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Let’s talk about why project development tools should not be used for product management.
A thread begins....
A thread begins....
First, product is about strategy, development is about execution.
In order to manage your strategy you need a product roadmap.
Not a gantt chart
an actual product roadmap that focuses on objectives/outcomes.
In order to manage your strategy you need a product roadmap.
Not a gantt chart
an actual product roadmap that focuses on objectives/outcomes.
I’m also not referring to a kanban with tags, but a proper way to measure hypothesis and outcomes within initiatives.
(Guys, side note, there is no such thing as a kanban roadmap...)
(Guys, side note, there is no such thing as a kanban roadmap...)
In order to build said roadmap I then need a way to create those outcomes and measure my success.
In order to build that roadmap, you need context to validate you’re solving the right problems.
In order to build that roadmap, you need context to validate you’re solving the right problems.
Timelines don't provide you with this additional context. Timelines focus on ... time.
Timelines are a release planning tool, but not a product roadmap.
Timelines are a release planning tool, but not a product roadmap.
They focus on indicating how fast you think you’ll work and when things will be ready
but that’s not what a product roadmap should be communicating!
A proper product roadmap communicates what/why/for whom.
but that’s not what a product roadmap should be communicating!
A proper product roadmap communicates what/why/for whom.
Then comes the idea backlog, which is connected to the roadmap.
Most project tools are epic-feature-story oriented
but sometimes an idea is just an idea and requires further discovery
another aspect where these tools utterly fail.
Most project tools are epic-feature-story oriented
but sometimes an idea is just an idea and requires further discovery
another aspect where these tools utterly fail.
They assume that everything that is added already has the concept of it being an ‘epic’ before you’ve even had a chance to really properly validate it.
Furthermore, you should be doing validation on all items prior to them making it into your backlog.
Furthermore, you should be doing validation on all items prior to them making it into your backlog.
As for validation, you then need several bits to do that.
One is customer feedback.
How are you tracking the impact of that feedback?
One is customer feedback.
How are you tracking the impact of that feedback?
Typical answer: a spreadsheet
which doesn’t actually let you understand the impact of the feedback against the backlog, they’re entirely disconnected.
What you have is a list of feedback and a backlog. How do you make sense of that?
which doesn’t actually let you understand the impact of the feedback against the backlog, they’re entirely disconnected.
What you have is a list of feedback and a backlog. How do you make sense of that?
Then comes personas 
You need to context of personas in strategy.
You need to context of personas in strategy.
"But my tool is super flexible and I can add a lot of fields and all the extra add-ons to make it work!"
Yes, but you're forcing it to attempt to work. That's the point.
These tools were not designed for that job.
Yes, but you're forcing it to attempt to work. That's the point.
These tools were not designed for that job.
In the words of @James_Mayes , "It's like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. It might work, but it won't be pretty."
This is why there’s been such a surge in product management tools!
This is why there’s been such a surge in product management tools!
Product people now have a space to do what they need to do, and developers have a space for what they need to do.
Once items are validated
then they are sent to those tools.
And voila, you've got yourself a kick-ass product process.
Once items are validated
then they are sent to those tools.
And voila, you've got yourself a kick-ass product process.
And if anyone is curious as to how to improve that product process
Check us out at @ProdPad!
You can book your very own demo with us, or begin by checking out our sandbox https://sandbox.prodpad.com
Check us out at @ProdPad!
You can book your very own demo with us, or begin by checking out our sandbox https://sandbox.prodpad.com
