How to do product management the right way
The ‘right way’ to do product management is the way that works at your company and gets results for the business and your users. Not a specific process or template.
Product management, in a nutshell, is identifying, prioritizing, and delivering solutions that create value for a business and its customers. You do this (Product Management) by talking to users, analyzing data, setting a clear vision, making trade-offs, working with cross-functional teams, launching solutions, and iterating based on feedback.
It really couldn’t be more clear… or could it?
I’ve been coaching product managers for a few years and noticed a question being asked more frequently these days. The product managers I talk to want to make sure they’re doing product management the right way, wanting to know exactly how it is supposed to be done.
How do you talk to users? How often? What does a proper roadmap look like? Should I attend stand-ups? Is this the correct retro format? How long should my backlog be?
And of course, my answer is, “It depends”.
‘Doing product management’ means following a collection of processes, templates, and actions, but what are the correct processes, templates and actions to follow?
Similar to our ideal way of building products (iterative, data, and feedback-driven), we should also acknowledge that how we ‘do’ product management must evolve and change over time and according to the situation.
Like much in life, there is more than one way to do things, and product management is no exception. The best methods will depend on the situation, including the culture, existing tooling and processes, and your level of influence in your company.
These variables vary greatly for each of us.
The messaging from many of the loudest voices in product management can seem dogmatic about how the role should be done (and far too high-level). In reality, I know many of you reading this are not in a position to reshape the way your company does product management and have been handed a mixed bag of tools and responsibilities. How ‘you’ do product management will come down to your ability to work within existing processes, change or influence what you can, and discover what gets things done where you are.
Whether you’re following certain processes or using a specific template shouldn’t be your measure of success. You probably can't change these processes unless you’re at the Director level or above. Instead, you should measure your success by the results you can get for your users and the business.
So, to those of you who have been doing product management for a while but lack the ‘formal’ training you think you need, you probably know more than you realize, and rarely is there going to be a ‘right’ way to do it.
On the other hand, if you are in a position to influence or change the processes that dictate how product management works in your company, here are a few things to consider.
How to determine if we’re practicing the ‘right way’ of working:
You can improve your process a lot like you’d improve your product. It’s helpful to take an iterative, data-driven approach.
Evaluating current processes:
Are people following the process or working around it? If a process is routinely ignored or worked around, it’s a sign that it might be too complex, bureaucratic, or just not benefiting your team. Desired paths may already exist, and it could be worth evaluating those rogue processes as alternatives.
Are we defaulting to the way we’ve always done things? Just because a process has been in place for years doesn’t mean it’s still effective. Regularly challenge assumptions about what’s working and what’s not.
Are we seeing meaningful results from our current approach? If your existing process is helping the team ship valuable products, collaborate effectively, and meet business goals, it may not need changing, just refining.
For every process, new or old:
Does this process improve decision-making or add overhead? A process should enable better, faster, and more informed decisions. If it slows things down without adding real value, it’s worth reconsidering.
Who benefits from this process, and who bears the burden? A process that disproportionately benefits one team while making others work harder may create friction and resistance. Look for balance.
Are we including the right stakeholders at the right time? Too much input can slow things down, while too little can lead to surprises later. The right balance is key.
Does this process create unnecessary dependencies? If a new process forces teams to wait on approvals or input that isn’t truly needed, it may be slowing things down without good reason.
Is this process scalable and adaptable as we grow? Some methods work great for a small team but become a bottleneck as the organization scales. Consider whether it will evolve with your needs.
Things to consider before you add a new process:
Are we adding processes for the sake of processes? Every process adds some level of complexity, and if deemed unnecessary, people will steer away from it. Consider adopting a guideline instead of a formal process.
Do we have evidence that this process has worked elsewhere in a similar context? A process that works at a 10,000-person company may not be effective for a 50-person startup. Look for examples of successful implementation in similar team sizes and business models for an idea of how to adapt it to your organization.
Are we treating this process as an experiment? Instead of committing fully upfront, consider testing a process change on a smaller scale before rolling it out across the organization.
How will we measure the impact of this process? If a process change is meant to improve efficiency, collaboration, or decision-making, ensure there’s a way to track whether it’s delivering on that promise.
Product management can be messy. It’s one of the least straightforward roles I’ve ever had, full of ambiguity and uncertainty at times. Your goal is to work through that and find clarity to bring to those supporting you.
If you’re looking for help or support figuring out how to do product management where you are, coaching can be a great option. Get feedback tailored to you and your situation, and learn how you can improve your existing processes, even if you don’t think you have the influence to make it happen. Checkout my coaching profile on mentorcruise.com.