How to Organize Your Business Around Product Experiences

People still matter. The recent proliferation of automation, cloud computing, and AI has made this easy to forget. Afterall, a software application is straightforward; it does exactly what you ask and has no ego, opinion, or paid holidays. 

In contrast, managing people can be messy, ambiguous, and difficult to quantify. This leads to many organizations forgetting about or de-emphasizing the importance of their employees as they execute their strategies. Managing Product Experiences is no exception to this. With so many different applications, architectural principles, and integrations, it’s easy to forget about the people that actually ensure customers get compelling product experiences. 

So what people do you need in your PX organization? 

Every organization is different. What remains the same, though, are the key functions that must be done by your internal teams to bring compelling product experiences to customers. Below we’ve broken down these 4 functions and included their overall purpose and responsibility, and we’ve included some example job titles we’ve seen within brands that help fulfill these functions. 

Build your own PX Org structure by taking these functions and mapping them to your business. 

Larger organizations may have multiple people within each function while smaller organizations may actually have one person fill more than one role. 

So, let’s examine the four key jobs that need to be done to ensure the success of your Product Experience Strategy.

1. Executive Sponsor

The Executive Sponsor is the primary stakeholder. They are responsible for developing the organization’s Product Experience (PX) Strategy, aligning it to the overall business’ objectives, and ensuring its timely execution. The sponsor should be able to exert control over all the cross-functional teams involved in the strategy. 

Responsibilities:

• Define and execute overall PX Strategy
• Align PX Strategy to corporate objectives
• Develop and monitor progress of OKR/KPIs
• Ensure collaboration across teams
• Remove blockers 

Titles: Chief Digital Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Product Experience Officer, Head of CX, etc.    

2. Manager of Applications & Integrations

This person is responsible for executing the technical components of the PX Strategy by leading the overall solution design for applications. This includes system optimization, data management, and integrations throughout the Product Experience ecosystem.

Responsibilities:

• Administer platform(s)
• Manage integrations between systems
• Design architecture
• Data management (governance, migration, availability, compliance)

Titles: Solution Architect, Technical Architect, Developer, IT Director, Product Manager, Master Data Manager, Technical Product Experience Manager, eCommerce manager, etc.

3. Product Experience Creator

This function is responsible for creating compelling product experiences within the organization. This includes gathering, enriching, and validating technical specifications, marketing copy, images and videos, regulatory information, and more. For manufacturers, this may include collaborating with product development and design teams. For distributors, it may include procurement teams working closely with suppliers. 

Responsibilities:

• Define Product Experiences
• Develop or onboard new products
• Convey Brand Values
• Enrich Product Experiences
• Translate and adapt content to different markets
• Ensure products comply with local regulations

Titles: Content specialist, Marketing Manager, Brand Manager, Translator, Photographer, Product Engineering, Buyer, Procurement, Product Experience Manager, etc.

4. Manager of Channels

Responsibilities:

The Channel Manager is in charge of managing the downstream customer-facing applications and ensuring all product experience requirements are met. This includes managing applications and processes that support eCommerce, retail partnerships, print, customer support, mobile apps, in-store shopping experiences, or even distributor relationships. These individuals own their respective channels and must ensure the product information they’re getting meets their channel’s requirements. 

• Manage Channel specific requirements
• Manage Assortment 
• Measure performance
• Manage channel specific descriptions & SEO
• Build Channel Experiences 
• Customer Support

Titles: eCommerce Manager/Director, Key Account Manager, Digital Marketing Manager, Ecommerce Merchandising Manager, Support Manager, Distributor Relationship Manager, etc.

People & Processes: The Backbone of Product Experience Excellence

In a rapidly evolving landscape of automation and technology, it’s crucial to remember that people are at the heart of delivering exceptional product experiences. The intricate nature of human interactions can often be overlooked in the era of AI and cloud computing. Yet, the success of a PX Strategy hinges on acknowledging the pivotal role of your internal teams. As every organization is unique, defining and embracing these key functions is essential for creating compelling product experiences. 

Whether you’re building a comprehensive PX Org structure or streamlining roles in a smaller setting, these functions ensure that your customers receive the exceptional experiences they deserve.