Some big changes are happening at Microsoft, especially in the product department. After 19 years of service, Panos Panay, the chief product officer of Microsoft, who oversaw the development of Surface devices and Windows 11, is leaving the company. Panay announced his departure from the company via a post on X (formerly Twitter). He tweeted, "After 19 incredible years at Microsoft, I've decided to turn the page and write the next chapter. I'm forever grateful for my time at Microsoft and the amazing people I had the honor to make

products with."It is interesting that the news came just days before a New York City event that launched new Surface hardware.

However, it is beyond any reasonable doubt that the new chief operating officer will have it tougher. Today, be it any product, even an IT one, just the product doesn’t cut it for customers. They are constantly on the hunt for overwhelming customer experiences. This highlights the need for Chief Product Officers to work in tandem with other departments, especially UI/UX and marketing, more than ever before. Beyond AR and other technology interventions and providing personalized experiences using AI and Data Analytics, attention to detail could go a long way in delivering exceptional user experiences. From advanced cursor interactions to dark mode, micro-interactions, clean user interfaces, gaming experiences, and responsive designs, little big things could make a whole world of difference to the user experience. However, coordination is the key to all these. But with the prevailing hybrid work culture, it is a huge challenge for CPOs. We dedicate this yearly special issue to all CPOs out there battling it out.