Interview with Petra Nilsson: Building Teams for Product Discovery in Pharmaceuticals’ Nordic Medical Devices Market

Could you introduce yourself and your experience with product discovery in pharmaceutical medical devices, especially in Nordic countries?

Certainly! I’m Petra Nilsson, and I’ve spent over eight years in brand management within the pharmaceutical sector, focusing mainly on medical devices. For the last five years, I’ve worked closely with teams developing products specifically for the Nordics—Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland. This region is unique because healthcare providers place a huge emphasis on evidence, regulatory compliance, and patient-centered design, so product discovery isn’t just about ideas—it demands a deep understanding of clinical needs and health systems.

For someone new to brand management, how would you explain “product discovery” in this context?

Think of product discovery as a treasure hunt—but instead of gold, you're seeking real, unmet needs in healthcare that your medical device can solve. You gather clues (data, insights, feedback) to shape what your product should be. In pharmaceuticals, especially medical devices, discovery isn’t just brainstorming features. It’s about validating through research, field visits, and patient interviews that your innovation will actually improve outcomes and meet tough regulatory standards in the Nordics.

How does team-building impact product discovery success?

Your discovery is only as good as your team’s ability to explore different perspectives. Imagine trying to draw a detailed map with just one flashlight. You need multiple flashlights—people with clinical expertise, data analysis skills, regulatory knowledge, and user-experience insight. Building a diverse, cross-functional team ensures you illuminate blind spots, making your product more viable and relevant.

Which skills should you prioritize when hiring for a product-discovery team in this industry?

Start with these essentials:

• Clinical understanding: Nurses, doctors, or medical researchers who grasp the day-to-day challenges in patient care.
• Regulatory knowledge: Someone familiar with Nordic Medical Device Regulations (MDR) is crucial. They ensure that ideas won’t hit legal roadblocks later.
• Market research: Experts who can gather and analyze data from hospitals, clinicians, and patients.
• Technical product insight: Engineers or product developers who understand how devices are designed and manufactured.
• Communications and storytelling: Brand managers or marketers skilled at translating technical findings into compelling narratives.

Hiring for these skills is like assembling a band—you want different instruments, each adding unique sounds. Without the drummer (regulatory expert), the beat falters; without the guitarist (clinical expert), the melody lacks soul.

What team structure works best for product discovery in the Nordics, especially for medical devices?

A small, agile core team—around 5 to 7 people—works well. Keep it nimble to encourage quick decision-making but ensure diversity. For instance:

This setup encourages collaboration and makes onboarding easier because roles are clear.

Speaking of onboarding, how do you get new team members up to speed on discovery processes?

The key is structure without stifling curiosity. Start with a two-week intensive schedule:

1. Context briefing: Teach newcomers about Nordic healthcare systems, reimbursement rules, and clinical workflows.
2. Product history: Review past product launches and lessons learned.
3. Discovery tools: Introduce methods like ethnographic research (observing clinicians in their environment) and survey platforms such as Zigpoll, SurveyMonkey, or Qualtrics.
4. Shadowing: Let them join interviews or observations with more experienced team members.
5. Mini-project: Assign a small discovery task, like analyzing competitor product feedback from Nordic hospitals.

This mix of learning and doing accelerates confidence.

Can you share an example where team structure or skills dramatically improved discovery outcomes?

Absolutely. One Nordic medical device team started with a traditional market research approach—surveys and focus groups—targeting cardiologists. Findings were lukewarm; conversion from concept to prototype was stuck at 2%.

Then, they added a nurse practitioner with frontline ICU experience and adjusted the team to include a regulatory specialist specializing in Nordic MDR. The nurse introduced direct observations of device use in emergency wards, revealing practical frustrations doctors hadn’t mentioned—like device size and cleaning challenges.

Meanwhile, regulatory insights early on prevented costly redesigns. The team refined the product concept accordingly. Within a year, the conversion rate jumped to 11%, a fivefold increase.

What product discovery techniques work best from a team-building perspective in this industry and region?

