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Martin Harrysson

Senior PartnerBay Area

Draws on expertise in software product development and digital strategy to help clients innovate the customer experience, evolve their operating model, and develop new products

Martin helps primarily high-tech, software, and financial services companies implement digitally enabled business models and improve product development. With his support, companies that were born digital and those still making the transition can seize opportunities and execute decisively in rapidly changing markets.

Recognizing that digital technology is fundamentally changing how companies operate, interact with customers, and develop products and services, Martin has helped clients discover new business opportunities. He has partnered closely with executives to mine customer insights from social and digital platforms, improve software development, get more out of technology investments, and design innovative customer engagements. All these efforts have led to greater operational efficiencies and stronger revenue growth.

Recent examples of his work include the following:

  • leading a transformation of a product and R&D organization for a “top three” software company with close to 10,000 engineers, which included shifting to a new product management model, improving engineering practices and tools to drive quality, and using analytics to make better decisions
  • developing the product strategy for a leading cloud infrastructure and platform company, which changed its direction along with a multibillion-dollar investment
  • establishing a capability-building program for product management at a global tech firm. The program has been running for more than two years and changed the way the firms think about customers all the way to product strategy
  • leading the design and implementation of an end-to-end product and technology operating model for a leading fintech company, which included location, organization, planning, product development process, role definition, and ways of working, and resulted in a performance improvement of approximately $500 million

In addition to his hands-on advisory experience, Martin tracks developments in digital technology to derive practical insights for business leaders. He seeks to identify the business implications of digital and social media for C-suite executives and explores these topics in many of his publications.

Before joining McKinsey, Martin studied computer science and engineering at MIT, and had internship opportunities at a global technology company and a technology-focused professional services firm. He also served in the Swedish Armed Forces, where he was honored as Soldier of the Year.

Published work

The gen AI skills revolution: Rethinking your talent strategy,” McKinsey & Company, August 2024

How generative AI could accelerate software product time to market,” McKinsey & Company, May 2024

The growing importance of software product marketing managers,” McKinsey & Company, May 2024

The bottom-line benefit of the product operating model,” McKinsey & Company, December 2023

Yes, you can measure software developer productivity,” McKinsey & Company, August 2023

Unleashing developer productivity with generative AI,” McKinsey & Company, June 2023

What separates top product managers from the rest of the pack,” McKinsey & Company, January 2023

Responsible product management: The critical tech challenge,” McKinsey & Company, March 2022

Moving beyond agile to become a software innovator,” McKinsey & Company, September 2021

A new management science for technology delivery,” McKinsey & Company, February 2020

Applying artificial intelligence for social good,” McKinsey Global Institute, November 2018

The product management talent dilemma,” McKinsey & Company, November 2018

Advanced social technologies and the future of collaboration,” McKinsey Global Institute, July 2017

Product managers for the digital world,” McKinsey & Company, May 2017

An executives guide to software development,” McKinsey & Company, February 2017

The evolution of social technologies,” McKinsey Quarterly, June 2016

How social tools can reshape the organization,” McKinsey Global Institute, May 2016

Organizing for digital acceleration: Making a two-speed IT operating model work,” McKinsey & Company, October 2015

Transforming the business through social tools,” McKinsey & Company, January 2015

Getting the CMO and CIO to work as partners,” McKinsey & Company, August 2014

The strength of ‘weak signals,” McKinsey Quarterly, February 2014

Les médias sociaux stratégiques,” Les Affaires, November 2013

How not to unwittingly reveal company secrets,” Harvard Business Review, December 2012

How to find new competitive knowledge in social media,” Harvard Business Review, December 2012

How ‘social intelligence’ can guide decisions,” McKinsey Quarterly, November 2012

Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
BS, computer science and engineering