<< Return to main page

Here's a list of old episodes in date order! There have been some great conversations so feel free to binge them all!

<< Back to main page


Episode 39 - The Need for Diverse Perspectives in Product Development (with Candice Poon)

Diversity & Inclusion
Women in Product
Episode 39 - The Need for Diverse Perspectives in Product Development (with Candice Poon)
26 Feb 2021
Candice Poon head shot
An interview with Candice Poon. Candice is a Program Manager for Microsoft, working on Microsoft Edge. She recently came to the attention of the Twittersphere when she was blocked from signing up to Clubhouse due to her name, which kicked off further discussions about diversity and building inclusive products. We speak about the scale of the problem, attitudes to it, and potential solutions.
Content Warning - May Contain Adult Language or Themes
Listen here!

Or on your favourite podcast app:
Play on SpotifyPlay on Apple PodcastsPlay on Google Podcasts
Please note that Apple Podcasts can take more time to update than most - subscribing seems to make it quicker (honestly!)
Closed captioning is available via YouTube - I am investigating better alternatives!


About the Episode

An interview with Candice Poon. Candice is a Program Manager at Microsoft (which is really a Product Manager at any other company) working on Microsoft Edge. Candice recently caused a stir on Twitter when she tweeted about her experience being prevented from signing up to Clubhouse because of her name. 

We speak about a lot, including:

  • What it's like working for Microsoft and ensuring Internet Explorer stays in its coffin
  • Whether being called a Program Manager is confusing and whether she still gets invited to Product Manager parties
  • How she felt being blocked from signing up to Clubhouse and whether it's happened before
  • How Clubhouse responded and whether the response was satisfactory
  • Some of the reasons why people have blind spots when developing  products and what we should do to fix them
  • How Microsoft are promoting diversity & what's left to do 
  • The importance of mixing tech and non-tech skills to further diversify your experience

And much more!

Contact Candice

You can reach out to Candice on LinkedIn or Twitter.