Lead

Stéphane Di Cesare and Cat Morris presented a new approach for cloud native engineers, showing how they can transition from being viewed as cost centers to becoming key value drivers within their organizations. The presentation, delivered at an industry event, highlighted the Double Diamond framework and the importance of user problem identification, metrics selection, and customer empathy through shadowing.

Background

In many tech companies, engineering teams are often seen primarily as cost centers, responsible for building and maintaining infrastructure without direct links to business outcomes. This perception can limit the impact engineers have on product strategy and revenue generation. Product thinking, a mindset that focuses on solving real user problems and delivering measurable value, has emerged as a way to shift this narrative.

What Happened

During the session, Di Cesare and Morris outlined a step‑by‑step process for engineers to adopt product discovery practices. They introduced the Double Diamond framework, which separates the discovery phase—where user problems are identified—from the delivery phase, where solutions are built. Key points included:

  • Prioritise identifying user problems before building solutions.
  • Select metrics that align with business goals to measure impact.
  • Build customer empathy through shadowing to gain deeper insight into user needs.
  • Use business context to guide technical decisions and maximise value.

Market & Industry Implications

The presentation suggests that when cloud native engineers adopt product discovery methods, they can directly influence product strategy and business outcomes. By focusing on user problems and measurable metrics, engineers can demonstrate tangible value, potentially shifting budget allocations and strategic priorities within their organizations.

What to Watch

While the presentation did not announce specific upcoming events, the adoption of the Double Diamond framework and customer shadowing practices could influence future engineering training programs and product development cycles in cloud native companies. Companies that integrate these methods may see changes in how engineering teams are evaluated and funded.