Product Management Methodology
A Chiastic Poem in Free Verse
In classical literature, chiasmus was used to impart a sense of order and symmetry to writing. Ideally, this order was a pleasing reflection of a logical and well-structured concept. In describing a preferred product management methodology to a colleague I started to see a chiastic structure emerge.
May we impart order and symmetry to our product efforts, and communicate it well and in pleasing ways to our stakeholders...
Product acts as the voice of the customer within the organization
Product interacts with customers to truly understand their problems
Product and the cross-functional team develop business solutions to customer issues
Product works with Project and Engineering to assess the feasibility, cost and timing of potential features
Product spends a limited quantity of engineering ‘currency’ on the most useful portfolio of features
Thorough, concise specifications describe features: we see that they are fulfilled; we test to them; we train to them; we document to them – our specs are agile but concrete
Product is accountable to the Executive team for how they have chosen to spend their engineering capital and budgets
Product works with Project to publish and meet roadmaps and deadlines
Engineering constructs the technical structures needed to implement the business solution as described
Product and the cross-functional team take the solutions to market
Product acts as a solution evangelist to the market
So let it be written; so let it be done.
