What we’re about
ProductTank provides an opportunity for product people in Portland to exchange ideas and experiences about Product Design, Development and Management, Business Modelling, Metrics, User Experience and all the other things that get us excited.
Events include talks from guest speakers on topics around product management, networking opportunities, and a good old-fashioned chin-wag over a beer or two.
We're open to companies big and small. We also welcome early-stage technology businesses looking to learn how to get their ideas off the ground.
We also have a blog and encourage the community to get engaged by commenting on or writing new posts for http://www.mindtheproduct.com
Finally, check out our conference: Mind the Product 2015
Upcoming events (1)
See all- ProductTank July 2025: Systems Thinking & Product NarrativesKiln, Portland, OR
Join us for a special ProductTank PDX this July!
We’re excited to welcome two incredible speakers, Deanna Mustain (Sr. Product Manager @ Duolingo) and Dave Ruel (VP of Product @ Hanzo), for an evening all about unlocking innovation and elevating your product narrative. As always, we’ll also have plenty of time to meet other product folks over drinks and tasty snacks.
📅 Thursday, July 24, 2025
🕕 6:00 – 8:00pm
📍 Kiln***
### Unlocking Innovation: The Power of Systems Thinking in Product Management
In this talk, Deanna Mustain shares how systems thinking can unlock innovation, clarity, and speed in fast-moving product environments. Drawing from her work at Duolingo, where she launched 0-1 features for the Music product, led multiple roadmaps to drive growth, and transformed the company’s Product Review process, Deanna will unpack the frameworks behind high-quality decision-making, creative alignment, and scalable product development. Through concrete examples and practical tools, she’ll show how systems thinkers build teams, products, and processes that deliver long-term impact—even in the most ambiguous spaces.
About Deanna:
Deanna Mustain is a product leader with a decade of experience at the intersection of creativity and technology. At Duolingo, she co-led development of the company’s Music product, launched features like Popular Songs with Sony Music, and previously ran Product Operations, building programs that transformed company-wide product excellence. Before moving into tech, Deanna performed as a classical violist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. She holds degrees from Stanford, the San Francisco Conservatory, and the New England Conservatory.***
### Beyond User Stories: The Power of a Compelling Product Narrative
Dave Ruel will explore why product narratives are more than just a marketing tool—they’re a core driver of product success. In this session, Dave will break down how to craft and leverage compelling narratives that align teams, influence stakeholders, and resonate with customers. He’ll also dive into how modern AI tools can help elevate your storytelling and turn data into stories that drive action.
About Dave:
Dave Ruel is passionate about empowering product teams to go beyond the typical backlog and sprint cycles to build products that matter. His work focuses on helping teams understand the deeper narrative behind their products, so they can unlock meaningful differentiation and impact.***
🎉 Don’t miss it!
Come connect with fellow product managers, designers, engineers, and enthusiasts over drinks and snacks. See you there!
