Welcome to

Product School!
Day 3 - SPMC

Agenda
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Introductions Innovation Data & Discovery Product Optimization Product Financials

Logistics, Introduction, Innovation frameworks, Data Analytics, Optimization, Positioning and pricing,
and Overview Design Thinking, Google Data-Informed decisions Experimentation, Budget, Forecast, and
Ventures Design Sprint, Personalization Return on Investment (ROI)
Product Strategy Brainstorming, Open Prioritization
Create a winning strategy, Innovation Framework Ruthless Prioritization, Outcomes & Impact Maximizing Performance
Product Strategy Prioritization Framework, Outcome vs Output, Team Performance, Give &
framework, Maximize Resilient Roadmaps, Quantity Outcomes and Receive Feedback, Leading
Product Development Product-Market Fit Communicating Updates Impact, Branding & a Team
Lifecycle Market Assessment, Storytelling
Expanding Product-Market Product Execution Influence & Relationships
Metrics & Objectives Fit Requirement Standards, Product Presentations Leading without formal
Metrics a PM should know, PRDs, Communicating Best Practices, Design great Authority, Stakeholder
OKRs Market Research requirements with the Dev slides, Deliver Collaboration, Manage
Types of Market Research, Team, Storytelling, presentations difficult conversations,
User Research Competition & Climate, Manage Trade-offs, Working with Engineers &
Types of User Research, Feature Market Analysis, Constraints, Limitations, Business Models Designers
Customer Journey Customer acquisition Risk and assumptions Types of business models
Mapping, Personas, channels Product Presentations
Use Cases Scaling Product Final Presentations &
Growth & Analytics Product Team at Scale Feedback
Product-Led Growth,
Product Analytics
 01
Data and
Discovery

Unmute and Share Estimated time: 10 minutes

Module 3 > Data Analytics for Discovery > Group Activity

Group Activity: Setting Common Ground

Come up with a list of possible data sources that PMs may have
access to in their organization.
 01
Data Analytics
for Discovery

Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

Types of Data

Call Center Win/loss NPS surveys

interview or
Identify feature-level survey data Determine overall
problems & volume brand satisfaction and
Helps strategic & willingness to
Inform service product planning recommend
strategy
Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

Types of Data

Chatbot data Analytics data Marketing Data

Feature-level problems Feature-level problems ● Contacts per

conversion
Toolkit link ● Read rates

● Click-through rates

● Content downloads

● Digital marketing

Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

Types of Data

UXR Competitive Analysis Help Documentation

Qualitative Data Market positioning, market Views and click data

size, pricing, feature
○ Empathy interviews
offerings and roadmaps, Search queries can reveal
○ Usability tests reviews common questions or issues (or
feature ideas!)
○ Concept testing

Quantitative data

○ Surveys (typically,
software or hardware
products and
service-providers)
Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

Types of Data

In Product Feedback Social Media Blogs, industry NPS surveys

communities &
● Ratings Issues & qualitative journals ● Some of the internal
feedback channels above
● Thumbs up/down
● Deeper org info
● Qualitative
feedback -any ● Account history
mobile or
○ Internal POCs/ acct
web-based
owners
products
○ Sales/ prospecting
data

Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

Others?
Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

What insights could be gleaned from

call center data?

Module 4 > Data Analytics for Discovery > Working with Messy Data

Insights from call center data

Issues with call

Issues Regarding Issue Retention Risk
centers themselves

● Software ● Frequency ● When married with ● Operations

win/loss data /internal tools &
● UX ● Complexity (call
technology
duration, number
● Platforms (device,
and frequency of
browser, OS)
transfers / holds)
Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

What are examples where call data

could tell you how to improve a
feature or product?

Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

What can call center data be paired

with to help make a business case /
size an opportunity?
Module 4 > Data Analytics for Discovery > Working with Messy Data

Paired with call center data to help make a business case /

size an opportunity?

Kinds of problems
and how often they require a call to resolve

Effort or cost per call will give you a way to evaluate opportunity sizes.

● 60,000 calls around a particular issue x $20 per call = $1,200,000

● 60K cases x 5 minutes per call = 5,000 service hours

● the cost of 2 full time employees

Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

Where can you find the cost per call?

Module 4 > Data Analytics for Discovery > Working with Messy Data

Where to find cost per call

● Service

● Finance

● Strategy

Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

What if your company doesn’t

already have a cost per call metric?
What could you do?
Module 4 > Data Analytics for Discovery > Working with Messy Data

Cost per Call not Available

SME → Assumptions → Quantify Effort

● Time per typical case Pay rates

● Recurrence

● Overhead

● Impact to retention Customer satisfaction

Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

What won’t call center data tell you?

