Beyond process: why connection drives product ops success at unanet
Product operations has often been seen as the team that keeps processes running smoothly, the silent engine of delivery. But for Christina Trocco (“Xina”), Director of Product Operations at Unanet, success in Product Ops isn’t about enforcing process at all. It’s about building connections between teams, tools, and the people who make great products possible.
We spoke with Xina about her unconventional path into Product Ops, the lessons she’s learned from building the function from scratch, and why she believes the future of Product Ops lies not in process, but in people.
From storytelling to systems thinking
“I’ve always seen myself as a storyteller,” Xina says. Her career began in literary journalism and film studies, an early love of narrative that carried through to her master’s in screenwriting.
After she interned in Hollywood, she then pivoted into librarianship (“I just love helping people find what they need”) before going on to discover a passion for technical writing.
It was this move that sparked a change: “I realized I could combine research with clear communication, helping others make sense of complex information.” Over time, that skillset evolved across industries from engineering to beauty and ecommerce, until one startup role blurred into what would later be called product operations.
“I was managing cross-functional projects, implementing tools, improving processes, without realizing it, I was already doing Product Ops,” she recalls.
Discovering Product Ops before it had a name
Her first formal exposure came by chance. “A fractional CPO was visiting our office one day,” Xina says. “I told her I was still figuring out my place in the org, and she said, ‘It sounds like you’ve been doing Product Operations.’ I remember thinking, what’s that?”
That moment sparked her deep dive into the emerging discipline through dozens of interviews, conversations, and research across the growing Product Ops community. Xina proudly secured a role at Shopify and later rejoined a former manager at Unanet to build the function from the ground up.
Today, she leads Product Ops at Unanet, guiding structure, process, and most importantly, connection in a 40-person strong Product and UX organization.
The playbook that shaped her approach
“For me, Product Ops is the connective tissue between teams,” Xina explains. “We’re not here to enforce process to the letter; it’s about iterating, experimenting, and treating internal processes like a product.”
When Xina joined Unanet, she drew heavily on insights from a book called Product Operations: How Successful Companies Build Better Products at Scale by Melissa Perri and Denise Tilles, a book she used to guide her new team. “We even ran a mini book club to talk through it together,” she laughs. “It helped us build a shared language from day one.
“It’s the only book I know of that clearly outlines the discipline,” she says. “It helped me understand how to turn what I was already doing instinctively into a repeatable, scalable framework.”
One quote from the book particularly resonated with her: “Product operations is the discipline of helping your product management function scale well, surrounding the team with all of the essential inputs to set strategy, prioritize, and streamline ways of working.”
For Xina, this captures why Product Ops is becoming essential as companies grow. “Startups often scale faster than their systems. Without structure, collaboration breaks down, and teams start operating in silos. That’s exactly when Product Ops can make a difference.”
Another principle she lives by from the book is “removing obstacles so product leaders can make evidence-based decisions.” As she explains, “When PMs spend more time chasing data or juggling stakeholder noise than thinking strategically, Product Ops can clear the path for them to focus on what really matters.”
Perri and Tilles also describe Product Ops as “the cross-functional glue that connects everyone,” a line that Xina says feels spot on. “We’re the neutral, diplomatic force that helps align teams and keep everyone moving in the same direction.”
The book outlines three pillars of Product Ops that Xina uses as a guide at Unanet:
Business data and insights: turning qualitative and quantitative data into worthwhile inputs that shape smart product decisions.
Customer and market insights: how to gather and share user feedback so the product stays rooted in real customer needs.
Shared processes and practices: creating simple, replicable systems for planning, prioritization, and delivery that enable product to both work and scale with ease.
“It’s a great foundation,” she adds. “You don’t need to follow every page as a playbook, but it gives you language and structure to explain the value of what we do.”
Evolving from process to partnership
When Xina first explored Product Ops roles, no two companies defined it the same way. “Some were really data-heavy, others were almost program management. But the discipline’s maturing. We now have clearer frameworks and shared terminology,” she says.
That evolution is accelerating again with the rise of AI. “We can automate a lot of the tactical work now. Product Ops is becoming more strategic, helping product leaders focus on outcomes, not just outputs.”
At Unanet, that strategic focus includes tool integration and experimentation with AI across their product suite. “We’re very intentional about how we use AI,” Xina notes. “It’s not about replacing people, but rather amplifying efficiency while keeping the human in the loop.”
Building trust first, process second
When she joined Unanet, her first mission wasn’t setting up tools or dashboards; it was talking to people.
“I scheduled over 60 coffee chats in my first few months,” she says. “I wanted to understand everyone’s pain points. Sometimes it’s not the process that’s broken, it’s communication or culture.”
Those conversations became the foundation for collaboration across product and UX. “We’re a cultural heartbeat for the team,” she says. “You’ve got to understand how people feel before you can fix how they work.”
(And yes, she won the company’s coffee-chat challenge, complete with a unicorn plushie and a Starbucks card.)
Measuring success through connection
How does Xina measure success in a function that’s often behind the scenes?
“It’s a mix of qualitative and quantitative,” she explains. “Sure, we track data and outcomes, but I also look at how people respond. Are teams communicating better? Do they feel supported? Do they have clarity and confidence in what they’re delivering?”
For her, the most rewarding feedback is personal. “When someone says, ‘You made my job easier,’ that’s the real impact.”
Lessons learned and advice for others
Reflecting on her career, Xina emphasizes three lessons:
Stay curious and keep learning. “Information is always changing; your willingness to keep learning is what keeps you relevant.”
Prioritize people over process. “The best systems fail without trust and alignment.”
Don’t chase titles; chase impact. “Your success isn’t the job title; it’s the difference you make for people.”
Her advice to newcomers: “Don’t get hung up on the word Product Ops. It looks different in every company. The fun part is defining it for your organization.”
The key traits she looks for? “Great communication, structure, and zero ego. You don’t need 10 years of experience; you just need to be curious, proactive, and focused on helping others succeed.”
Looking ahead: connection as strategy
Asked about the future, Xina sees Product Ops continuing to mature into a strategic partner role as part product manager, part chief of staff.
“For heads of product wondering if they need Product Ops, if you’re struggling with alignment, collaboration, or process clarity, you probably do. Even one person dedicated to it can make a huge impact.”
Product Ops, she adds, is far from a cost center. “It’s an investment in efficiency, culture, and clarity. When your teams are connected, everything moves faster and smarter.”
The bottom line
Product Ops is no longer a process discipline; it’s a connection discipline. As Xina puts it:
“It’s not just about process, it’s about people, culture, and making sure everyone has what they need to do their best work.”
Emma-Lily Pendleton
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