The Voice of the Customer: The Role of Product Management in Manufacturing Strategy

Nate Johnson, Vice President of Product Management at Starkey, details how his team serves as the "Voice of the Customer" by bridging the gap between innovative design, manufacturability, and long-term strategic planning to ensure hearing solutions are both technologically advanced and reliable for patients.

 

AudiologyOnline: What is the role of Product Management in the manufacturing process?

Nate Johnson:  Product Management’s primary role is to serve as the "Voice of the Customer," - ensuring that the patient's needs are not lost in the translation to mass production. My background is in mechanical engineering, so I view manufacturing not as a downstream task, but as a critical partner in design. We know that to provide the best hearing in the real world, we must respect the physics of the assembly line.

If we design a feature that is innovative but impossible to manufacture consistently at scale, we compromise reliability. Therefore, Product Management engages with manufacturing early to ensure Design for Manufacturability (DFM). We negotiate the trade-offs between miniaturization and yield to ensure that when a device reaches the patient, it is not only technologically advanced but also robust enough for all-day wear. Great DFM ensures the "miracle" of R&D can be replicated perfectly, thousands of times a day.

AudiologyOnline: How are the needs or suggestions of the patient and/or professional researched and then incorporated into product development?

Nate Johnson: At Starkey, we use a multi-layered approach to ensure the voice of the customer (both patients and professionals) directly shapes our products:

• Direct Engagement: We regularly conduct focus groups, office visits, and training events to gather real-world insights from clinicians and patients.
• Product Suggestion Process: Starkey has a formal product suggestion process, where clinicians, patients, and employees can submit ideas or requests for new features, improvements, or solutions. Each suggestion is logged, reviewed, and prioritized by Product Management.
• Feedback Integration: Suggestions and feedback are systematically reviewed during roadmap planning sessions and added into new product development programs.
• Continuous Monitoring: After launch, we continue to monitor feedback channels and product performance, using this data to drive ongoing improvements.

This structured approach ensures that every product we develop is grounded in the needs and suggestions of those who use them, making Starkey’s innovation truly customer driven.

AudiologyOnline: What other teams, both within and outside of Starkey, do Product Management interact with to help define your focus for the product launch?

Nate Johnson: Product Management is the “hub of the wheel,” collaborating with virtually every function within Starkey: R&D, Operations and Manufacturing, IT, Quality/Regulatory, Education and Training, Marketing, Customer Service, and Sales. Externally, we engage with component suppliers years in advance to define the architecture needed for future hearing aid technology. This collaborative approach ensures that our products are not only innovative but also manufacturable, regulatory-compliant, and market-ready

AudiologyOnline: How do you plan for years down the road, to be able to meet the future needs of the patient?

Nate Johnson:  Long term planning is critical for Starkey. We maintain a rolling 5+ year roadmap, updated through regular strategy sessions and roadmap council meetings. We monitor global trends, emerging technologies (like AI and DNN), and evolving patient and professional needs. Our roadmap is not static - it’s a living document that adapts to new insights, competitive intelligence, and disruptive innovations. We also leave room for flexibility, so we can quickly respond to market shifts or breakthrough ideas. This discipline ensures that we’re not just reacting to the present but actively shaping the future of hearing healthcare.

AudiologyOnline: Is there one thing that you really want people to know about Product Management and your role within Starkey?

Nate Johnson:  If there’s one thing I’d emphasize, it’s that Product Management at Starkey is fundamentally about advocacy. We are relentless in representing the voice of the customer—patients, clinicians, and internal stakeholders alike. Our success is measured not just by technical achievement, but by the real world impact our products have on people’s lives. We’re committed to continuous improvement, cross functional collaboration, and a holistic approach that ensures every product delivers on Starkey’s mission: to serve our customers better than anyone else, so they can serve their patients better than anyone else.