But adding more features to a product doesn’t necessarily make it more useful. What exactly is this product that we should be leading anyway? Based on a composite of other definitions, I offer the following description to cover both the what and the why:Ī functional software system that satisfies user requirements and contributes to business goals by providing solutions to a domain-specific problemĪs this definition illustrates, a product doesn’t really have a right to exist in and of itself it should serve the goals of users, teams, or organizations. Useful functionality over feature quantity So: prioritize product leadership over process and personal prestige.Ģ. But ultimately, it’s about being a wholehearted member on the team, not outside or above it.

Yes, we’re expected to be a jack of all trade and serve as a mini-CEO, involved in everything. Saying ‘no’ to feature requests should not destroy your relationship with stakeholders.Īt the end of the day, product leadership is a job in the service of others. It emphasizes maintaining collaborative relationships rather than maintaining your reputation. Product leadership means identifying the relevant and mandated stakeholders from business, development, and IT operations as well as representing the product for and to them. Three principles are fundamental to sound product thinking:

And finally, most exert so much focus on new features that they virtually ignore the importance of non-functionals. Others lack a consistent, long-term product vision, or they act as glorified scrum masters or agile coaches, fixating on process while forgetting product. Some actually lack mandate so merely act like spokespeople for the business. Some consider themselves outside - or worse, above - their team and, in their self-sequestering, form lonely bottlenecks. The role played by the average product owner or product manager leaves a lot to be desired. Both entail having product features described, prioritized, and mapped in time on a continuous basis - aspects of software production that are broadly embraced as essential input for successful delivery of valuable software. Virtually each mature framework for agile software development, such as Scrum or SAFe, recognizes the need for product ownership and/or product management. Three principles are fundamental to sound product thinking.Product thinking involves consistently making many tough decisions while maintaining good relationships with a multitude of stakeholders from business, development, and operations.Many software projects and teams are hindered by dark patterns in product ownership, such as a lack of product thinking.By the end of this article, which is based on a corresponding talk at DevOpsDays Amsterdam 2022, you will better understand that:

Scrum by P.D. Singer