The Challenge to Build Lunit AI INSIGHT Products for Customers | Career Transitioning from Regulatory Affairs to Product Management
In today’s global workforce, upskilling is the new currency. With this in mind, we are constantly taking responsibility to learn and grow here at Lunit. Considering that our portfolio is intended to conquer cancer through artificial intelligence (AI), *Lunitians have to keep up with the complexity of this disease, as well as AI, by challenging ourselves to think, operate, collaborate, and deliver differently from what we have been comfortable with in the past.
*Lunitians = short for Lunit + Martian, referring to the members of Lunit who strive to conquer the planet ‘cancer’.
Insight as a Regulatory Affairs (RA) Professional
As a RA professional, I was already accustomed to adapting to a complex, ever-evolving landscape. New international regulations or domestic laws require strategies to bring new products to the market quicker, while still overcoming any tool or budget limitations.
RA requires an altruistic passion for clinical products or solutions, but with a convergence of skills (i.e., regulatory interpretation, business acumen, engineering, clinical writing, and project management).
Additionally, embracing inter-departmental collaboration is encouraged for someone within a RA role. As a RA professional, your customers are not only regulatory agencies. They also include your cross-functional colleagues, and the people that drive the processes. This aspect of the role was noticeable when I was supporting Lunit’s chest portfolio (e.g., Lunit INSIGHT CXR, and Lunit INSIGHT CXR Triage).
Many departments and stakeholders contribute to successful regulatory clearances/approvals, which makes them customers, too. Consequently, listening and accommodating as many inputs, and satisfying as many desires of your customers is key. This in itself is a challenge.
I am grateful for the real-world challenges within my RA roles. I use the word “challenges” because, honestly, I did not know at the time that those experiences were opportunities in disguise.
Insight as a Product Management (PM) Professional
So, when the ‘challenge’ to become a PM, and support different customers and products (i.e., Lunit INSIGHT MMG and Lunit INSIGHT DBT) was offered, I accepted it. I wanted to take a different step in the war on cancer. I knew it was a lateral step, but it was still a step forward to obsess over the voice of customers (i.e., mammography teams and their patients who manage breast cancer every day), and build a product that could meet their needs.
Many RA skills are easily transferrable within a PM role. These include, but not limited to:
- technical product knowledge: Understanding product inputs, and defining what they mean, know when they were derived, and where they are located are important details to thrive in both RA and PM roles. The product requirements should be traceable as they change throughout the product roadmap, and ensure product quality.
- communication range: Leading teams to either build product or deliverables for regulatory needs requires articulation and compositional style. Whether you are in a RA or PM role, knowing how to communicate to audiences (e.g., software UI designers, deployment) builds a better product and the network behind it. This language skill plays a part when reviewing global marketing materials and press releases, too.
- Problem-solving: RA and PM roles requires individuals to accept the fact they will not only have resolve issues throughout the product development and operation process, but they will have to seek out customer issues and pain-points. Diving deep into the issues is part of the process to build better product overtime.
Insight on Lunit Culture
The Lunit company culture does not change with this career transition. As I learn and grow within my new PM role, I continue to aim to execute deliverables with craftsmanship, on time, communicate with love and work with a team spirit.
The Lunit INSIGHT Product Managers and I are working together with a global DNA to build successful product lines to assist our radiology customers globally. You can meet more Lunit PM members here, where our team lead, Sanghoon Baik, and fellow PM, WonHyeong Joo, discuss how we collaborate with JungHee Jang to reach our goals of improving product features, with support of our cross-functional teams.
The best part about becoming a Lunit PM is I won’t be forsaking my altruistic passion for clinical products or solutions; I will be reinforcing it.
