How we built an AI Engine to drive meaningful connections

One of the things I enjoy most about Product Management is that it changes how you look at the world.

You start paying attention to behaviours, frustrations and unmet needs. You find yourself asking: "Why is this still a problem?" and "Is there a better way to solve it?"

As an immigrant living in the UK, one observation has stayed with me for a long time: many people are looking for meaningful connections.

Some are trying to build new friendships and communities in a new city. Others are looking to reconnect with people they've lost touch with over the years. Despite being more connected digitally than ever before, many people still struggle to find genuine human connection.

That observation sparked countless conversations, user interviews and research discussions, which eventually led to my involvement in a project called Places.

Working on Places has been a reminder that great products don't start with technology. They start with understanding people.

Outside my day-to-day role, I enjoy spending some of my personal time contributing to projects that allow me to apply and develop my product management skills in different contexts. Whether it's user discovery, defining problems, shaping product strategy, prioritising features or analysing feedback, the principles remain the same.

One lesson that has stood out throughout this journey is that assumptions are rarely enough. The most valuable insights come from speaking to users, understanding their experiences and being willing to challenge your own thinking.

We're now in the early stages of onboarding users, gathering feedback and learning from real-world usage. I'm excited to see what we discover next.

For me, this has been a valuable reminder that product management isn't just a job title—it's a mindset of curiosity, problem-solving and continuous learning.

#ProductManagement #UserResearch #ProductStrategy #Innovation #Technology #CommunityBuilding

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