🟡Why Intelligent Products Start with Questions, Not Code

I had an insightful conversation with Michael Toland who is a Senior Product Management Consultant at Test Double, With years of product management experience including a decade at Verizon, he specializes in data product strategy, reference data platforms, and intelligent systems. He’s also a coach, speaker, and contributor to the Test Double blog, “Straight Data Talk” podcast and "Data Product Management in Action Podcast". Recognized on Columbus Business First’s “40 Under 40,” Michael is known for his practical, curiosity-driven approach to framing problems, applying constraints, and turning data into actionable products. What We Talked About This episode is packed with hard-won lessons, curious detours, and candid advice. Some of the topics we covered include: * How Michael’s curiosity led him from frontline support to uncovering a $450M discrepancy, which transitioned his career into Data * Why building intelligent products starts with asking the right questions not writing more code * How to measure the true ROI of data products, even without perfect data * The overlooked power of constraints in driving better engineering and product outcomes * What happens when AI starts replacing tasks but not judgment * Why frameworks like the Eisenhower Matrix still hold up in the age of LLMs What You’ll Learn (Insider Takeaways) If you’re building with data or AI or trying to get started you’ll walk away with: * A practical method to scope intelligent products: known knowns, unknowns, and assumption mapping * A way to frame value beyond features: what changes, what costs less, what moves faster * How to use prototypes and LLMs to validate fast, without overbuilding * The case for not overthinking prompts and what personalization really means in AI tools * Why your first step is clarity, not code Whether you’re a product manager, data professional, or just curious about how real-world systems evolve into intelligent tools, there’s something here for you. 🎥 Watch the full episode now 📩 Reply or comment, I’d love to hear what resonates Thanks for being here. Let’s build intelligent products together. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit intelligentproductsbyrodeland.substack.com