On Tuesday, October 1st, the Qubit Bot robotics team had the pleasure of hosting a virtual outreach event with Nam Szeto, Director of Product Management at All Web Leads Inc. With over eight years of experience at AWL and a background as an entrepreneur, Mr. Szeto brought a wealth of knowledge about leadership, product development, and teamwork. His insights provided the team with valuable lessons as they prepare for the upcoming FIRST FTC season.
About the Speaker: Nam Szeto
Nam Szeto’s career journey is impressive. As a Director of Product Management, he is responsible for aligning diverse teams and ensuring that projects meet both technical and market demands. His entrepreneurial experience and work in real estate further underscore his adaptability and leadership skills, traits that were evident during the outreach event. Mr. Szeto emphasized the critical role of teamwork and communication in product development, two principles that resonate deeply with the Qubit Bot team’s own mission in the FIRST FTC program.
Exploring Key Topics: Teamwork, Adaptability, and Strategy
The event kicked off with a discussion about the team’s experience with the FIRST FTC robotics program, including past challenges and upcoming goals. Mr. Szeto took a particular interest in the technical complexity of the season’s challenge, which involves designing a robot capable of climbing and hanging from rungs—a task that the team has been perfecting. His feedback centered on three key areas: teamwork, adaptability, and strategy.
Team Collaboration and Shared Goals
Drawing from his own experience as a product manager, Nam stressed the importance of collaboration in achieving difficult objectives. He explained how, much like the robotics team, product management requires aligning people from different backgrounds—engineers, designers, executives, and clients—to work together toward a common goal. Mr. Szeto’s focus on communication and collaboration mirrored the Qubit Bot team’s efforts to integrate diverse talents across programming, hardware, and engineering as they build their robot.
The Role of a Product Manager
Nam also provided insights into the differences between product management and project management, helping the team understand how strategic thinking is just as important as execution. A product manager not only oversees the creation of a product but ensures it meets customer needs and market trends. This lesson was particularly valuable for the team as they strategize how to outperform competitors in this season’s FTC challenge, not just by building a robot that works, but by designing one that excels at the task of climbing and hanging from bars.
Adaptability in a Fast-Changing World
One of the most powerful takeaways from the event was Nam’s emphasis on adaptability. In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, being able to pivot and respond to changes is crucial. Whether it’s incorporating AI into everyday processes or adjusting to new market conditions, adaptability is a core skill that can make or break a team’s success. For the Qubit Bot team, this lesson hit home as they continue to troubleshoot issues with their climbing mechanism and adapt to unforeseen challenges during competition preparations.
Real-World Insights and Practical Applications
Mr. Szeto shared a real-world example from his role at AWL, where his team worked to improve customer service interactions within a 400-person contact center. By enhancing communication and creating compliant, friendly scripts, his team aimed to increase customer satisfaction and drive sales. This attention to detail and cross-functional collaboration resonated with the Qubit Bot team, who realized that even small improvements in their robot’s design and functionality could significantly impact their performance in competition.
Looking Ahead: Applying the Learnings
Nam Szeto’s outreach session left the Qubit Bot team with a deeper understanding of the skills required to succeed not only in robotics but in any complex project. As they continue to refine their robot and prepare for the upcoming FIRST FTC season, the team will carry forward the lessons of collaboration, adaptability, and strategic thinking. Whether it's tackling technical challenges or aligning their efforts as a team, the insights from Mr. Szeto will serve as a guiding force as they work to achieve their season’s goals.
In robotics, just as in product management, success is built on a foundation of teamwork, flexibility, and a clear vision. Thanks to this outreach event, the Qubit Bot team is better equipped to navigate the road ahead, bringing them one step closer to victory in the FTC competition.
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