Product Fields

Hosted by Sander Dur, Ryan Brook, Jim Sammons, and Rich Visotcky

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154

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Why is it that products are so hard to develop and deliver? How can we truly deliver value with so many different variables that can affect the outcome? We are Sander Dur, Ryan Brook, Jim Sammons, and Rich Visotcky, professional consultants and trainers who support organizations in their pursuit of creating valuable products. Passionate about helping the community and practitioners apply the theory that many authors and thought leaders bring to the industry, we started Product Fields make these concepts more accessible. This podcast will change your career and organization. You’ll be entertained while learning about the industry’s leaders and other practitioners, and you’ll feel familiar with the situations discussed as we invite guests over and discuss tools, concepts, models, metrics, leadership, frameworks, and many more elements that help you deliver amazing products. We understand the many struggles, challenges, antipatterns, and dysfunctions many of us face in our daily working lives. We are here to provide actionable advice and strategies for you to create continuous improvement. You will find things that actually work for many organizations, as we and our guests have tried and tested them. You will find a goldmine of actionable information from many fields, including the space industry, Formula 1, psychology, and Silicon Valley’s top entrepreneurs. We break down these complex topics into easily digestible insights that you can start applying in your careers right away. The best part is that you can even join our live recordings to ask your most burning questions and get them answered based on your needs! We dive deep into the world of business agility, product discovery, delivery, validation, product management, and product frameworks like Scrum, Kanban, LeSS, and many more. We’ll explore the benefits of decentralized decision-making, autonomous empowered teams, leadership, and much more. We empower you with the information you need to become the leaders your organization deserve.

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August 3, 2026Episode 1511 hr 34 min

#151 Product Economics

Summary In this episode, Rich Visotcky and Jim Sammons explore the nuances of decision-making, the importance of understanding opportunity costs, and how to effectively manage product development and organizational priorities through early learning, strategic experimentation, and the economics of product development. They discuss strategies for quantifying costs, the impact of delays, and practical approaches to focus and efficiency. Jim and Rich wrap things up with how to make smarter decisions with limited resources, the value of testing assumptions, and the impact of human behavior on business success. Takeaways The cost of delay can significantly erode value if not managed properly. Prioritization should be based on economic impact and opportunity cost. Simplicity and focusing on what matters most can improve organizational agility. Understanding team costs and resource allocation helps in better planning. Early validation and quick learning are crucial to avoid sunk cost fallacies. Early learning and iteration can significantly reduce risk and improve outcomes. Understanding human behavior helps in designing better products and services. Buying time through strategic decisions can lead to better resource allocation. Asking the right questions reveals hidden opportunities and customer needs. Simple frameworks and mental models can make complex decisions more manageable.

June 24, 2026Episode 1501 hr 23 min

#150 YouTube, Products, and Tacos with David Picciuto from Make Something

In this engaging conversation, Jim Sammons interviews David Picciuto, a content creator and artist with a background in tech. They explore topics like audience building, product creation, the impact of social media, and the future of content in the age of AI, offering valuable insights for creators and entrepreneurs. David's Site - https://makesomething.com/ David's YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MakeSomething David's art exhibition link - https://www.facebook.com/events/824417793474488/824417800141154/?active_tab=about&rdid=LhU2vlGENfrG7IEA Giant Cassette Tape - https://youtu.be/jExRIl7WBPs?si=NNiHBl_RiLA-c89D

February 4, 2026Episode 14848 min

#148 It's You, Not Me...Right?

