As the Fall 2025 cohort wraps up our journey through the MGMT 4002 Product Management course, we’ve compiled a few lessons we wish we’d known earlier, and hope future DigiPod teams will carry forward. First, treat your podcast like a product: define your audience, test your ideas, and don’t fear feedback, it’s fuel, not failure. Clear communication and early planning saved our projects (and our sanity). We learned that success isn’t just about great content, it’s about how well your team collaborates, adapts, and delivers. Most importantly, build something that matters to you. When you care about the story you’re telling, your audience will too. Good luck, and enjoy the ride!

1. Communication Is Everything

• Prioritize clear, respectful, and consistent team communication.
• Use tools like Slack or WhatsApp to stay connected and transparent.

2. Start Early and Stay Organized

• Don’t leave deliverables to the last minute. Use the Critical Path to map deadlines .
• Keep a shared Google Drive or Notion workspace to track progress and documents.

3. Embrace Feedback and Iterate

• Use audience feedback from prototype testing and first episodes to improve your podcast.
• Consider feedback as part of the product development cycle, not a final judgment.

4. Know Your Audience

• Align your podcast’s message and style with the intended user persona.
• Reference your audience research regularly when making content and branding decisions .

5. Assign Clear Roles (and Own Them)

• Define and own your roles: project manager, editor, researcher, etc.
• Showcase roles (photographer, blogger, social media, etc.) matter for class storytelling too .

6. Use Class Tools and Resources

• DigiPod Coach for feedback and reflection prompts .
• Library & Idea Lab resources for research and production.

7. Think Like a Product Manager

• Remember, this isn’t just about content, it’s about creating a podcast product.
• What’s the problem you’re solving?

8. Build for the Future

• Think about how your podcast will live beyond the class.
• Use social media platforms (Instagram) with a cohesive brand voice and long-term appeal.

9. Don’t Be Afraid to Pivot

• If something isn’t working, regroup. Change direction early rather than pushing forward with a weak concept.

10. Have Fun and Make It Meaningful

• Pick a topic your team truly cares about.
• Passion shows through in your podcast, and makes the work way more rewarding.