From time to time you need to tweak and change your product’s direction. Essentially, this means that you’ll be trying to work in new things, but also change existing things at the same time.
So, how does this impact the organization? Well, in a lot of ways. Namely, it’s the swapping and changing of certain key features that currently exist and changing those out for new features that better match the revised vision.
Really, this is just all about one thing: alignment. Competitors will come and go, but to make a product truly great, it has to align to your overarching vision – the identification of the solution for how to solve your chosen market problem(s).
Now, in theory this is very simple. Turn some knobs here, change out some labels over there – easy, right? Well, not really.
Successfully shifting a product from one chosen strategy to another (regardless of the size of that shift) can face some adversity within the business. People are inherently adverse to change, which is really where the challenge lies. Everyone will be OK with things until features start to get severely changed (or, in many cases, dropped) because they may feel things are working out really well as they are – or maybe, the didn’t understand that a product strategy shift would mean so many new and/or different things.
So, how can you as a product manager help to ease this transition to the new strategy you may have created (or not)? You kind of can’t – just let it run it’s course. Clear things up for people as much and as regularly as possible.
The other thing you can do is communicate early and often. This is something I struggle with because I always ask myself, “why are people interested in what I have to say?” I am slowly coming to the realization that it has nothing to do wit me as a person, but me as a product owner. If you are in charge of the product (and thus, the associated strategy) that’s changing, everyone will be interested in what you have to say.
Why? Because it directly affects them and what they do.
Make the change – buy in to that change. Execute it. Remove features, change features – sometimes more drastic changes are required. It will make the product feel awkward. It will feel drastic, and in some cases downright wrong. But you have to buy-in and you have to commit. Otherwise, you are failing to properly execute the product strategy you believe will make it successful in the end.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a very challenging topic, Adam, but you capture the secret key to it when you say “the other thing you can do is communicate early and often”.
Changes in product direction that are required by shifts in strategy are best accomplished when (pardon my analogy):
You call attention to the fact that the wind has changed. . .
THEN you tell them you need to turn the wheel. . .
THEN you tell them what things will be like when you’re on the new heading. . .
THEN you give them fair warning about when you’re going to turn it so they can hodl on to their drinks. . .
THEN turn the wheel. . .
THEN tell them that you’ve turned the whell. . .
THEN report on your progress now that you’ve turned the wheel compared to earlier.
No one likes surprises, and no one likes to be confused. Changes in product direction that anticipate both of these feelings in your target audiences (internal and external) are better received, even if they don’t get the job done. You’re more likely to get permission to tweak them again if folks know you’ll be transparent about it.
Good luck, man – I sense you wrote this because you’re living it, and it’s one adventure I know can test you. Courage.
This is a very challenging topic, Adam, but you capture the secret key to it when you say “the other thing you can do is communicate early and often”.
Changes in product direction that are required by shifts in strategy are best accomplished when (pardon my analogy):
You call attention to the fact that the wind has changed. . .
THEN you tell them you need to turn the wheel. . .
THEN you tell them what things will be like when you're on the new heading. . .
THEN you give them fair warning about when you're going to turn it so they can hodl on to their drinks. . .
THEN turn the wheel. . .
THEN tell them that you've turned the whell. . .
THEN report on your progress now that you've turned the wheel compared to earlier.
No one likes surprises, and no one likes to be confused. Changes in product direction that anticipate both of these feelings in your target audiences (internal and external) are better received, even if they don't get the job done. You're more likely to get permission to tweak them again if folks know you'll be transparent about it.
Good luck, man – I sense you wrote this because you're living it, and it's one adventure I know can test you. Courage.
Bob, you are totally correct. Very tough thing to do and get buy-in from everybody. One important element that also has to be called out is trust – do all those within the organization that are going through the change with you, trust you?
If not, it’s going to make for a very trying time.
But, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. And generally, shipping products is a ton of fun and makes for some great experiences for all those involved.
Bob, you are totally correct. Very tough thing to do and get buy-in from everybody. One important element that also has to be called out is trust – do all those within the organization that are going through the change with you, trust you?
If not, it's going to make for a very trying time.
But, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. And generally, shipping products is a ton of fun and makes for some great experiences for all those involved.
Bob, you are totally correct. Very tough thing to do and get buy-in from everybody. One important element that also has to be called out is trust – do all those within the organization that are going through the change with you, trust you?
If not, it's going to make for a very trying time.
But, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. And generally, shipping products is a ton of fun and makes for some great experiences for all those involved.