Delivering Clarity
I’ve never worked with non-software products. This could be perceived as either a curse or a blessing, I suppose. I don’t know what a Product Manager for a non-software product would go through to ensure everyone in his or her company “got it”. However, one thing I do know, it’s tough to drive clarity in software companies.
It’s invetiable that people just won’t get it. It’s not their fault, by any stretch of the imagination. But, as a PM, I see it as a responsibility to get everyone on the same page. Having just stepped-in to a company that has multiple lines with multiple technology-based products, this has been an overwhelming task.
There are plenty of things I thought would work at the outset, but I’m molding to shape what’s best for the company as I go. Since all of the products I’m working with combine into a “ecosystem” of sorts, it makes it tough - the natural thing to do is try to cover everything at once — all for one and one for all sorta deal. This doesn’t work — at least, not in the scenario I’m dealing with.
The approach I’ve decided to take is, break these out, simplify where possible, and make sure everyone gets it. I’ve been working this strategy for around 2 months, and it’s going well. There’s some places where I can’t enforce this and need the help of my boss and others, but that’s OK. The thinking I’m trying to change has been going on for over a year. I’ve never thought it’s impossible to clear things up — maybe difficult, but if it wasn’t it wouldn’t be a challenge.
So, what’s my overarching theme? Keep it simple stupid (K.I.S.S.). Simply the lines / suites, and productize each product as a product - not as an “ecosystem”. Not everyone can keep a picture of an entire system in their heads, but they can understand “this is product A, and it has features B and benefits C — here is a 50,000 foot workflow”. Then you can start getting into how each product works together.
One thing I’m picking up on does relate back to people having a set image in their head of things for over a year. I’m noticing that, even though it’s easy to see how easy the products are once you get it and it’s explained in the right way(s), there’s slippage back into the old ways of thinking.
I guess that’s natural. It just takes time and consistency of message. Making sure your productizing to the right standards and then take that message and push, it should be fine. Yes, I’m dealing with this for the first time, and learning some GREAT lessons along the way. But I don’t know if it would change from one company to the next. You learn to recognize when you’ve tried to deliver clarity in one way and people react another, but outside of that, it’s sorta just trying to find the right way to talk about products to the specific company.
Maybe I’m relying too much on the start aligning but that’s just what I’m seeing thus far. Hopefully I don’t sound too much like a crazy-person.
