People. Process. Progress.

A conversation with Jillian Funes on practical prioritization that actually works

In early 2023, I had the opportunity to sit down with Jillian Funes for a wide-ranging conversation about product thinking, client delivery, and how to make decisions when everything feels important.

Fast forward to today, Jillian is now a Technical Product Manager, Principal Consultant at Hitachi Solutions America, and what stood out then still holds up now. The frameworks, mindset, and discipline she shared are evergreen, especially for anyone working at the intersection of technology, clients, and delivery pressure.

Why this conversation still matters

What makes this episode durable is not a specific tool or platform. It’s how Jillian thinks.

She consistently comes back to three things:

• Listening before solving
• Creating clarity when priorities compete
• Making tradeoffs visible, not emotional

That shows up clearly in how she applies the R.I.C.E. + D methodology when working with clients.

R.I.C.E. + D, with real-world context

Many teams have heard of R.I.C.E. scoring. Jillian goes a step further by grounding it in how consulting and product delivery actually happen.

At a high level:

• Reach: Who is affected and how broadly
• Impact: What meaningful change does this create
• Confidence: How sure are we in the data and assumptions
• Effort: What it realistically takes to deliver

The + D is where this becomes powerful in client work.

• Dependency or Decision clarity: surfacing upstream constraints, approvals, integrations, or decisions that influence timing and feasibility

Rather than treating prioritization as a spreadsheet exercise, Jillian uses R.I.C.E. + D as a conversation tool. It helps teams slow down just enough to ask better questions, align expectations, and avoid over committing before the real work begins.

A consultant’s lens on product thinking

One of the strongest takeaways from this episode is Jillian’s ability to balance empathy with execution.

She talks openly about:

• Translating business language into technical action
• Helping clients understand why “everything” cannot be top priority
• Protecting teams from thrash by creating shared decision frameworks

This is product management without hype. Clear thinking, structured tradeoffs, and steady leadership.

Listen for this if you’re in the work

If you’re a product manager, technical lead, consultant, or program leader, this episode is worth revisiting. Not because it predicts trends, but because it reinforces fundamentals that don’t change.

Listen closely for how Jillian:

• Frames prioritization discussions
• Uses structure to reduce friction
• Builds trust by making decisions understandable

Those skills matter in 2023, 2026, and well beyond.

Godpseed y’all,

Kevin