In this conversation, Jim Sammons and Rich Visotcky discuss various aspects of team dynamics, particularly focusing on Scrum Masters and the importance of engagement and interest in work. We explore the expectations placed on Scrum Masters, the significance of caring about the work being done, and how to navigate conflicts within teams around their work, tool choice, communication patterns, and more. Key highlights include: Interest in work drives better performance and outcomes. Navigating conflict requires understanding the context. Caring about the work leads to better results. Frustrations in work often stem from organizational decisions. Shifting mindsets from tool dependency to problem-solving is crucial. Different teams require different types of support and skills. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:16 Should Scrum Masters Be Interested? 01:23 Do Process People Need to Grasp The Backlog? 04:48 Do Care and Interest Go Hand in Hand? 08:14 Marker 4 08:14 Did the Creators of Agility Expect People to Care? 10:56 Do You Need to Know How the Sausage is Made? 13:41 The Legend of "Json the Troublemaker" 18:25 It's Not Them, It's You 21:39 The Way of Working 26:30 What Gets You Riled Up? 29:49 It Makes Sense, and it Makes Me Angry 34:52 The "User" Will See You Now 37:03 What Riles Rich Up? 42:35 Part of the Solution? 46:29 On the Next Episode... Connect with Product Fields: 📢 Follow the podcast for more inspiring stories 💬 Join the conversation on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/mastering-agility 📩 Contact us for trades or sponsorships 👉 If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share it with someone who needs to hear it! Connect with our hosts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessammons/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/richvisotcky/ Check out our sponsors: https://www.xebia.com https://www.wiserbees.com https://www.jointinsights.com https://www.productfields.com

January 15, 2026Episode 1471 hr 5 min

#147 Leading Product Teams in the Age of AI - With Gil Broza

Gil Broza joins our hosts, Jim Sammons and Rich Visotcky, for the first episode of the Product Fields podcast in 2026! In this conversation, we discuss the evolving landscape of agility and product management in the age of AI. Together, we explore how AI has transformed product delivery, the importance of accountability, and the need for leaders to adapt their strategies to ensure effective team dynamics. Too often, we have seen companies go full-on into AI without any strategy or understanding of the consequences. Through our discussion, we dive into the balance between leveraging AI for efficiency while maintaining critical thinking and human oversight, and the need for a thoughtful approach to integrating AI into work processes. 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:04 Agility Beyond Tech: Adapting Principles for Non-Tech Teams 00:03:44 The Relevance of the Agile Manifesto, Values, and Principles 00:08:44 AI's Impact on Product Delivery and Management 00:12:15 Going Back to Principles in the Age of AI 00:16:52 Accountability in the Age of AI 00:28:03 The AI Industrial Revolution: Trust and Human Connection 00:33:58 The Atrophy of Skills in the Age of AI 00:35:07 The Impact of AI on Communication and Authenticity 00:45:38 The Dangers of Over-Reliance on AI 00:47:27 Fundamentals in the Age of AI 00:50:45 The Danger of Agency and AI 00:53:01 The Future of Work and AI Integration 00:57:46 Quantity vs. Impact 01:01:20 Closing Connect with Product Fields: 📢 Follow the podcast for more inspiring stories 💬 Join the conversation on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/mastering-agility 📩 Contact us for trades or sponsorships 👉 If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share it with someone who needs to hear it! Connect with our guests: Gil Broza: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilbroza Subscribe to Gil’s newsletter: https://3pvantage.com/subscribe-newsletter/ Attend Gil’s course, “Leading AI-Enabled Product Teams”: https://3pvantage.com/leapt/ Check out our sponsors: https://www.xebia.com https://www.wiserbees.com https://www.jointinsights.com https://www.productfields.com

