers there is a real person on the other side of the screen. For Emma Leyden, a human-centered approach to product management keeps her focused on what really matters: the end user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs a product manager, you should feel as if the customer is in the room with you as you’re making product decisions,\u201d Emma says. \u201cYou should be able to speak with the voice of the customer because you’ve talked to so many people, but also because you’ve synthesized enough and you understand your audience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Human-centered product management is exactly what it sounds like. A style of work that has a person anchoring everything you do. It can show up in the way you talk to customers, experiment, or lead your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some cases, human-centered product management means literally bringing customers into the office. For example, in one role, Emma\u2019s team saw sports bra sales fall 5% year over year. To uncover why, she brought in five women who consistently shop for sports bras to learn what\u2019s important to them when buying a bra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
A Human-Centered Approach to Product Management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Is Human-Centered Product Management?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Talking To Your Customers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n