This episode focuses on the contradiction at the heart of Target Canada’s operations: stores could have empty shelves while distribution centers had inventory. The issue was not simply “not enough product.” It was a flow problem involving systems, warehouse processes, forecasting, data, vendor coordination, and store execution.

For PMs, this episode is about handoffs, dependencies, and the danger of managing functional silos instead of end-to-end outcomes.

Key PM Questions:

Where are the handoffs most likely to fail?

Can the system move work from request to customer outcome?

Are teams optimizing their piece while the whole process breaks?