January 6, 2026Episode 14653 min

#146 Can Mindset be Quantified? - With Dr. Karen Eilers and Christiaan Verwijs

Join hosts Rich Visotcky and Jim Sammons as they delve deep into the agile mindset and its significance in team dynamics from a research-backed perspective. Joining them in this episode are Dr. Karen Eilers and Christiaan Verwijs who are leading studies exploring the agile mindset from the individual and team level. Through their research and the help of Columinity, they describe how to factors like motivation, morale, collaborative exchange, value focus, and management support improve team effectiveness. Together, we discuss the development of reliable measurement scales, the importance of data in understanding team effectiveness in order to take action, and the challenges of selection bias and trust in survey data. We also dip our toes into the pools of dynamic reteaming and its effects on team cohesion and team outcomes. Whether you’re a manager looking to help your teams hit their stride, a team member trying to understand how to improve yourself to improve those around you, or a research and data junkie curious about people and teams, this episode has you covered! Want to learn more about your team and the research? Participate (and get immediate actionable feedback!): https://questionnaire.columinity.com/setup/model/agilemindset Preliminary findings: https://blog.columinity.com/how-a-team-level-agile-mindset-shapes-team-effectiveness/ Scientific paper on Agile Mindset: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162522001822 Contact Columinity: https://columinity.com/research Connect with our guests: Karen Eilers: linkedin.com/in/dr-karen-eilers/ Christiaan Verwijs: linkedin.com/in/christiaanverwijs/ Connect with Mastering Agility: 📢 Follow the podcast for more inspiring stories 💬 Join the conversation on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/mastering-agility 📩 Contact us for trades or sponsorships 👉 If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share it with someone who needs to hear it! Check out our sponsors: www.xebia.com www.wiserbees.com www.jointinsights.com www.productfields.com Find more at www.masteringagility.org

January 2, 2024Episode 540 min

S06 E12 Omnipresence and Needing to be Perfect

Summary In this second part of the conversation, Jim and Sander discuss their holiday plans and reflect on the highlights of the podcast in 2023. They also share their dream guests for future episodes and discuss the importance of understanding root causes in problem-solving. They explore how Scrum Masters can help teams become more effective and the need to build environments for product success. They also discuss the challenges of avoiding reactive approaches and the importance of continuous improvement. Finally, they discuss the importance of recognizing blind spots and areas for improvement. In this conversation, Jim and Sander discuss various topics related to their professional lives and personal preferences. They explore the balance between quality and satisfaction, the importance of professional emotional regulation, and the need to bury unwanted concepts. They also touch on the issue of hate and ad hominem attacks on social media and the value of constructive feedback. The conversation concludes with a discussion about the misuse of the Shu-Ha-Ri model and the joy of holiday food traditions. Takeaways Reflecting on the highlights of the past year can provide valuable insights and learning opportunities. Understanding root causes is important for effective problem-solving and preventing recurring issues. Scrum Masters can have a wider impact by building their skills and focusing on continuous improvement. Creating environments for product success is crucial for long-term value creation. Avoiding reactive approaches and focusing on proactive measures can lead to better outcomes. Recognizing blind spots and areas for improvement is essential for personal and professional growth. Balancing quality and satisfaction is important in professional work. Professional emotional regulation is crucial for maintaining composure and being a calming influence. It's okay to have strengths and weaknesses, and not everyone has to be good at everything. Unwanted concepts and practices should be buried to make room for more effective approaches. Hate and ad hominem attacks on social media should be replaced with constructive feedback. Being candid is important, but it's essential to avoid being an asshole. Teaching should be focused on practical application rather than just theoretical knowledge. Being a little like Mr. Miyagi and withholding certain information can be beneficial in facilitating learning. Helping others should not be driven by selfish motives. Identifying as a teacher or educator depends on the specific context and knowledge. Food and holiday traditions bring joy and create memorable experiences. Don't forget to check out our sponsor: https://scrummatch.com/en Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

