Do Not Let Your Customers Design Solutions. The Product Death Cycle Trap.
Many PMs forget about the "Why" and become waiters. To please everyone, they collect and waterfall all "feature requirements" to the team. But no matter how much the team delivers, it get worse.
The product death cycle is a terrible trap.
Many PMs forget about the "Why" and become waiters.
To please everyone, a typical waiter collects and waterfalls all "feature requirements" to the team. But no matter how much the team delivers, it gets only worse. Features shipped in a hurry do not solve anyone's problems and do not drive the expected business results.
The feature factory.
Fortunately, you can prevent or escape that trap. Try this:
1. Focus on the vision and strategy
Ask yourself:
Why are you building this product?
Where do you want to be in 2–5 years?
What’s the unique value proposition?
For whom are you building it?
How is it aligned with the company’s vision and business strategy?
What are the customer outcomes/jobs (functional, emotional, social)?
How will it create value for the business?
How can you get there?
Recommended books:
Business Model Generation by Alexander Osterwalder
Playing to Win by Roger Martin
2. Do not let your customers design solutions
Focus on understanding their problems, needs, and desires in-depth. Interview them regularly, map opportunities, and brainstorm possible solutions. Make sure the designer and engineers are included.
This will let you build a shared understanding and stay open to different perspectives. In particular, the best ideas often come from engineers.
Recommended books:
Continuous Discovery Habits by Teresa Torres
The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick
3. Test your ideas with MVPs and prototypes
Learning by delivering is expensive. Run small experiments in a front-of-funnel to validate ideas in the cheapest and the fastest possible way before selecting them for implementation.
Key risks every PM needs to tackle:
Value. Will our customers desire or love it?
Usability. Will they be able to use it?
Viability. Can our business support it?
Feasibility. Is it possible?
Ethic. Should we do it?
Recommended books:
Inspired by Marty Cagan
The Lean Product Playbook by Dan Olsen
Testing Business Ideas by Alexander Osterwalder and David J Bland
4. Push back on things that are handed down
Respect your stakeholders, but don’t let their authority influence what is important. Question solutions and push back on things that are handed down to you.
“A person’s success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.” — Tim Ferriss
Recommended books:
Influence Without Authority by Allan Cohen and David Bradford
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen M. R. Covey
Follow these tips, and do not let the product death cycle materialize. You will build great products that customers love and that work for the business.
Credits: the product death cycle was first described by David J Bland.
Thanks for reading The Product Compass!
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Take care, Paweł