Kosta Askitopoulos

Problem: Checkout conversion was dipping, and thus I undertook a wide and deep view of this integral problem to fix it.

Actions:
• Dove deep into Tableau and our data and sliced data anew.
• Watched video recordings on Hotjar with 'abandoned basket' sessions.
• Conducted targeted user research and interviews on the matter.
• Synthesized insights from all the above actions and then ran brainstorming sessions with my team on the core sub-problems that were popping up.
• Prioritized solutions in all areas, from UI/UX (e.g., show savings in the basket, rescue discount codes) to system performance, removing and simplifying components, core behavior (e.g., lowering minimum order value), and much more.

TouchNote is a member-based creative platform for meaningful, personal communication through printed postcards, greeting cards, premium frames, photo prints, and other presents.

Project Tasks:
• Managed a team of seven developers, one designer, one marketer, and one QA engineer through design, development, testing, growth, and support.
• Utilised an Agile methodology, leading sprint planning, project kick-offs, backlog grooming, sprint retros, priority planning, daily standups, and post-mortems, delivering to tight deadlines through effective prioritization based on data-driven decisions and internal strategic goals.
• Developed a theme-based roadmap with end-to-end solutions by conducting initial deep-dive market and competitor research, user research and testing, functional product specs, wireframes and UX, pricing, suppliers and integrations, A/B tests, analytics, and growth, overseeing all development stages, and leading functional testing, QA testing, training, and all post-go-live support for more than 15 major features over a 3-year timespan.

Examples of the features we shipped: free trials, monthly payments, cancellation flow, member tiers, upgrades/downgrades, pricing tests, stickers, and filters.

Project Role:
I was fully responsible for taking an as-is process for getting initiatives into development and redesigning it into a clearer, more concise, and more fluid process, unifying our tools.

The Problem:
Going fully remote hindered visibility and accountability and exposed gaps in the process.

The Situation:
Our "product machine" takes a series of inputs, applies certain actions to them, moves them across people and departments, and produces outcomes. Digging deeper, it's about illuminating every step, milestone, and machine owner.

My Actions:
After observing the as-is, I got to the root cause: our inadequate documentation and the variety of tools used. Then we implemented Monday.com and a clear-and-concise product process starting with a one-pager, then Discovery, ICE prioritization, tech discussion, a full spec, allocation of resources based on priority/capacity, and post-release analysis to compare observed KPIs with the plan.

The Result:
We produced a standardized framework for feeding requirements into the backlog, a shared understanding of effort and value, and a clear idea of an initiative's status and delivery date. We ended up with a happy team, satisfied stakeholders, and rapid execution.

Fuel Powered is a SaaS platform with a web portal and SDK for mobile game developers.

Project Tasks:
• Served as a key member in the design, creation, and successful launch of Fuel Powered's developer web portal, built to allow developers to undertake actions for their games, configure game variables, enable tournaments, and access all necessary game data and information, removing these responsibilities from internal resources.
• Co-led, with a fellow product manager, a team of two developers through the design, architecture, and implementation, and completely designed it (UI/UX, DB architecture, API architecture, security) from the ground up.

This product resulted in quicker turnaround times from game strategy conception to implementation, a broader and faster ability to conduct tests and intuitively view results, a 1-stop shop for developers to see and digest all relevant documentation, and finally, a method for constant and consistent feedback to facilitate continuous improvement.

Project Tasks:
• Managed a team of four developers, one designer, one marketer, and one QA engineer through design, development, supplier integrations, testing, growth, and support.
• Utilized the Agile methodology, leading sprint planning, project kick-offs, backlog grooming, sprint retros, priority planning, daily stand-ups, and post-mortems, delivering to tight deadlines through effective prioritization based on data-driven decisions and internal strategic goals.
• Developed end-to-end solutions by conducting initial deep-dive market and competitor research, user research and testing, functional product specs, wireframes and UX, pricing, suppliers and integrations, A/B tests, analytics, and growth, overseeing all development stages, and leading functional testing, QA testing, training, and all post-go-live support.