Chris Kincanon on Process, Standards & AI in Product Development (Part 1)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Grown Up Product, host Brian welcomes Chris Kincanon, fractional CTO and co-founder of Ready Steady. With a career spanning from Accenture to startups to major corporations like Kohl's and Unity, Chris shares battle-tested insights on building scalable engineering organizations without burning out teams.
Key Topics Discussed:
The Evolution to Fractional Leadership
- Career progression from consulting to startups to enterprise and back to fractional
- Why fractional CTOs fill critical gaps early-stage companies need
- The unique position of covering both product and engineering sides
Process as Clarity, Not Control
- Why process is about "how we do business" not micromanagement
- The importance of guardrails and checkpoints vs rigid procedures
- How standards create culture and prevent talent loss
- The jazz metaphor: structure facilitates improvisation, doesn't inhibit it
The Product-Engineering Connection
- Getting product and engineering in sync as "the secret sauce"
- Building bridges between departments (marketing, sales, legal)
- Why writing code is expensive - iteration should happen on mockups first
- The critical role of product organizations in alignment
Quality vs. Velocity in 2025
- Why "move fast and break things" shouldn't be your normal operating mode
- The hidden costs: reputation damage, negative reviews, frustrated users
- How chaos at the team level filters up to leadership
- The iron triangle: quality, cost, and speed tradeoffs
AI and "Vibe Coding" Reality Check
- AI moves toward average, not excellence
- Why AI tools are multipliers in expert hands, not replacements
- The prototype ceiling: where AI coding hits its limits
- Training teams on AI tools like any other software rollout
- The danger of AI in decision-making vs. productivity enhancement
Building Standards in the AI Era
- What "good" looks like to experts vs. non-experts
- Using AI as the world's best rubber duck
- Why simple products built with AI face immediate competition
- The importance of maintaining human judgment in the loop
Notable Quotes & Insights:
"The process acts more like a home base. When we stray from our path, we know where to come back to."
"AI moves towards the average. And average is oftentimes better than what most people have. But it doesn't get you to good."
"If your product is so simple you can throw it together with AI coding, you've got to expect competition."
Key Takeaways for Leaders:
- Install guardrails and checkpoints, not micromanagement
- Focus on clarity of roles and responsibilities early
- Product-engineering alignment is the secret sauce
- Treat AI tools like any new software - provide training and establish standards
- Know what "good" looks like before implementing AI
- Quality matters because reputation and user trust are hard to rebuild
About the Guest:
Chris Kincanon is a fractional CTO and co-founder of Ready Steady, bringing experience from Accenture, various startups, and major corporations like Kohl's and Unity. He specializes in helping early-stage companies build the right processes and standards for sustainable growth.
About Grown Up Product:
The podcast for founders, CEOs, and operators curious about building successful product organizations in a post-product market fit environment.
