Let’s meet you (Your Name, What You do, where you currently work)

My name is Gabriel Boluwatife Adegboye, I’m a Product Manager and I currently Lead the Product team at Miva Open University. 

Can you walk us through your journey from attending Utiva Product School to your current role as a Product Manager at Miva University, highlighting key experiences or insights gained along the way?

Before Utiva, I have attempted building products on my own, all failed. I’ve also had about a year and a half worth of experience as a Software Developer, before the decision to transition into Product Management, which was borne out of my desire to have an influence on what is to be built.

Upon my enrollment  at Utiva’s Product School in early 2020. I made sure to attend all classes covering essential areas like Design Thinking, Product Design, Agile Execution, and Product Leadership. I would even travel from Oyo to Lagos every time we had a physical class. All the classes were really good, it was a mixture of both online and physical classes then, but Funto Akinbisehin’s class on Product Leadership was my best class, it was totally worth the stress of travelling from Oyo to Lagos that day. After the program, I actively sought entry level roles, I sent cold emails to quite a number of startups, then I picked up an Associate role on a short term project, and that opened the door to starting a role at uLesson Education, now the uLesson Group, I have primarily spent the last 4 years at the uLesson Group, 3 years at uLesson, and the past one year at Miva Open University, the tertiary arm of the uLesson Group. 

However, I have picked up short term roles in my free time, just to diversify my Product experience. These experiences equipped me to take on the role of Lead Product Manager at Miva Open University, where I've been leading cross-functional teams to deliver innovative products that meet both user needs and business objectives. Throughout this journey, I've learned the importance of collaboration, customer-centricity, and continuous learning, which have been instrumental in my growth as a Product Manager.

What specific skills or knowledge from the program do you find most valuable in your current role?

The classes at Utiva Product School equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of product management principles and methodologies. The program as a whole touched crucial areas like design thinking, Agile execution, and integrated product leadership, providing me with a solid foundation for navigating the complexities of product development. One of the most valuable aspects was the emphasis on real-world application, we worked in groups on practical projects, this helped hone my problem-solving skills.
 

As a Product Manager at Ulesson and now at Miva University, what are some of the biggest challenges you've faced in managing product development, and how have you overcome them to drive successful outcomes?

One of the biggest challenges I've faced is balancing competing priorities while ensuring alignment with business objectives. This challenge is a must-have if you work in a fast-paced and dynamic company. This often requires navigating conflicting stakeholder interests and managing resource constraints effectively. I have dealt with this by adopting a collaborative approach and fostering open, proactive communication and transparency within cross-functional teams. 

This is also where adherence to Agile methodologies comes in, it has allowed for iterative development cycles, enabling us to adapt to changing requirements and deliver incremental value to users.

Can you discuss a specific product or feature you've worked on at Ulesson or Miva University that you are particularly proud of, and how did your background in product management contribute to its success?

This would be the Content Localization feature that powered uLesson’s expansion into East Africa, and some other West African countries aside from Nigeria and Ghana in 2021. Most of these countries have slightly but significantly different curriculum arrangements, grade/class distribution, and subject naming conventions were different from what we have in West Africa as well, and we needed to scale into these markets without creating new content, and that was exactly the challenge. 

However,  by working closely with the content and curriculum team on this, I was able to ship additional robust features to the proprietary Content Management System we had already. By understanding the needs of our target audience and aligning the feature with business objectives, we were able to drive adoptions in these markets.

How do you approach product strategy and roadmap planning in your role at Miva University, and what methodologies or frameworks do you use to prioritise features and enhancements?

My ideal approach to product strategy and roadmapping is data-driven and with stakeholder collaboration, and this is mostly in determining what to build, why, and when. We utilise the MoSCoW model and impact-effort matrix to prioritise features based on their potential value to users and the business as well as the feasibility of their implementation. However, we keep the roadmap as flexible as much as possible considering the fast paced and rapidly changing work environment.

Can you share insights into your approach to cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management as a Product Manager, particularly in a fast-paced and dynamic environment like Miva University?

Cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management are essential parts of the functions of a Product Manager, especially in a fast-paced environment like Miva Open University. What I do is to establish clear communication channels and foster a culture of accountability and transparency within the team. 

Regular sync-ups, check-ins, and priority reviews are ways to facilitate alignment across departments and ensure that everyone is working towards shared goals. Additionally, I actively seek feedback from stakeholders at every stage of the product development lifecycle, ensuring that their input is incorporated into decision-making processes.

What role does user feedback and data analysis play in your decision-making process as a Product Manager at Miva University, and how do you use insights from users to inform product development priorities?

User feedback and data analysis are integral to the decision-making process of any Product Manager/team. We leverage various feedback channels, including surveys, user interviews, and analytics tools, to gather insights into user preferences, pain points, and behaviour patterns. 

These insights inform our product development priorities by helping us identify areas for improvement, validate feature ideas, and prioritise initiatives that have the most significant impact on user satisfaction and business outcomes. Essentially, this is important to keep our roadmap relevant to our user’s needs.

How do you stay updated with the latest trends and best practices in product management, and how do you incorporate this knowledge into your work at Miva University?

To not beat around the bush, I primarily stay updated with industry trends through the Newsletters I have subscribed to, I make sure to read through as many as I can every week. I am in a couple of Product Communities as well, examples are Product Manager Africa, Product Led Alliance, People in Product, Product Dive etc. 

I also follow quite a number of Product Leaders on Linkedin and across other social media platforms. The key to staying updated is positioning yourself in places where you can get information.

Can you discuss any ongoing or future projects at Miva University that you're excited about, and how do you plan to leverage your skills and expertise as a Product Manager to drive their success?

Hmmmm, I’m not sure I can let out anything much on this, but you can be on the lookout for exciting products. But the best way to experience it is to enrol as a student (smiles)

Looking ahead, what are your goals or aspirations within the field of product management, and how do you plan to continue growing and evolving in your career at Miva University and beyond?

My goals primarily revolve around continuous growth and impact. I aspire to further develop my Product leadership skills and strategic thinking abilities. I plan to continue driving positive change by delivering products that solve real-world problems and empower individuals to achieve their goals through technology. I’m looking to pick up Product roles in the AI industry, or in the AR/VR industry. I may start consulting someday too.
 

What are your final words?

In conclusion, I'm grateful for the opportunity to share my journey and insights as a Product Manager. I'm passionate about leveraging technology to create meaningful experiences and drive positive outcomes for users and businesses alike. As I continue to grow and evolve in my career, I remain committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and making a lasting impact in the field of product management and its intersection with emerging technology industries.

Gabriel Boluwatife Adegboye is a highly motivated and results-driven Product Manager with over 5 years of experience building products across various industries, including Education, Developer Tools, eCommerce, Finance, Consulting, Marketing, and Nonprofits. Gabriel holds a B.Sc in Botany with a specialization in Molecular Genetics from Obafemi Awolowo University. 

He currently leads the Product team at Miva Open University, before Miva Open University, He was a Product Manager at uLesson Education for 3 years, He has also picked up part-time contract Product roles at Ignite.dev and Influenzit. Gabriel is passionate about improving user experiences through innovative solutions and is actively involved in advocacy and volunteer initiatives aimed at advancing education and youth empowerment in Africa.

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