Podcast Summary: Product Thinking with Melissa Perri

Episode 258: Treating Internal Tools with Equal Rigor
Date: November 26, 2025
Host: Melissa Perri

Episode Overview

This “Dear Melissa” episode tackles a listener’s question about the distinction between inbound and outbound product management. Melissa Perri dives deeply into how organizations structure product management roles for customer-facing (outbound) versus internal (inbound) products, breaking down similarities, differences, and common misconceptions. She argues robustly for treating internal tools with the same strategic and discovery rigor as external products, and connects this mindset to broader organizational effectiveness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining Inbound vs. Outbound Product Management

• Outbound Product Management:

  • Focuses on products for external customers—things customers directly use or interact with.
  • Example: Customer-facing web applications, integrations touching customer workflows.
  • Quote:

    "Outbound product management is about all of our products that face external customers. So things that they would use directly, things they might integrate with different workflows." (02:01)

• Inbound Product Management:

  • Refers to internal-facing tools—used by employees, supporting teams, or internal workflows.
  • Example: Tools for sales, HR, bank tellers, company platforms, or algorithms supporting other teams.
  • Quote:

    "Inbound product management are internal-facing tools...that our employees use instead of our customers. So that’s the differentiating factor.” (02:22)

2. The Fallacy of Treating Them as Distinct Roles

• Many companies create strict boundaries, treating inbound and outbound product management as entirely different disciplines.
• Melissa challenges this approach:
  • Core product skills (strategy, discovery, delivery) should apply equally to both areas.
  • Differences are mostly in tools and tweaks to the process, not in foundational approach.
  • Quote:

    "I don't necessarily think that is true...the overall process of product management stays the same. You still need a strategy, you still need to do discovery, you still need to do delivery." (03:02)

3. Differences in Tools & Execution

• Some nuances arise:
  • Outbound (Customer-facing):
    • Typically involves more legal and compliance steps.
    • Requires extensive user testing due to visible brand risks.
    • A/B testing is often applicable.
  • Inbound (Internal-facing):
    • Releases may be faster, with more direct access to end users.
    • Brand risk is perceived as lower, but that’s a misconception.
    • Testing methods and release protocols can differ.
  • Quote:

    “You would probably go through much more extensive user testing because the brand ramifications are very different if you're releasing to customers externally and there are problems there…” (04:34)

4. The Importance of Treating Internal Tools with Equal Rigor

• Internal tools directly impact customer experience.
• Neglecting rigorous discovery and design for internal tools creates downstream problems for customers.
• Example: Poorly designed bank teller software leads to a negative customer experience.
• Quote:

  “If we are not taking the same consideration to design that well, to give them a great experience to make sure that they can help their customers, that end user customer is going to have a bad time too.” (06:26)

  • Framing: Always consider the value stream from internal tool to end customer.

5. Platform Product Management & Algorithms

• Internal platforms and algorithms can have massive external impacts, e.g., automated insurance claims assessment.
• Risks and responsibilities remain high, even if work is considered "internal."

6. Takeaway: Uniting Around Product Principles

• Regardless of role (inbound or outbound), the same rigor, strategic mindset, and process should apply.
• Key product fundamentals—strategy, discovery, delivery—never change, only the tools adapt.
• Includes new domains like AI, with unique evaluation needs, but core principles endure.
• Quote:

  “We never lose that discovery, we never lose a delivery. We're always solving a problem at the end of the day and that's what we have to remember.” (09:18)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the difference between inbound and outbound:

  “That could be internal to our employees...it could be platform...so that’s the differentiating factor when you hear inbound versus outbound.” (02:15)

• On not creating a stigma for internal products:

  “There is a stigma that all inbound product management, everything we do for our employees, carries less risk than outbound...and I don't believe that's true.” (05:34)

• The downstream effects of internal tools:

  “If your customer relationship manager has a set of tools that they can use and it's not all the stuff that's going to help you...that's a bad experience for the customer.” (06:10)

• Core philosophy on product management:

  “I treat product management the same whether you're doing an inbound product or an outbound product from the essentials—we need a strategy. We need great discovery and delivery.” (08:15)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:01] – Defining outbound product management
• [02:22] – Defining inbound product management
• [03:02] – Why Melissa doesn’t support separating the two
• [04:34] – Differences in legal/compliance/testing
• [05:34] – The stigma around internal tools
• [06:10] – Example: internal tools affecting customer experiences
• [08:15] – Treating all product management with the same rigor
• [09:18] – Core product management principles endure

Summary

Melissa Perri stresses that while inbound and outbound product management serve different user groups, organizations should apply equal rigor to both. Neglect of internal tools not only harms employees but leads to poor customer experiences. No matter the audience, great product management always hinges on robust strategy, thorough discovery, and disciplined delivery—only the surface-level tools and tactics may change. Her advice is clear: break down silos, treat every product with care, and remember the ultimate goal is always to solve real problems for real people.