PART III: The Right Product
Product Roadmaps
Product roadmaps traditionally dictate the work of product teams by listing prioritized features and projects for development on a defined schedule. However, this approach, centered on output rather than outcomes, often leads to inefficiency and failed initiatives. Instead of delivering business value, many teams become bogged down by a fixed feature list that may not address real customer needs or business objectives.
Key criticisms of traditional product roadmaps
- They coerce teams into meeting output goals without solving underlying problems.
- Roadmaps can create wasteful work cycles as they often include features that won't succeed in the market.
- Once listed, roadmap items are perceived as commitments, restricting flexibility and adaptive problem solving.
Alternatives to Traditional Roadmaps
Moving away from traditional roadmaps involves embracing a model that encourages product teams to focus on outcomes rather than outputs. The alternative approach, centered around business objectives and key results (OKRs), empowers teams to solve specific business problems with measurable outcomes. This shift allows teams greater flexibility to explore innovative solutions and iterate on product ideas more effectively.
Important aspects of the alternative approach
- Outcome-based focus: Teams prioritize solving business problems over merely completing features.
- Empowerment and autonomy: Teams are given real problems to solve, with the autonomy to determine the best solutions.
- OKRs: These serve to define clear objectives and measurable key results that align with business goals.
High-Integrity Commitments
Despite a more flexible and outcome-focused approach, certain business needs require commitments to specific deliverables by a particular date (high-integrity commitments). These are handled with care, ensuring they are only set after thorough exploration during the product discovery phase.
Product Vision and Strategy
Product Vision: This outlines a compelling future state for the product, acting as a key motivational and strategic tool that guides the broader direction of product development.
Product Strategy: This provides a roadmap of how to get to the vision, through a sequence of deliberate steps addressing specific markets or customer segments.
Principles of Effective Product Strategy
- Focus on one target market or persona at a time to ensure depth of solution and customer satisfaction.
- Align product strategy directly with business and go-to-market strategies, ensuring that product developments support overall business objectives.
Profile Example: Alex Pressland's work at the BBC illustrates the profound impact a clear product vision and strategy can have when aligned with organizational goals and adapted to emerging technologies and market trends.
The shift from traditional feature-focused product roadmaps to a dynamic, outcome-based approach allows product teams not only to operate with greater autonomy but also ensures that their work directly contributes to the strategic objectives of the organization. This alignment is vital in driving both product success and overall business growth.