What does it take to build AI features at the scale of Microsoft Copilot? Senior Product Manager Stéphanie Visser reveals the massive shifts in product development, from focusing on pixels to tokens and embracing a culture of rapid, data-driven experimentation. Learn how the roles of PMs, engineers, and scientists are evolving and what it takes to succeed.In this episode, we cover:The shift from UX-focused products to output-quality-focused AI.How to run experiments and decide when an AI feature is ready to ship.The changing roles and expectations for PMs, engineers, and data scientists.Building trust and a strong product culture in a distributed AI team.This episode is a must-watch for product managers, engineers, and tech leaders looking to adapt their processes for the age of AI and accelerate their delivery cycles.Timestamps:00:00:00 - How Microsoft Builds AI Features00:00:49 - The #1 Thing That Changed for Product Managers01:28 - From Pixels to Tokens: The AI Product Shift02:58 - Why AI Is All About Output Quality, Not UX04:46 - When Is an AI Feature "Good Enough" to Ship?06:45 - The "Non-Embarrassment Bar" for Releasing AI09:07 - Why Old User Feedback Methods Don't Work for AI12:28 - The New Expectations for Software Engineers in AI15:33 - When to Involve Engineers in the Product Process17:43 - How Microsoft Structures Its AI Product Teams20:40 - Why 3-Month Planning Is Obsolete in the AI Era22:42 - How to Remove Bias From Your Product Decisions25:36 - Balancing Data vs. User Intuition in AI27:44 - The Biggest Bottleneck in AI Experimentation31:12 - How to Define the Right Metrics for Your AI Product33:39 - Building Trust and Culture in a Remote Team37:47 - The Most Underrated Skill for Product Managers40:57 - How to Cultivate a Strong Product Culture44:32 - The AI Tools a Microsoft PM Actually Uses46:29 - How to Manage the Expanding Scope of the PM RoleConnect with Stéphanie Visser:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanievisserConnect with Patrick Akil:https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-akilhttps://twitter.com/PatrickAkil_Sponsors:Xebia - https://xebia.com#ProductManagement #AI #Microsoft
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Stop Hiring Junior Engineers Because of AI?
As AI accelerates development, many companies are halting junior hiring, believing AI tools can replace them. Shahin Shahkarami, Director of Data & AI at Ikea Retail, argues this is a massive mistake and that now is actually the best time to invest in new talent.In this episode/video, we cover:Why companies should hire junior talent despite the rise of AI.How the role of a data scientist is evolving with generative AI.The most valuable business use cases for AI beyond chatbots.This conversation is for tech leaders, hiring managers, and aspiring developers looking to understand how to build and grow their careers in the age of AI.Connect with Shahin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahin-shahkaramiFull episode on YouTube ▶️https://youtu.be/Jui-8Lx6kvkBeyond Coding Podcast with 🎙Patrick AkilPowered by Xebia!!Timestamps:0:00:00 - Why Now Is The Best Time to Hire Junior Talent00:01:46 - The Massive Mistake Companies Make with AI Hiring00:03:11 - How Junior Talent Can Stand Out in 202500:04:39 - Why Senior-Only Teams Can Become Negative00:05:56 - The ROI Problem: What If Your Junior Talent Leaves?00:07:44 - How Companies Can Actually Retain Top Talent00:11:06 - How AI Has Changed Personal Productivity for Leaders00:15:34 - How the Role of a Data Scientist Is Evolving00:18:28 - The 80/20 Rule of Building AI Products00:21:37 - The Rise of the "AI Engineer" and What It Means00:23:37 - A Simple Strategy for Personal Growth in Tech00:28:46 - Where Generative AI Delivers Real Business Value00:32:37 - Why You Must Differentiate Your Business With AI Now00:38:09 - A 2-Fold Strategy for Prioritizing AI Projects00:40:41 - The Power of a 20% Experimentation Culture00:43:10 - The Problem With Chatbots as a First AI Project00:46:20 - The Danger of Releasing an 80% Good AI Product#AI #TechCareers #DataScience
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How to Master Software Engineering (From Junior to Architect)
Feeling overwhelmed by the constant change in software engineering? After 25 years in the industry, CTO Joris Kuipers shares a pragmatic roadmap to not just survive, but achieve true mastery in your craft, whether you're a junior developer or a seasoned architect.In this episode, we cover:How to focus your learning when new technologies emerge dailyThe ideal environments for junior and senior engineers to thriveWhy rapid, frequent deployment is SAFER than slow, careful releasesThe critical feedback loops you must have to accelerate your careerHow to move beyond rigid processes like Scrum to deliver real valueThis is for any software engineer who wants to stop just "doing the work" and start building a deeply fulfilling and successful career by mastering their craft.Connect with Joris:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jkuipersFull episode on YouTube ▶️https://youtu.be/pNtkOZuWetgBeyond Coding Podcast with 🎙Patrick AkilPowered by Xebia!!Timestamps:00:00:00 - The #1 Thing That Gives a 25-Year CTO Energy00:02:39 - How to Maintain Mastery When Tech Constantly Changes00:05:30 - The Chicken-and-Egg Problem of Learning on the Job00:08:49 - What Junior Developers Should Master First00:11:39 - The Danger of Starting Your Career at a Small Startup00:14:45 - How to Persuade Senior Engineers to Change Their Ways00:17:33 - Why I Don't Want to Be a Full-Time Coder Anymore00:20:14 - The Right Way to Ask Your Senior for Help00:22:42 - Why We Stopped Doing Story Point Estimations00:25:39 - The Problem with Managers Who Lack Technical Depth00:29:26 - Why Integration is the Future of Software Engineering00:33:11 - The Dark Side of Accessible Cloud Infrastructure00:35:34 - Why You MUST See Your Code Running in Production00:37:35 - Should Developers Be On-Call for Their Own Code?00:41:38 - The Surprising Reason Faster Deployments Are Safer00:45:57 - Why Small, Frequent Changes Reduce Your Risk00:49:09 - How Your Environment Makes or Breaks Your Career00:52:10 - The Good News: Learning Gets Easier Over Time
