AMA: Superhuman Head of Product Marketing, Alex Rodrigues on Market Research

AI has become one of our go-to collaborators for research — not because it replaces our instincts, but because it accelerates the work and surfaces insights faster. Here's how we use it, and where it still needs a human touch: Desk research at warp speedAI dramatically shortens the time it takes to do foundational research. From sizing markets to exploring how specific segments are evolving, we use AI to scan and summarize publicly available data. It's like having an assistant who can work at br ...Read More

I’ve done just about every version of this — in-house, agency-led, hybrid. The right approach depends on your company’s structure, the scope of the project, and what you’re optimizing for. That said, no matter how the research is structured, I’m a strong believer in this: PMMs should be close to the customer.Spending time in research — whether you're running it or partnering on it — is one of the fastest ways to build expertise, shape the roadmap, and earn trust across product and marketing. On ...Read More

Everything starts with clarity on who we’re building for. That means defining the audience where we believe we can create and capture the most meaningful value — especially if they’re underserved today. From there, the process looks like this: Start with hard dataWe begin with desk research to ground our thinking: market size, segment growth, customer types, and competitive dynamics. This helps us frame the opportunity clearly and get buy-in early. Internal stakeholders are more aligned when we ...Read More

This is a classic tension — and a totally valid one. Account Managers and CSMs are juggling a lot, and their job is to protect (and grow) the relationship. Ours is to learn from that relationship without disrupting it. Here’s how I’ve approached this challenge: Frame the ask as a win for the customerDon’t just say “we want feedback.” Position it as an exclusive opportunity to shape the future of the product. Customers love being heard — especially if the session is framed as a chance to speak di ...Read More

This is a great question — because it gets at the heart of how Product Marketing and Product Management work together. At its best, research isn’t siloed between these functions. It’s a shared muscle that gets stronger when PMs and PMMs are aligned on the goal and clear on their roles. I’m a strong believer in the embedded PMM model:Each PMM partners closely with one or two PMs (ideally no more) and their design and engineering teams. At Superhuman, we structure this into pods — tight-knit cross ...Read More