Navigate through problems

Regardless of your chosen product, it is crucial to transform your approach to development, testing, and deployment. Unfortunately, many companies work on an abundance of new features, but fail to witness the corresponding benefits for their customers and the impact on their bottom line.

Indeed, in the majority of businesses, the proportion of features and projects currently on their product roadmaps that genuinely yield a positive return on investment is alarmingly low. Most industry experts estimate it to be within the range of 10-20%.

In general, if you're not happy with how your new features are released and prioritised compared to what your company needs, it's a sign that you should change how you solve problems.

Why is that happening though?

The crux of the problem lies in the fact that feature teams are structured to cater to the demands of your business stakeholders, rather than aligning with customer-centric strategies that benefit your business.

Business leaders and stakeholders know what they need, so they make a list of features and projects they think are important for the company. They give this list to the PM teams, who then create a complete product roadmap with timelines and deliverables.

In the feature team setup, you can't blame the team for business results because their job is solely to create features. If a feature doesn't work as expected, they'll say it's not their responsibility.

On the other hand, the people who asked for the feature won't want to take the blame either. They might complain that the feature didn't turn out how they wanted or that it took too long to make. This lack of trust between the two sides is a common problem.

How to solve problems for customers & business?

In an empowered product team, the goal is not just to implement what stakeholders want. Instead, the product team's job is to find a solution that benefits both the customer and the business.

This solution should meet four criteria: it should be valuable (something the customer wants), usable (easy for the user to understand), feasible (something the team can create with the available time, skills, and technology), and viable (works for the business within constraints like marketing, sales, finance, service, legal, and compliance).

Leverage the full potential of your Engineering Team

The primary reason knowledge gained from testing potential solutions directly with our users and customers is crucial, is because successful product companies recognise that their engineers are the most significant source of innovation. Empowered product teams are designed to harness this valuable asset.

In a feature team, engineers primarily serve as builders, essentially working on requests like soldiers. Even more so, when engineers are outsourced, they operate as literal mercenaries.

However, in an empowered product team, engineers don't merely construct; they also play a role in identifying the right solution. This concept is encapsulated in the term "empowered engineer."

Engineers have a distinct advantage because they interact with enabling technology daily, positioning them perfectly to recognise the latest possibilities.

Now, when you bring a skilled product designer and an experienced product manager who understands customers and business constraints in the mix, you have the right team to solve tough problems in ways that make your customers happy and benefit your business.

Dream team collaboration to create customer value ??

More than just cost and time savings, the most significant advantage of altering your problem-solving approach is establishing a consistent means to deliver value to your users.

Instead of having feature teams primarily serving your business stakeholders, you'd be transitioning to empowered product teams tailored to meet your customers' needs effectively, while still benefiting your business.

Get ready for some pushback ??

Several key stakeholders may express discontent over giving up control of technology resources. It's probable that many will offer passive resistance, and some might actively oppose the change. This is precisely why transformations often stumble without steady support from the organisation's top leadership.

Moreover, some of your current product managers, product designers, and engineers may not be willing or equipped to shoulder this added responsibility. Assuming responsibility for solving customer issues is significantly more challenging than simply developing requested features. It's vital to ensure that your product teams are adequately staffed with the right individuals and provided with the necessary coaching for them to thrive.

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#ProductDesign #UserExperience #ProductManagement #CustomerFocus #BusinessSolutions #CrossFunctionalTeams #ProblemSolving