How can you shape the future of product development?

Identify and understand the market need and direction. Don't be afraid to challenge the norm or the existing way of doing things. Provide the development engineers with the most up to date design tools and mix the different design disciplines in the same area to promote a cross flow of ideas and discussion. Don't be afraid to fail, as failure is a great teacher.

Fast fashion is a turbocharged runway to tomorrow! ?? Embrace tech marvels - AI, 3D spells, VR enchantments for lightning designs and virtual shopping wonders. Ethical elegance with ?? fabrics, warp-speed prototyping with ?? 3D and digital samples, and agile supply chains for trend cha-chas and local tango. The future's haute! ??

Understanding the problem needs to happen from the customer’s perspective, not our own. Countless times in my past, I had opinions of the problem only to learn that the customer’s perspective was different in meaningful ways that affected the development. Know the problem is always the first step.

Be open to the customer needs Be agile to the potential solutions Be clear about the problems to solve Be assertive in the collaborative spirit Be hard on the process

Over the years, in all of the companies I have launched, knowing the problem is always the first analysis. You don't want to be a solution seeking a problem. Within the payments arena, technology drives adaption. For years, "smart cards" were touted as the solution for fruad, when using a chip. This was not the case, but over time, chips did reduce fruad for issuers. Fraud was the problem, chip technology became a solution. Know the problem, know the market and test, test and test your solution in a real world marketplace. Testing your solution against the problem will help you achieve a clear line of sight to target. Once you have understood the problem, and you have tested your solution, you are then ready proceed.

Before starting experimentation it's important to understand and clearly define where you are allowed to experiment and fail (things below the line) and where experimentation and failure is not an option (things above the line). It's a quick exercise that results in more meaningful experimentation and quite honestly, clearer expectations.

One thing that I've found very helpful is not to mow down any thoughts at this ideation stage, however outlandish or laughable it might sound. That usually sets a base for something more feasible if it does not by itself unlock the solution. The short takeaway is to listen to those "weird" people and their "weird" ideas who believe they can change the world because many times the "gut feel" of someone experienced becomes much more valuable than what only limited data can convey.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Experiment with new ideas and test these ideas to destruction to establish the limits and capabilities. Look outside the normal product field and welcome fresh ideas that can possibly be applied to your product development process.

To shape the trajectory of product development, embracing experimentation is paramount. This pivotal step involves exploring diverse ideas and prototypes to rigorously test assumptions and hypotheses. Employing methods ranging from brainstorming and sketching to wireframing, mockups, MVPs, and A/B testing facilitates the generation and validation of solutions. Integral to this process is the collection and analysis of data, enabling the measurement of outcomes and the assimilation of lessons from failures. Through a steadfast commitment to experimentation, product developers can iteratively refine and enhance their offerings based on empirical evidence and actionable feedback, driving continual innovation and evolution in the field.

For what we have implemented i believe that scientific discovery, testing and measurement methodologies should be adopted by product designers. Without indicators and testing scenarios we cant actually predict if the results we obtained will be the most expected outcome or if they are a fluke.

Without collaborating with others development of products is not even possible. You cross-collaborate with so many people to find out if your products works or not. They let you align with your goals and its also. It is actually best part of being a product manager, interacting with people. And a great way to collect data.

Partners are the key to opening new doors. You don't have to travel the path of product development alone. The best products involve teams collaborating across organizational boundaries to create something amazing.

Collaboration is pivotal in shaping the future of product development. By fostering open communication and teamwork, diverse perspectives converge to fuel creativity and problem-solving. Engaging with colleagues and stakeholders enables the pooling of expertise and resources, driving meaningful innovation and continuous improvement.

Coworking with a product is not only essential for success, it's also essential for a fun and learning organization. And you really have to back away from prestige: it's not important who knows what best, but what your combined knowledge can contribute with. In every step of the way, ask yourself if there is someone else in the company who can help you understand it better – and ask them. Invite the people affected to the table and talk.

We must identify biases in all roles and in each step. The only way to do it is data to back it up and a common objetive and vision. Most collaboration will happen when we share common ground.

The most difficult part to project a road map for products is to decide what information source is the most relevant to start a new development process. A good way to it is to separate what you can control of what you cant. You deliver flexibility on what you can control. You can add a layer of flexibility when you design a layout prepared for change. Best example is Zara and its production and dyeing line.

Adaptation is key in product development, marking the fourth crucial step towards shaping its future. Remaining flexible, agile, and resilient amidst uncertainty and complexity is paramount. Constant monitoring of trends, customer behavior, and market conditions enables timely adjustments to strategy, scope, and features. By embracing change, product developers ensure relevance, competitiveness, and innovation, driving forward in the dynamic landscape of product development.

Prioritisation is important in evolving changes. A correct strategy to solve the challenges by identifying and designing features is the key for a successful product. Time to market is another important factor to consider when adapting to change.

