In the fast-evolving world of enterprise software, Smartsheet is making its mark by streamlining complex workflows for businesses of all sizes.
For Vice President of Product Management, Miya McClain, it's all about listening closely to customer needs and crafting solutions that make managing work not just efficient but impactful.
"Smartsheet is about helping you manage your work," McClain explained. "Whether you're a small business, a construction firm managing projects, or a large enterprise executing strategic initiatives, Smartsheet is a place to collaborate, track, and understand your progress." With a solid 85% of Fortune 500 companies using Smartsheet, the platform has become critical for various sectors, from construction to motorsports, with McLaren Racing managing their race-day activities through Smartsheet.
Having been with the company for two years, McClain's role revolves around translating customer feedback into actionable product updates.
Her experience in SaaS and e-commerce at companies like Microsoft and Cisco WebEx has equipped her to tackle the unique challenges that come with refining a robust yet user-friendly product.
"My job is to really listen to our customers, understand their problems, and then work with the team to create experiences within Smartsheet that solve those problems," she said.
The complexity of Smartsheet's features is a double-edged sword. While the software's power enables clients to undertake substantial projects, new users can find the initial learning curve challenging.
"We've streamlined the experience, making it more delightful," McClain noted, referring to Smartsheet's recent efforts to make the interface more intuitive. New features rolled out at the company's annual ENGAGE conference include the 'Collections' tool and a 'File Library' - both of which directly address customer feedback.
The Collections feature, McClain explained, allows users to organise projects by segmenting workspaces for specific stakeholder groups. Each group can access the data relevant to their role, whether they need a detailed status update or a simple overview.
According to McClain, the response from customers has been "overwhelmingly positive."
"I can't tell you the number of customers that came up to me and said, 'I've been waiting for something like Collections,'" she said, adding that it has been a game-changer for simplifying stakeholder engagement.
Another recent addition, the File Library, centralises project content, allowing teams to consolidate comments, reports, and resources into a single accessible repository.
"The File Library allows for async communication," McClain explained, noting its popularity with clients working across time zones or departments. "You again have one central place for a source of truth."
Beyond specific features, Smartsheet's larger goal is to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) tools that simplify data management and improve productivity.
"We're all in an era of more data than we can possibly manage," McClain said. "We see AI as a fundamental driver of efficiency within Smartsheet." One example is the 'Formula Builder,' a tool that constructs formulas automatically, saving users the need to learn complex functions.
The AI capabilities extend beyond formula creation. Smartsheet's 'Analyse Data' function generates reports and charts based on raw data input, while the 'Help AI Assistant' responds to user queries, enhancing customer support.
These features are designed to provide teams with more time to focus on core tasks. "It's about giving you more time back and saving you time," McClain added.
Among Smartsheet's strategic moves is a partnership with Amazon to integrate data insights into Amazon Q Business, allowing for easy access to Smartsheet data in combination with other data sources.
This collaboration enhances Smartsheet's value proposition as an open platform that plays well with others in a company's tech ecosystem. As McClain explained, "Whether you need to ask, 'What is the project Miya is a part of?' or 'What are all the projects Miya is part of?' the Amazon integration lets you do that."
Beyond new products, the Smartsheet team continues to adapt to shifting trends in the workforce. More companies, post-pandemic, are working across time zones and managing larger data sets.
At the same time, more employees who aren't traditional project managers now find themselves tasked with managing work processes.
This shift, McClain explained, has broadened Smartsheet's user base beyond its original audience of Project Management Offices (PMOs) to a wider range of professionals who manage complex projects within their teams.
"There are two sides of the problem," McClain observed. "Unlocking the power of Smartsheet quickly and then scaling that across multiple projects or departments."
With features like 'Collections' that allow for broad oversight and control, Smartsheet aims to create a frictionless user experience for both small teams and larger organisations.
"The ease of unlocking that power and the level of scale we can support—that truly sets us apart," McClain said. "Customers can grow with us, from one project to running their entire business on Smartsheet."
As for the future, McClain envisions even deeper AI integration that could provide tailored suggestions based on individual projects and workflows.
"I think AI becomes an even bigger player," she said. "It could suggest the next step in your project or show how Smartsheet could be used to grow existing processes."
Smartsheet's control centre, 'Collections,' is also likely to be enhanced further to offer smoother scalability and integration across a range of business functions.
Reflecting on her two years at Smartsheet, McClain noted the tremendous growth she has witnessed within the platform's user base, including a surge of "citizen project managers."
This term refers to professionals who, though not officially project managers, rely on Smartsheet to organise complex workflows.
"The growth brings more and more ideas for us to listen to customers and understand how we continue to enable them," she added.
Smartsheet's impact on its clients is undeniable, with users citing the platform's dashboards and automation features among their favourites.
The dashboard feature, in particular, allows stakeholders to quickly grasp project progress through customised displays that align with their branding.
"Dashboards present data in a way that feels delightful, is streamlined, and can be colour-coded to match a company's theme," McClain said. Automation, another favourite feature, simplifies routine processes, from status updates to task reminders, saving users valuable time.
Summing up Smartsheet's edge in the competitive software market, McClain pointed to the platform's versatility and scalability.
"Not many competitors can do the level of scale that we can," she said. As the company's technology evolves, the goal remains the same: helping businesses manage their work effectively and drive meaningful change.
"We see our customers doing even bigger things and running more critical processes on Smartsheet," McClain said with confidence.
