How to use Premortems to predict failure - Anu Jagga-Narang (AT&T)

Sometimes failures are predictable before we launch a product or a feature, and it is socially very hard to say those out loud. What if this is, like, a resounding success? Do we need to think about that as well? If anything, AI increases the need for premortals instead of reducing it. A paper tiger is a risk that others may be thinking it is a risk, but the owner of the risk believes that they have it under control and they just want to reassure the team. I'm a product leader at AT and T. I recently moved into the role. I'm focused on helping the team strengthen their product strategy and how PMs are coached to lead outcomes instead of feature based delivery. We're very AI focused, product team building a lot of features where the customers can get the appropriate answers. How do you get people attuned to to the right level? We don't have to be apocalyptical about it. We can frame it as it was an utter disaster. Annie, thank you so much for joining us this week. How are you doing today? I'm very good. Thank you, Randy. How are you? Doing alright. We haven't recorded actually in a week or two, so it's it's nice to get back into the groove. And, we met at an event that I ran in New York with a few other lovely former guests and and wonderful people, And you came up and had some really great questions afterwards, and then you said you wanted to come on the podcast, but you had some really good topics. And and now here you are. This is fantastic. Yeah. I'm excited about it. So we're gonna talk today about about pre mortems. But, you know, like I said, I've I've met you. I know who you are. Not everyone does. So can you give us a quick introduction? What are you doing these days, and how did you first get into product? Yeah. Absolutely. I'm a product leader at AT and T. For, those not in The US, AT and T is a telecommunication company. I recently moved into the role, where I'm focused on helping the team strengthen their product strategy, how products are built, how problems are defined, and how decisions are made, and how PMs are coached to lead outcomes instead of feature based delivery. Right before this role, I was leading a team that is building AT and T's search and virtual assistant experience. So think of it as a chatbot experience. I have done that role for five years, and we were very AI focused product team building a lot of, features where the customers can get the appropriate answers for questions that they're looking for and get the support for AT and T products and services. And how how did you get into the whole world of product management in the first place? I I went to school to be a software engineer …