Product Divergence Series: Clockwise Product VP on Building Products That Optimize Time

How can products help optimize time? In this episode of Product Talk with Ubiety Technologies CPO Nacho Andrade, Clockwise Product VP Vicky Thomas speaks on building products that optimize time. She shares how Clockwise uses AI to optimize calendars and schedules, freeing up more focus time for individuals and teams. They discuss the challenges of calendar management that inspired Clockwise’s creation, and how the product measures its impact on areas like reduced meetings and increased focus time. Vicky also shares her non-traditional career path into product management and what she has learned about building great products over the years.

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Show Notes

1. Clockwise is an AI-powered calendar system that optimizes schedules for individuals and teams.
2. It aims to create more focus time by decluttering calendars and resolving conflicts automatically.
3. Key metrics include focus time created and hours of meetings resolved.
4. Vicky was drawn to the opportunity to meaningfully impact people’s lives through better time management.
5. Her background is in aerospace engineering but she transitioned into product management.
6. An important career turning point was a guest lecture from an Adobe recruiter.
7. She values constantly solving new problems through different roles and companies.
8. Startups allowed her to learn quickly and build teams and culture from the ground up.
9. Working in healthcare tech gave her insight into regulated industries.
10. Understanding user needs and contexts is crucial for delivering joyful experiences.
11. Delivering unexpected delight can make a big difference for strained users.
12. Look for opportunities where users expect pain to inject positive surprises.
13. Culture and principles are important for prioritizing polish over just functionality.
14. Leaders must advocate for experiences and find space for them in roadmaps.
15. Metrics alone don’t capture intangible impacts like morale and burnout reduction.
16. Collaboration across calendars as a shared resource is part of Clockwise’s approach.
17. Slack integration helps avoid work creeping into personal time off-hours.
18. The podcast explores divergent career paths and roles beyond major tech hubs.
19. Conversations with peers provide different perspectives on challenges and solutions.