Behind The Product

SEP
  • 5.0 (12)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

Behind The Product takes a behind-the-scenes look at how software products are made. From the people who innovate, to the makers who use their craft, each influencing products in different ways. We will put the spotlight on the practices that guide decision-makers to solve some of the toughest challenges and the people who make it happen. For more information visit www.sep.com/podcast.

  1. Sentry: Indragie Karunaratne

    JAN 30

    Sentry: Indragie Karunaratne

    In this episode of Behind the Product, host Zac Darnell and co-host Lauren Lecoffre sit down with Sentry's Director of Engineering, Indragie Karunaratne. He shares how Sentry transformed from error monitoring into a multi-product observability platform. We discuss the hard-won lessons of product expansion, balancing AI experimentation with focused execution, and maintaining developer experience across 100+ platforms. Our conversation was a wonderfully candid and real discussion on what it can look like to navigate challenges teams face in these areas. Key TakeawaysMulti-product strategy needs a clear rubricProtect capacity for long-term betsMulti-product expansion multiplies SDK complexitySession Replay eliminates debugging guessworkFair Source balances openness with business protection

    42 min
  2. Human-First AI: Lessons from Angie Carel

    07/21/2025

    Human-First AI: Lessons from Angie Carel

    In this episode of Behind the Product, host Zac Darnell and co-host Raman Ohri sit down with AI strategist Angie Carel for a refreshingly candid conversation about the human side of AI adoption. From why skipping AI literacy is a guaranteed misstep, to how “corporate recess” can spark innovation. Angie brings clarity, empathy, and a touch of urgency to a rapidly evolving space. Whether you're a seasoned leader or just dipping your toes into the AI space, this one’s packed with insight and inspiration. 3 Key Takeaways: AI Literacy is Non-Negotiable: Organizations fail when they skip foundational education. Without a baseline understanding, fear and misuse take hold.Adoption Starts with Play: Introducing “corporate recess” gives employees a low-risk space to experiment, share, and discover meaningful use cases.Experience Still Matters: Great outputs from GenAI come when real-world knowledge meets strong prompting—tools don’t replace wisdom. We'd love to hear from you! Reach out to podcast@sep.com to share your feedback on this show. You can find more information about this podcast at sep.com/podcast and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening!

    43 min
  3. Kraftful: Yana Welinder

    06/24/2025

    Kraftful: Yana Welinder

    In this episode of Behind the Product, Zac Darnell is joined by Yana Welinder, co-founder and CEO of Kraftful, an AI-powered toolkit for product teams. Together they explore how AI is transforming product management—from turning user feedback into actionable insights to evolving the very role of the product manager. Yana also shares her views on trust, regulation, and what it takes to stay ahead in a fast-moving AI landscape. Key Takeaways: AI as a Collaborator, Not a Replacement - Kraftful leverages AI to analyze user feedback and generate PRDs and user stories—giving product teams a head start while preserving human creativity and oversight.Evolving Role of the PM - As AI automates tasks like project management, tomorrow’s product managers will become product builders—more strategic, hands-on, and deeply integrated into the creative process.Building Trust in AI Tools - Transparency and control are essential. Kraftful emphasizes user trust by making AI decisions visible and editable—letting humans stay in the loop and in control. We'd love to hear from you! Reach out to podcast@sep.com to share your feedback on this show. You can find more information about this podcast at sep.com/podcast and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening! Timestamps: 02:51 - The Role of AI in Product Development15:50 - The Evolution of Kraftful: From Concept to Launch18:51 - Navigating AI Regulations and User Trust29:51 - The Evolution of Product Management in the Age of AI34:12 - Navigating Change in Product Management

    38 min
  4. Inside SEP: Favorites from 2024

    01/10/2025

    Inside SEP: Favorites from 2024

    We thought it would be fun to share some of our favorite 'things' from 2024 as a way to reflect on the year and share things we've been learning. Pod regular Chris Shinkle and host Zac Darnell share our favorite products, thought-leaders, habits, and advice from 2024. We'd love to hear from you! Reach out to podcast@sep.com to share your feedback on this show. You can find more information about this podcast at sep.com/podcast and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening!

