Understanding the DNA of Your Product Org

In our recent conversation with David H. Miller, an experienced Product Coach and Adjunct Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, we talked about the crucial role that assessments play in navigating the complexities of product management. David's insights shed light on how assessments offer a panoramic view of not only individual product managers, but also the intricate dynamics within organizations.

Listen to the full episode here

Data as the Guiding Light

Kyle: A recurring theme in our chat with David was the importance of collecting the right type of data for decision-making. After all, identifying the root of organizational issues is like shooting in the dark without concrete data. That’s why David, rightly so, emphasized finding a scalable data-collecting method that provides accurate insights into your team dynamics.

“If you have a product consultant come into a company, they're only going to interview 10 or 20 people. They're not going to interview 100 or 200 people, right? That's not scaling. That's not really taking the true pulse of the organization. Whereas if we have a test that's repeatable and can be administered to a large group, then we can collect better and more accurate data, right? So we talk about instrumenting our product. This is a way of instrumenting the organization.”

Embracing Iteration and Feedback Loops

Lukasz: I loved David’s passion for feedback loops in product development. Analysis paralysis is real and our greatest enemy in a fast-paced business environment. Instead of striving for perfection from the get-go, David advocated for a more agile approach, where lightweight prototypes pave the way for rapid iteration and user feedback. It's a reminder to trust the process and prioritize learning and adaptation over perfectionism.?

“Insights are the gold that we're mining for. With insights, we can take actionable steps to do ideation, prototyping, solution architecture, A/B testing, and solve customer problems. The ultimate hope is that you take the assessment, the assessment provides feedback, and that feedback yields insights. Then, those insights can become actionable steps… You institute some training, you change some policies, or you influence the culture of your organization, so that you can get better, more effective, and more efficient. You can improve as a product operating model in your organization.”

Democratizing Product Development

Lukasz: Another can’t-miss insight from David was our conversation on democratizing product development. By involving stakeholders early in the process and fostering a culture of collaboration, you can use the collective wisdom to your advantage. His emphasis on the importance of customer feedback echoes this sentiment – after all, who better to guide product decisions than the end-users themselves?

“This is the best time to get negative feedback because you have not invested in a high-fidelity prototype. You've not shipped a product. You have simply created a low-fidelity storyboard prototype. Negative feedback is welcome at this time because it gives us the opportunity to learn, which is really what we're doing, right? That's the goal of the step. Learn and pivot. Feedback fuels insights. That's an opportunity for us to get better.”

Looking Ahead: The Promise of Assessments

Kyle: If there’s anything to take away from this conversation, it's how assessments can drive meaningful change within organizations. David even promotes doing a self-assessment to see if you’re being the best Product Manager you can possibly be, and taking a holistic view of the entire product management landscape.

“For product folks who are looking to elevate their game: do a self-assessment to understand where you are, not only individually, but as an organization as well, in your maturity and evolutionary process. Take note of areas where you need development. As an individual product manager, maybe you're weak on technology. Maybe your undergrad is in business, or you came from design and you need to beef up on technology. Understand the skills that you need to develop. Focus there.”

Another huge thanks to David H. Miller for sharing his invaluable insights with us. We’re more convinced than ever in the power of assessments, and we can’t wait to leverage data for better decision-making. Remember, it's not about striving for perfection—it's about embracing iteration, feedback, and continuous improvement.?

Be sure to listen to the full episode of our conversation with David H. Miller

About the authors:?

Kyle Kolich

Kyle Kolich is the VP & GM of Product at Zuora. Kyle has a demonstrated history of working in the software industry, and leads the team of product managers and engineers to work towards products that focus on the customer experience and designing and building.

Lukasz Weber

Lukasz Weber is the Director of Product Management at Zuora. In all that he does, Lukasz’s mission is to strike the balance between customer demands for features, available technology, and strategic impact. He’s always looking to explore new avenues for delivering the right products to the right people.