Product roadmaps are still valuable - you want to discuss what is possible product wise on specific intervals with a wide range of people internally and externally. I like the idea offered by another respondent of a “discovery roadmap” as well though, because a product roadmap stays very inward looking. If we are trying to embrace customer driven or outcome driven design, having more tools to examine our product roadmap from a meaningful external lens is valuable. However maintenance of that lens would be challenging - it really needs to be maintained and informed by external groups that include/represent your target market.

Customer behaviour and market conditions are the base to adjust strategies, but the main trend we need to be aware is the temperature of our planet. Every aspect of our lives and business will be affected by global warming. We must be flexible to understand that we need to change our way of life, agile to provide solutions for mitigation and adaptation, and resilient to respond to the consequences that are already there. Product developers have great opportunities, and responsibility too, to respond to these new challenges and provide adaptation to this new reality.

Every project shows you three challenges: What to improve thats is good but could be better. What to correct that was bad What should be automated. Those three questions help you to set up a new skill set to test in the project. The trick is that your approach should be made as a team with complementary skill sets and upskill planning

Continual learning stands as the fifth pivotal step in product development, propelling its evolution. Cultivating curiosity and proactivity drives the acquisition of technical, business, and customer-centric skills. Seeking feedback, mentorship, and engaging in training and events further enriches expertise. Embracing this learning journey enhances performance, fuels career growth, and fosters personal development, ensuring adaptability and innovation in the dynamic realm of product development.

Find a colleague interested in learning a similar skill and enroll into an online course by coursra, or udemy.com together. Having another individual along on your journey will allow you both to have accountability, and support through the process.

Continuous learning is essential for staying ahead in product development. A product developer should regularly acquire new skills to keep up with industry trends and technological advancements. Whether it's mastering new software, understanding emerging technologies, or gaining insights into consumer behavior, expanding your skill set enhances your ability to innovate and adapt. By committing to lifelong learning, you ensure that you can tackle new challenges and seize opportunities, driving the success of your product development efforts.

Adopting a proactive and continuous learning mindset. Seeking out relevant training programs, workshops, and online courses that focus on emerging technologies and methodologies. Keeping up with industry trends, reading relevant publications, and engaging in self-study will also contribute to developing a deeper understanding of the evolving landscape of product development.

Sharing your vision marks the sixth critical stride in product development, amplifying its impact. Clear, persuasive communication of your product's value proposition, benefits, and potential impact is essential. Showcasing your portfolio, pitching ideas, and compelling storytelling further reinforce your message. By sharing your vision authentically, you inspire, engage, and influence others to embrace, champion, or advocate for your product or service, fostering its success and widespread adoption.

I've always kept my vision and passion contained at work due to confidentiality clauses within my job, however now that Im pursuing my own product invention, I plan to share more openly on LinkedIn. If you're interested in following my journey, connect with me. Onwards!

As a Product Lead, it's crucial to get buy-in from the whole team. If nobody follows your vision, the result will be sub-par, if ever realized. With this in mind, it's very hard to over-communicate your vision and the roadmap to get there. Constantly re-aligning is important to keep efficiency up and get the best ideas from within your team.

Communication is crucial, especially for technical people, the vision should be shared simply so that people without specific technical can follow the idea.

Sharing the performance and value of new offering often falls on marketing and/or sales. Ask yourself, how much were these functions directly involved in the product development? How well do they understand the technology, novelty and enhanced value compared to what is in the market at present? Are they able to communicate the benefits properly to capture the maximum value? So, the take away may be for key members of the development team to handle the initial market launch and critical communications. The existing, long term sales force can benefit from watching and listening to these initial presentations.

Ask your company to allow you to spend 10% of your time to dedicate to a new skill, project, or interest of yours. Ensure you're doing this with colleagues to form and accomplish a collective goal. Although this may not be company specific, the project should relate to community, or company interest. Many companies call these projects or teams 'Skunkworks' and great ideas and products often originate within this unconventional 'ThinkTank.'

Creating space! As a leader in product development you can create freedom or space for individuals to identify, and test new ideas. Creating space may include the previously mentioned 10% (or so) slack time, but it requires much more: - Don't measure innovations in early phases with KPIs like revenue, but for example: customer interactions - reuce the number of mandatory regulations - have a small budget for building and testing prototypes - bring cross-functional teams together - think solution, not technology - ...

Whilst well understood in our experience the best new products and/or features are the result of combining customer insights ( Listening and observing ) with deep internal expertise and competitor analysis. This approach means you will not only be able to develop new and innovative products and features but also meet and exceed current market offerings.

'Keeping it simple' Simplicity without compromising on the functionality or value is one of the key ingredients in building a loved product. Simplicity in design aesthetics or the simplicity (modularity) in the core architecture of the product. In my experience, achieving that simplicity in the product is one of the hardest things for the product team. Many a times I have seen a product becoming a Frankenstein trying to achieve too many things ( diverted from core objective) or suffer from a complex architecture as the team loves to experiment with new technology.

This article isn't about how you can shape the future of product development in the world, your industry or your organisation. It's about how you can shape the future of your product in your organisation as a product manager.