    38 min

  5. 10/29/2024

    Satya Ganni: User-Centric Success

    In this episode of Behind the Product, host Zac Darnell talks with Satya Ganni, CEO of Userflow and Beamer, about the evolving landscape of user-centric product design and its implications for product management. Key Points from this episode: User-Centric Product Experience: Satya emphasizes the importance of measuring "time to value" for first-time users and "time to outcome" for repeat users. He argues that a product should enable users to achieve their goals efficiently, minimizing the need for human intervention in support and customer service.Macroeconomic Trends and Product Development: The conversation delves into how macroeconomic factors and the pandemic have influenced the rise of user-centric experiences. Satya notes that products must cater to a global audience, requiring teams to prioritize compelling user experiences that can operate independently across diverse geographies.Strategies for Scaling: Satya outlines a strategic approach for product teams looking to scale, which includes identifying their current development stage, clarifying strategy and resource needs, and hiring experienced individuals who can guide them through the scaling process. This structured approach is vital for building effective systems that support growth. We'd love to hear from you! Reach out to podcast@sep.com to share your feedback on this show. You can find more information about this podcast at sep.com/podcast and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening!

    37 min

  6. 09/17/2024

    IEDC: Ryan Locke & Natasha Jensen-Matta

    In this episode of "Behind the Product," we sit down with Ryan Locke and Natasha Jensen-Matta from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) to explore how this unique quasi-government organization is driving economic growth in Indiana. From supporting early-stage startups to attracting international businesses, the IEDC plays a pivotal role in the state's business ecosystem. Ryan and Natasha share insights on how they leverage public resources to spur private investment, bridge market gaps, and support entrepreneurs across Indiana. Whether you're in a startup, BigCo, or investment firm; understanding this ecosystem could help you move your innovation forward. A few key moments: The role of IEDC in Economic DevelopmentThe support for Diverse Business ModelsPublic-Private Collaboration and Market Adaptation We'd love to hear from you! Reach out to podcast@sep.com to share your feedback on this show. You can find more information about this podcast at sep.com/podcast and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening!

    55 min

  7. 06/21/2024

    FORUM Credit Union: Pioneering Online Banking

    We welcomed CEO, Doug True and CTO, Cameron Piercefield with FORUM Credit Union. FORUM has a long history of embracing technology to better serve its members, from being an early online banking pioneer to developing in-house software solutions. Their member-centric approach and cooperative philosophy have been key drivers, involving members in the design process and sharing innovations with other credit unions. Through partnerships, FORUM continues to enhance its offerings to best serve their members. In this episode we discuss many aspects of FORUM's journey with a few key points: FORUM Credit Union was an early adopter of online banking, offering it in the mid-1990s via floppy disks and modems.They developed their own online banking platform in-house after their initial vendor went bankrupt, leveraging their experience building a loan origination system.FORUM took a member-centric approach, involving members in the design process through storyboarding sessions and pilot groups.They embraced a cooperative philosophy, sharing their lending software with other credit unions to improve the product.They successfully migrated from a 40+ year old system over a three year long project. We'd love to hear from you! Reach out to podcast@sep.com to share your feedback on this show. You can find more information about this podcast at sep.com/podcast and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening!

    51 min

  8. 05/31/2024

    Inside SEP: Product Strategy and Innovation

    In this episode, our guests are Chris Shinkle and Mike Cronin from SEP to discuss how the company approaches product strategy engagements with clients. They explain SEP's philosophy of clarifying the problem, defining a guiding policy, and outlining coherent actions - going beyond just creating a PowerPoint strategy deck. They share examples of helping clients align stakeholders, refine roadmaps to reflect the true strategy, and rapidly validate technical feasibility through prototyping. They emphasize the importance of a roadmap as a "prototype of strategy" and a starting point for productive strategy conversations. Some key points: Many clients come to SEP with a broad idea or goal for a product, but lack clarity on the specific challenge, approach, and steps needed to execute successfullyA major differentiator for SEP is rapidly validating the technical feasibility of the roadmap through prototyping and proof-of-concepts, giving clients confidence in their ability to deliver the strategyProduct strategy involves understanding the problem to be solved, having a guiding policy on how to approach it, and defining a coherent set of actions to take We'd love to hear from you! Reach out to podcast@sep.com to share your feedback on this show. You can find more information about this podcast at sep.com/podcast and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening!

    26 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Behind The Product takes a behind-the-scenes look at how software products are made. From the people who innovate, to the makers who use their craft, each influencing products in different ways. We will put the spotlight on the practices that guide decision-makers to solve some of the toughest challenges and the people who make it happen. For more information visit www.sep.com/podcast.

Information

  • Creator
    SEP
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    61
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Software Engineering Professionals, Inc.
  • Show Website
    Behind The Product