Problem Statement
As the Product Lead, I was responsible for building the world's first Challenge-Based-Learning (CBL) platform designed to train engineers globally in real-world AI skills while solving humanity's greatest challenges. This platform addresses the critical issue of a lack of practical, real-world education for engineers and recognizes that engineers are more likely to be unhappy in a company if they cannot develop their skills and engage in meaningful work.
Lack of Practical Education: Traditional engineering education often fails to provide real-world, practical experience. Many engineers graduate with theoretical knowledge but lack the hands-on skills needed to tackle real-world problems.
Employee Satisfaction: Engineers are increasingly seeking opportunities to develop their skills and work on meaningful projects. Without these opportunities, they are likely to feel unfulfilled and dissatisfied in their roles, leading to higher turnover rates.
Project Phases and Key Responsibilities:
As a Product Lead, my responsibilities encompassed a wide range of tasks and duties to ensure the successful development and deployment of the FruitPunch AI platform. Here are the key responsibilities I undertook:
Product vision & strategy
- Conducted market research to understand the needs and pain points of both engineers and organizations.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to articulate a clear vision: a platform where engineers solve real-world problems through AI, contributing to global challenges.
- Communicated this vision across the company to ensure alignment and buy-in.
- Developed a strategic plan that included long-term goals and specific objectives to address the identified gaps in education and engineer satisfaction.
- Mapped out key initiatives to drive the platform’s development, focusing on high-impact features first.
Roadmap Planning and Management
- Established a detailed product roadmap with input from stakeholders, outlining key milestones and deliverables.
- Used a combination of user stories, feature requirements, and market analysis to define the roadmap.
- Implemented a prioritization framework (e.g., RICE - Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort) to determine the most critical features for development.
- Regularly reviewed and adjusted priorities based on user feedback and market changes.
- Held bi-weekly roadmap review meetings with the team to reassess priorities and incorporate new insights.
- Ensured the roadmap remained flexible to adapt to evolving user needs and business goals.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Organized regular meetings with internal teams (engineering, design, marketing) and external stakeholders (educators, partner organizations) to gather diverse perspectives.
- Created an open channel for continuous feedback and collaboration through tools like Slack and regular surveys.
- Facilitated workshops and brainstorming sessions to align the platform’s objectives with the company’s strategic goals.
- Developed clear communication plans to keep all stakeholders informed and engaged.
Product Development and Management
- Managed cross-functional teams using agile methodologies, ensuring everyone was aligned on goals and timelines.
- Conducted daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives to maintain transparency and continuous improvement.
- Defined the MVP’s scope to include essential features based on user insights and business goals
- Launched the MVP (Figma Prototype) to a select group of beta testers to gather initial feedback and validate assumptions.
- Adopted a “try, fail, and learn” approach, running experiments to test new features and gather feedback.
- Used iterative cycles to rapidly prototype, test, and refine the platform. (Figma)
- Established continuous feedback loops with users through in-app surveys, feedback forms, and community forums.
- Set up A/B tests to get fast feedback to improve the platform and increase conversion
- Acted on feedback to make incremental improvements and enhance the platform’s value.
- Provided regular coaching and mentorship to team members, fostering a culture of learning and growth.
- Encouraged knowledge sharing and collaboration through team-building activities and cross-functional projects.
Data Analysis and Reporting
- Established KPIs such as user engagement, satisfaction, conversion and learning outcomes to measure success.
- Implemented analytics tools to track these metrics and generate reports.
- Regularly analyzed user data to identify trends, pain points, and areas for improvement.
- Used insights to inform product decisions and prioritize features. Report to CTO:
- Prepared detailed reports on progress, challenges, and strategic decisions for regular meetings with the CTO.
- Used these reports to facilitate data-driven discussions and align on next steps.
User Experience and Design
- Led design thinking workshops to ensure the platform was intuitive and user-friendly.
- Created user flows and wireframes for new features based on user insights and business needs.
- Conducted usability testing sessions to refine the user interface and experience based on real user interactions.
- Used surveys, interviews, and analytics to understand user behaviors and preferences.
- Created user personas and journey maps to guide design and development decisions.
Reflections and lessons learned
Throughout the development of FruitPunch AI platform, I learned valuable lessons: Adaptability Being flexible and ready to pivot based on user feedback and market changes is vital for the success of any innovative project, especially in a start-up enviropnment. Importance of feedback loops Regularly engaging with users and stakeholders is crucial for continuous improvement and ensuring the product meets their needs. Data utilization Leveraging data to drive decisions ensures that the product development process remains objective and focused on delivering real value. Collaboration Strong cross-functional collaboration fosters innovation and helps in overcoming complex challenges. By fulfilling these responsibilities, I ensured the successful development and deployment of the Challenge-Based-Learning platform, driving its strategic vision and delivering impactful results for users and stakeholders. This project demonstrates my ability to lead the development of groundbreaking products, drive strategic vision, and adapt to the evolving needs of users and stakeholders.
