John Cutler · 9 min read · AI & Product
TBM 432: Bundling & Unbundling Capabilities (and AI)
Read the original on cutlefish.substack.com →
Product work has split from a single PM bundle into distributed capabilities that move through loops like specialization, diffusion, embedding, and rebundling. These motions operate in parallel, shifting capabilities across people, teams, tools, and platforms—and increasingly through AI-enabled systems. The piece also highlights AI-driven role shifts (PMs as AI builders, designers as designer engineers) and cautions that some work and the apprenticeship it provides may vanish if organizations don’t manage the transitions.
Key Takeaways
- Capabilities move through multiple loops (specialization, diffusion, centralization, embedding, rebundling, externalization, elimination) rather than a linear path.
- Work is increasingly distributed across people, teams, tools, platforms, and external partners, with knowledge embedded in AI tools and external platforms.
- AI is reshaping roles: PMs as AI builders, designers as designer engineers, and new 'builder' level expectations across disciplines.
- Organizations must preserve apprenticeship, context, and judgment even as capabilities fragment and migrate to tools and platforms.
Excerpt
Early in my product career, I wore many hats. I conducted research, analyzed data, sketched interfaces and wireframes, wrote requirements, coordinated releases, answered support questions, and even, shudder, wrote some code. Some of that was empowering. Some of it was amateur hour. But it was all bundled into the loose idea of “product management.” Over time, those capabilities separated into dedicated roles and disciplines. Designers, analysts, product marketers, program managers, and product-operations teams developed deeper expertise than any one generalist could reasonably maintain. Some joined cross-functional teams and became part of the daily work. Others became centralized experts that teams…