June 28, 2021Episode 1650 min

S01 E16 Talking Tech Debt with Steve Porter

Technical debt is one of those things that can really bite your ass when you're not taking care of it. Tech debt sneaks in and before you know it, you’re spending more time repaying that debt rather than delivering actual value. But not all tech debt is wrong. And not everything that is perceived as tech debt is actually that. What about undone work? And what can we do to prevent this from accumulating? To what extent do we need to be transparent about it? Steve Porter, Scrum.org’s Professional Series Manager and developer at heart, joins us in this episode of Mastering Agility to discuss this. What you’ll discover in this show: - Introducing tech debt might be a good thing - There is a difference between tech debt and work that is just not done - Estimation of effort is still needed. Also discussing what has been done to remove it could be good to do during Sprint Reviews Speakers: Steve Porter Supporting the Professional Scrum Trainer community Steve Porter works with the Scrum.org team of experts and its wider trainer community to create and maintain its Professional Series of courses and assessments. Steve guides this collaborative process to ensure training is current and meets the needs of the professional Scrum community. Before joining Scrum.org, Steve was the product owner for TeamPulse, Telerik’s agile project management tool. He has also provided application lifecycle management (ALM) consulting services for organizations around the globe. At his core, Steve is still a developer. He taught himself how to code at an early age and has spent years turning ephemeral ideas into functioning software. It's the joy of this craft that Steve brings to all his interactions at Scrum.org. Contact Steve Porter: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog?uid=119 https://twitter.com/stevevrporter https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevevrporter/ Sander Dur (host) Scrum Master, Agile Coach, trainer, and podcast host for ‘Mastering Agility” Sander Dur is a business agility enthusiast, with a passion for people. Whether it’s healthy product development, agile leadership, measurement, or psychological safety, Sander has the drive to enable organizations to the best of their abilities. He is an avid article writer, working on a book about Scrum Mastery from the Trenches, and is connecting listeners with the most influential people in the industry. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanderdur/ https://agilitymasters.com/en https://sander-dur.medium.com/ Additional resources: Support the show Contact us at: Masteringagility.org https://xebia.com/academy/nl/trainers/sander-dur https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessammons/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanderdur/ Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

November 29, 2021Episode 1346 min

S02 E13 CoffeeCall with Tom Suter

Trust is built at the coffee machine. At the walk to our cars. At the lunch table. But it’s hard to create that foundation of teamwork when all of our precious time is being spent in continuous only-work-related meetings in the virtual world that the pandemic has created. But there are other options for that! Tom Suter, a co-founder of the CoffeeCall app, takes part in today’s discussion on how his idea can help bridge that gap that started to exist at the beginning of this challenge. What you’ll discover in this show: - Informal chats were, and are, highly missed - Network building is challenging in a virtual world - CoffeeCall is a great tool to have an informal chat while being timeboxed Speakers: Tom Suter Co-Founder CoffeCall I’m Tom Suter, co-founder of CoffeeCall and a huge fan of Agile and Lean methodologies preferring Scrum. I have a strong belief that every team can achieve astonishing results, become hyper-performing while having great fun. The key element for this is giving and getting trust. For the last 15 years, I’ve been fortunate to help a wide range of great teams and companies. Contact Tom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tsuter/ Sander Dur (host) Scrum Master, Agile Coach, trainer, and podcast host for ‘Mastering Agility” Sander Dur is a business agility enthusiast, with a passion for people. Whether it’s healthy product development, agile leadership, measurement, or psychological safety, Sander has the drive to enable organizations to the best of their abilities. He is an avid article writer, working on a book about Scrum Mastery from the Trenches, and is connecting listeners with the most influential people in the industry. Masteringagility.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanderdur/ https://agilitymasters.com/en https://sander-dur.medium.com/ Additional resources: https://www.coffeecall.com/ Leave us a review on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/mastering-agility-1727952 Support the show Contact us at: Masteringagility.org https://xebia.com/academy/nl/trainers/sander-dur https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessammons/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanderdur/ Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

