Transforming Product Management Practices
A client recently approached me for guidance in improving his skills as a Product Manager. Let's call him Mark. He felt frustrated with his current role, focusing primarily on fulfilling the requests of the Finance team.
Mark was not engaging in proper discovery processes. Instead, he was merely churning out features based on internal customer demands, lacking a structured approach to product development.
Developing Solutions
We collaborated to identify mechanisms that could enhance his performance. Together, we formulated hypotheses reflecting what Mark's boss, who reported to the CTO, might support.
Between our sessions, Mark gathered feedback on these proposed mechanisms. Gradually, he began to test them, receiving valuable customer insights that directly influenced his product roadmap.
Overcoming Obstacles
During his quarterly review, Mark presented these findings. However, he still faced challenges getting buy-in from the CTO and the CFO concerning changes in team workflows.
Our journey required patience and continuous experimentation. We needed to uncover new solutions and validate investment needs for engineering resources.
The Path to Success
Eventually, our efforts started to pay off. One successful initiative demonstrated that discovery mechanisms revealed significant problems, benefiting various stakeholders within the Finance team.
This not only saved time but also reduced costs for the company. After a few months, Mark established a regular discovery process for his team, extending its implementation to others across the organisation.
By embracing a structured approach, Mark transformed the way his team operated, leading to substantial improvements in product management practices.
How you can apply this
Before looking outside your current role or company, reflect on what you might be able to change to build new skills. This story shows that just because you aren’t doing “proper discovery” in your current role doesn’t you mean can’t. It might just take some work to start it and demonstrate the value.
Wishing you success,
James