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52:48
The Simple Daily Habit That Unlocks Your Productivity
Time is your most finite resource; once you spend it, you can never get it back. In this conversation, co-founder and Senior Product Manager Joseph Hill reveals the mindset and systems he uses to be intentional with his time, manage his focus, and stay productive without burning out.In this episode, we cover:How to be intentional with your time and challenge unnecessary meetings.The right tools for knowledge and task management (Obsidian, Jira, etc.).A simple daily logging method to boost awareness and reflection.Why experimenting with your processes is crucial for career growth.How to overcome FOMO and take control of your workload.This episode is for any professional who feels overwhelmed by their to-do list and wants actionable strategies to reclaim their focus and energy.Connect with Joseph: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillmeisterFull episode on YouTube ▶️https://youtu.be/9r2_49wW2xUBeyond Coding Podcast with 🎙Patrick AkilPowered by Xebia!!Timestamps:00:00:00 - The #1 Realization About Your Time00:00:44 - My New Approach to Knowledge Management00:02:10 - The Surprising Reason I Use Jira for Personal Tasks00:04:03 - Why You Should Experiment (Even If It Fails)00:06:40 - How to Challenge Processes Without Being Flaky00:08:56 - How to Say "No" to Meetings Early in Your Career00:11:57 - The Only Person Who Can Manage Your Time00:13:13 - How AI Is Changing Meeting Productivity Forever00:16:24 - Is Your Team Using Async Communication Correctly?00:19:25 - How We Track and Limit Context Switching00:21:29 - The Simple Trick to Managing an Overwhelming Workload00:24:08 - The Hard Truth About Dropping Tasks You Enjoy00:26:49 - Giving Yourself Grace: You Don't Have to Be a Superhuman00:28:29 - Why We Don't Value Our Own Time (And How to Fix It)00:30:23 - The Daily Logging Habit That Creates Insane Awareness00:33:48 - My Sunday Ritual for Weekly Reflection and Micro-Goals00:36:21 - The One Daily Question That Brings Me Joy and Energy00:38:20 - How I Keep My Work and Personal Knowledge Separate00:41:24 - The Power of Analyzing Yourself to Improve Your Life
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Principal Software Engineer: Democracy at Work is Overrated
Dario Gieselaar, Principal Software Engineer from Elastic gets brutally honest about what it really takes to succeed in a top tech company. We uncover the uncomfortable truths about the promotion game, why direct feedback is crucial (even when it hurts), and why a "winning" mindset is everything. This is the conversation about career growth they don't have in HR meetings.In this episode, we cover:Navigating promotion cycles and advocating for yourselfGiving and receiving critical feedback without being seen as "negative"The importance of accountability and managing low-performing colleaguesWhy a top-down approach can be more effective than team democracyHow to "disagree and commit" to keep projects moving forwardThis video is for any software engineer who wants to level up their career, navigate corporate dynamics, and become a high-impact performer in a competitive environment.Full episode on YouTube ▶️https://youtu.be/1q7Jjbi5GJ4Beyond Coding Podcast with 🎙Patrick AkilPowered by Xebia!!Timestamps:00:00:00 - Career Progression for Software Engineers in Big Tech00:00:28 - The Pain and Frustration of a Missed Promotion00:03:44 - The "Classic Game" of Asking Your Manager for a Promotion00:05:38 - When Salary Becomes a Trigger for Your Motivation00:08:09 - Why Recognition is More Important Than Money00:11:09 - The Challenge of Giving Positive vs. Critical Feedback00:13:26 - Is Your Critical Feedback Being Labeled as "Negative"?00:15:36 - When Being Indirect Wastes Everyone's Time00:17:44 - Why Direct Disagreement Leads to Better Decisions00:20:16 - The Surprising Impact of Meeting Colleagues In-Person00:22:43 - How Reorgs Destroy High-Performing Teams00:25:59 - Why the World's Biggest Codebase is Embarrassing00:27:58 - Should You Let Your Team Make Their Own Mistakes?00:30:47 - The Unique Challenge of Building Enterprise Software00:34:16 - A Hard Lesson: When Your Directness Hurts a Colleague00:38:45 - The Uncomfortable Truth About Managing Low Performers00:43:21 - Why High Performers Leave Teams That Tolerate Coasting00:47:05 - A Contrarian Take: Is Workplace Democracy Overrated?00:50:54 - How to "Disagree and Commit" Without Wasting Time00:55:52 - The #1 Instinct to Control When Receiving Feedback01:01:43 - Mindset Shift: Treating Software Engineering Like a Competitive Sport
Beyond Coding is a weekly podcast with conversations that go "beyond coding" in a fireside chat format.
Common topics are tech, entrepreneurship, and career journeys.
Authentic, informative and inspiring. That's the aim for each episode.
New episodes every Wednesday 🎙
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