Ever wondered what a day in the life of one of our consultants looks like? This series dives into the details! Today, we're spotlighting Eric Rowsey, a Principal Product Strategist based in Richmond, VA. Here's a glimpse into their typical day: 

Morning 

I’m not an early riser, so my day usually starts around 7 or 7:30 a.m. - and always with coffee. 

I work from UDig’s Richmond office two or three days a week, depending on my schedule. On office days, I’ll get ready, check my calendar, plan for the day and arrive around 8:30. When I’m working from home, I have a slightly slower start, but my workday begins the same way: with back-to-back meetings supporting four teams on a large-scale system modernization project. 

During the teams’ morning standups, I’m mostly there to listen as the engineers and designers share what they’ve been working on. My role is to collaborate with the client’s product team and help the broader team get the answers they need - whether that means clarifying a business process, tracking down additional context, or helping facilitate a decision about the software’s functionality. 

We’re currently rewriting an order-processing system that has been used for 45 years. Long-tenured associates understand its complexities, but it can take a new employee as long as two years to become comfortable and effective using it. Our goal is to create a more intuitive experience while preserving the critical business knowledge embedded in the existing system. 

I sometimes describe my role as being an archaeologist. I work closely with engineers, designers, fellow product managers, and business systems analysts to discover where different pieces of knowledge and process live, recover them, and ensure they’re incorporated into new systems and features. 

Lunch 

Lunch depends on where I’m working. At home, I’ll make something and sometimes eat at my desk, though I try not to work through the entire break. I may read an article, take care of something personal, or simply give myself a little downtime. 

When I’m in the office, lunch is more social. A group of us will often go out together, giving us a chance to step away from our work and connect outside of project conversations. 

Afternoon 

My afternoons are usually less meeting-heavy, so that’s when I get the most uninterrupted time to work through tasks and get ahead. 

A lot of my focused work involves writing user stories and requirements. I take the information gathered through conversations with the client and our project teams and distill it into something cohesive, actionable, and easy to understand. The goal is to give engineers and designers a clear picture of what we’re building, why it matters, and how it needs to work. 

Not every problem is best solved while sitting in front of a computer. If I’m thinking through a broader strategy or higher-level challenge, I’ll take a 15- or 30-minute walk to get my blood flowing and give myself space to process it. 

UDig’s flexibility also helps me make better use of my time. On office days, I may head home before traffic picks up and finish my focused work there. I still get the benefit of connecting with colleagues in person without losing unnecessary time to my commute! 

As AI continues to reshape product strategy, ongoing learning has also become an important part of my work. UDig’s AI Week was a great professional development opportunity because Product had an active role alongside Engineering and Design. I’m excited to continue learning how we can use these tools to better support our teams and clients. 

After Work 

Before I finish for the day, I look ahead to the next day and the rest of the week so I’m prepared for what’s coming. 

Outside of work, I spend a lot of time volunteering with Virginia Commonwealth University, where I serve on the alumni council. Some evenings, I’ll head to an event related to that work. Otherwise, I’ll make dinner or go out with friends or family. I’m fortunate to have a lot of family in the area. 

Although I’ve only been at UDig for a few months, its collaborative culture has already stood out to me. Problems don’t fall on just a few people. Each client engagement feels like a group effort, and people stay connected to what their colleagues are working on across the company. It creates the feeling of a small, close-knit team. 

Consulting sometimes comes with horror stories about burnout and 80-hour workweeks, but UDig feels different. The company supports and protects its people while making sure we’re doing work we can relate to and feel proud of. My advice to anyone considering a role here is simple: Don’t let the fact that UDig is a consulting company scare you.