Here are some you can adopt and build teams around:

1. Cross-functional workshops: Bring all specialties into one room to brainstorm and validate assumptions. These can uncover hidden insights.
2. Ethnographic observations: Clinicians notice different things than sales teams. Assign clinical experts to do field visits and report back.
3. Rapid prototyping sessions: Engineers and brand managers work together to build quick mock-ups, helping teams visualize the product.
4. Multi-round surveys: Use tools like Zigpoll to gather iterative feedback from Nordic healthcare professionals, adjusting questions as you learn.
5. Stakeholder mapping: Identify all parties involved—from hospital procurement officers to patients—and assign team members to interview each.
6. Regulatory checkpoints: Schedule regular team reviews to assess compliance risks—a job for regulatory specialists.
7. Data sprints: Set short bursts (1-2 weeks) where market researchers dive deep into competitor analysis or reimbursement landscapes.
8. Co-creation workshops: Invite end-users (patients or nurses) to ideate alongside your team.
9. Field shadowing: Pair new hires with experienced clinical liaisons to observe real-world device use.
10. Feedback loops: Create a routine for sharing insights within the team—weekly meetings, shared docs, or digital boards.
11. Scenario planning: Role-play different future states to stress-test ideas.
12. Digital ethnography: Analyze online forums or Nordic patient communities for unmet needs.
13. Pilot testing: Launch small-scale trials with a subset of users.
14. Internal knowledge sharing: Regular brown-bag sessions where team members present learnings.
15. Continuous training: Engage teams in ongoing education about evolving Nordic regulations and health trends.

Are there common pitfalls teams face when applying these discovery techniques?

Definitely. One big trap is siloed work—teams where clinical, regulatory, or marketing specialists operate in isolation. This leads to missed connections and duplicated effort.

Another limitation is over-reliance on surveys without qualitative insight. For example, a purely quantitative survey conducted early on may miss subtle user frustrations that only field observation can reveal.

Also, Nordic countries differ significantly in healthcare organization, reimbursement, and culture. A one-size-fits-all approach can fail. Teams need flexible structures to adapt locally.

Lastly, many new teams underestimate the time it takes to onboard regulatory specialists or to conduct thorough ethnographic research, which can slow down discovery but ultimately save time in development.

How can leaders foster a collaborative team culture that supports these product discovery methods?

Start by setting clear, shared goals so everyone knows the target. Encourage open communication—make it okay to challenge assumptions or raise concerns. Celebrate small wins, like a successful prototype or a good clinician interview.

Also, promote empathy—encourage team members to ‘walk in the shoes’ of end-users and each other. For example, engineers spending time with clinical experts can deepen mutual understanding.

Finally, use collaboration tools wisely—digital whiteboards, shared folders, or project management platforms keep the team aligned even across Nordic time zones.

What are actionable first steps for entry-level brand managers to improve team-based product discovery?

• Map your team’s skills against the 5 core roles I mentioned. Where are gaps? Flag them for hiring or external consultants.
• Schedule regular cross-functional sessions—even informal ones—so silos don’t form.
• Introduce survey tools like Zigpoll early on to collect real-time feedback from healthcare providers.
• Arrange field visits or shadowing opportunities for new team members.
• Set up a shared knowledge hub where any team member can access past research, regulatory updates, or competitor insights.
• Get familiar with Nordic MDR and regional healthcare nuances to guide discovery direction.
• Pilot one new technique (e.g., co-creation workshop) on your next product concept and track results.

Any final words of advice?

Product discovery in pharmaceuticals, especially for medical devices in the Nordics, is a team sport. Your success depends less on solo brilliance and more on how well your team listens, learns, and builds together. Hire with intention, onboard thoughtfully, and keep everyone rowing in the same direction—and you’ll find invaluable insights that differentiate your brand in a crowded market.

A 2024 Forrester report found that teams using diverse discovery techniques and strong cross-functional collaboration improve product launch success by 30% in healthcare industries. Your investment in people and process pays off.

Remember: the treasure isn’t just the product you create—it’s the team you develop along the way.