Comments on Cauvin: How to Prevent Product Paralysis

Joshua, you're absolutely right about "hi...

2011-01-05T14:22:17.073-06:00

Joshua, you're absolutely right about "hidden influencers". Often, these influencers lie outside the product team, and their buy-in must also be facilitated.

Roger, Great post and thanks for the mention! I ...

2011-01-05T10:22:25.118-06:00

Roger,

Great post and thanks for the mention!

I would add some emphasis to your point on how critical it is that the product manager understand how to influence change and decision facilitation to really be effective.

Also, they must really understand organizational dynamics to make sure that they are not only influencing the members of their team but the influences throughout the company.

In my experience, it is the hidden influencers that might not be directly involved in the upfront product decisions that if not sold on the direction can cause the biggest headaches down the road.

Thanks again,

Josh

Thanks for the comment, Larry. Totally agree that...

2011-01-04T19:10:05.968-06:00

Thanks for the comment, Larry.

Totally agree that internal change management is crucial to prevent product paralysis. It's important to keep in mind that "selling" a product roadmap isn't sufficient. There are important lessons to learn from Sharon Drew Morgen's concept, Buying Facilitation(TM).

I'm not sure I see relevance of the product lifecycle. At any point in the lifecycle, a product team is making strategic decisions about the product. The decision to maintain but not significantly enhance a product is itself a strategic decision. A subsequent decision to kill a product entirely is a strategic decision. To be effective and fully executed, these decisions benefit from at least some of the approaches I've enumerated, right?

Roger, good points but a good product manager shou...

2011-01-04T15:18:36.367-06:00

Roger, good points but a good product manager should recognize when a company or product line is heading towards product paralysis early. Identifying some of the causes for this ahead of time might avoid a slow down or stoppage of forward momentum. Signs that your are heading down this path would include a roadmap that looks like your first two indicators. The good product manager is going to be guiding the direction and informing the team about where the market and the product need to be heading. The sales process starts internally. If you cannot convince you own team that there is a need for change, trying to convince your market is going to be an uphill battle. Change is never easy but is necessary.

One other thought that you didn't touch on was where in the product lifecycle are you? This can greatly influence the next steps.