June 21, 2021Episode 1539 min

S01 E15 Adding Playfulness with Carsten Lutzen

Working environments can benefit greatly by having playful environments. But to have playful environments, you need those frontrunners that will take you there. Carsten Lutzen is the right guy for the job. His LinkedIn page and YouTube channel (see for details below) radiate creativity and he helps you get there. Working at the LEGO group, he is constantly surrounded by playful, but serious products. Let’s listen to his experience as the Playful Agile Coach. And, we’re giving away a LEGO set! Go to http://masteringagility.org/index.php/give-aways/ to found out how you can enter! What you’ll discover in this show: - Humor breaks the tension - Liberating Structures and icebreakers are great for starting and fostering collaborative discussions - LEGO is still hiring! Speakers: Carsten Lutzen Agile Coach in The LEGO Group I like motivating people and helping them achieve their goals and to make sure that the team performs well. I love to look at processes and try to improve them using the tools in my (agile) toolbox. I don't believe that one methodology exists that will work on all projects, hence we need to tweak the tools for every single project and take the things that works and skip the things does not. Another love of mine is making software that needs to be performant using clever software architecture combined with heavy computer science theory within the field of performance and optimization techniques. Combining these two things it is possible to create user-centric software and experiences. I have facilitated a lot of different workshops on agile thinking, agile mindset/behavior and how to find the balance between agility and a plan oriented apporaches. I have taught more than 300 people in different sessions where we have worked on mindset, when to use agile tools and when not to use them. Contact Carsten Lutzen: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarstenLutzen https://www.linkedin.com/in/carstenlutzen/ Sander Dur (host) Scrum Master, Agile Coach, trainer, and podcast host for ‘Mastering Agility” Sander Dur is business agility enthusiast, with a passion for people. Whether it’s healthy product development, agile leadership, measurement or psychological safety, Sander has a drive to enable organizations to the best of their abilities. He is an avid article writer, working on a book about Scrum Mastery from the Trenches and is connecting listeners with the most influential people in the industry. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanderdur/ https://agilitymasters.com/en https://sander-dur.medium.com/ Additional resources: https://www.lego.com/aboutus/careers Support the show Contact us at: Masteringagility.org https://xebia.com/academy/nl/trainers/sander-dur https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessammons/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanderdur/ Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

March 23, 2022Episode 553 min

S03 E05 Product Ownership in Hybrid Environments with Kai Stevens

We’re two years into the pandemic by now, and things have changed forever. One of those is the way we build products. Not just team-work wise, but just as much the way product ownership has changed. Kai Stevens is one of the most awesome Product Owners/Product Managers that I know, so I decided to ask him to come on the show and talk about what he feels has changed and how deals with these changes. What you’ll discover in this show: - The pandemic has provided opportunities, for instance by deleting location restrictions - Due to missing body language, new ways of stakeholder engagement are needed - OKRs are still highly useful and might even provide more guidance than ever before Speakers: Kai Stevens Group Product Manager Device Experience at tado° || Product Leadership || Product Owner Trainer at Scrum Facilitators Passionate product owner driven to build game-changing (software) products together with inspiring people. Guiding and collaborating closely with leadership teams and multi-disciplinary development teams to maximize value. I am experienced in all aspects of product ownership ranging from vision and strategy all the way down to tactics. Colleagues find me pushing the limits to release early and often to validate assumptions and deliver value in rapid pace. When working with me you will experience a compelling WHY at any time while I leave the HOW to others with clear boundaries to become successful. Contact Kai: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaistevens/ Sander Dur (host)Scrum Master, Agile Coach, trainer, and podcast host for ‘Mastering Agility” Sander Dur is a Professional Scrum Trainer at Scrum.org, podcast host of Mastering Agility, Professional Scrum Master and Lead Agile Consultant, and trainer at Xebia. Besides this, he's an avid writer for predominantly Serious Scrum on Medium.com. Sander has a significant passion for the human side in complex domains. Ensuring a high level of psychological safety, therefore, is a critical part of his work. Organizations in complex domains can only survive when innovating. Innovation can only take place with the right balance between low social friction and high intellectual friction. While most organizations now understand how to apply Agile frameworks, they struggle with the delivery of value. Psychological safety is the next step in this evolution and Sander has a huge drive to help organizations reach that step. He gained experience as a Scrum Master, Agile Coach, and Leadership consultant in many different top-tier organizations, including Nike and ASML. Masteringagility.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanderdur/ https://xebia.com/academy/nl/trainers/sander-dur https://sander-dur.medium.com/ Additional resources: PSPO-A by Kai: https://www.scrumfacilitators.nl/etn/pspo-a-19-20-may-2022/ Mastering Agility events: https://www.meetup Support the show Contact us at: Masteringagility.org https://xebia.com/academy/nl/trainers/sander-dur https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessammons/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanderdur/ Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.