Module 4 > Data Analytics for Discovery > Working with Messy Data

Call Center can’t Tell you

● Missing features

● Useless features

● Overall CSAT / NPS

● Feature satisfaction

Case Study: [ServiceNow]

Group Activity
Team Activity Roles

TIMEKEEPER NOTE TAKER PRESENTER

Ensure the team has Write team solutions and Present team solution to the
completed the activity in ideas that are discussed on class once back in the main
the given amt of time. a shared team document. room.
Update team on how much
time is left for the activity.

© 2023 ServiceNow, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential. 23

Module 4 > Data Analytics for Discovery > Product Discovery Estimated time: 25 minutes

Discovery Exercise

You have been asked to identify new opportunities to improve a B2B Accounting software.

Attached you can find a sample from the Call Center data.

As Product Manager, you will need to be able to translate those calls into possible features /
improvements you would like to see in the product.

Review a sample in the link below

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RuuDi76kTxfnhKvBlDuqgsyv7iK9ytYX/view?usp=sharing
 02
Data Informed Decisions

Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

Data Driven vs. Data Informed

Data Driven Data Informed

Data is at the center of the decision making. It’s Data is a key input among many other
the primary (and sometimes the only) input. variables. You use the data to build a deeper
You rely on data alone to decide the best path understanding of what value you are providing
forward. to your users.
Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

Blind Spots vs. Data Informed Culture

Blind Spots Create Data-Informed Culture

When you apply insights from data literally. ”If Understand what user behavior is driving the
we can’t measure it, we won’t build it” attitude metric, don’t use the metric as it is.
leads to missed opportunities

Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

Tips on being Data-Informed

Make sure you work with research and design to establish product principles
that can be used in addition to relying on data.

Chat with your data scientist/data analyst and understand what sources of
data the team uses, and how. This will help you have more productive
conversations.

More broadly – there are a number of online courses available as well if

you’re seeking to get better at using technical tools that data analysts often
use.

Visualize your trade-offs, and use the traffic-light method Dangerous Uncertainty Safe
 Module 3 > Data and Discovery > Data Analytics for Discovery

When Data-Driven Works Well

Understanding the Building a Improving Optimizing metrics Personalize an

users and Market customer database Marketing for an existing Experience
of potential leads Strategies product or service
- Understand customer Reach out to Establish trust and Avoid decisions that can Roughly 63% of
behavior. customers about transparency between negatively impact the consumers say that they
-Define demographics future opportunities, the product and the company expect the product they
improve our lead
Identify ways to customer. used to be personalized.
generation strategy, Understand unexpected
improve the and better gauge the
experience. Data will inform us user behavior. Collecting data will
actual level of interest
-Understand the about our average buyer allow you to know more
a consumer has in our
customer needs and product. persona, which products about your customers
what they're looking they're the most and create a better-
for. interested in, and much personalized product for
-Identify new potential more. customers.
opportunities.

02
Prioritization
 01
Ruthless
Prioritization

Module 3 > Prioritization > Ruthless Prioritization

 “We talk about it as ruthless prioritization.
And by that what we mean is only do the
very best of the ideas.
Lots of times you have very good ideas.
But they're not as good as the most
important thing you could be doing. Sheryl Sandberg
And you have to make the hard choices”

Module 3 > Prioritization > Ruthless Prioritization

Ruthless
Regret/Remorse + less

No Regret
Module 3 > Prioritization > Ruthless Prioritization

Ruthless Prioritization

● There will always be more ideas and work than

capacity and time

● All great PMs are careful with how they spend their
time

● Be clear on what matters (important vs urgent)

● Don’t be afraid to say no (you can’t do it all, so do

what matters)

“All high functioning teams must

prioritize. Not once a month, not
once a week — but rigorously,
and ruthlessly.” Brandon Chu
GM, Platform at Spotify
Module 3 > Prioritization > Ruthless Prioritization

3 Feature Buckets (by Adam Nash)

Metric Movers Customer Requests Customer Delight

Features that will move your Features that your Features that customers
target business & product customers are actively haven’t necessarily asked for,
metrics significantly requesting but literally delight them
when they see them

Module 3 > Prioritization > Ruthless Prioritization

Take into Consideration When

Prioritizing

Prioritize Product Collaboration = Constraints Dependencies

Features Consensus
Module 3 > Prioritization > Ruthless Prioritization

Prioritization is best done through

the lens of the following criteria:

DESIRABILITY FEASIBILITY PROFITABILITY

somebody we can they’ll pay enough for
wants this create this this

Module 3 > Prioritization > Ruthless Prioritization

Complicated, Complex or Chaotic?

Prioritization can be complicated on a good day and

complex the remaining days of the year

● Constraints

● Dependencies

● Risks

● Quality

● Security

● Technical Debt

● Performance
 02
Prioritization
Frameworks

Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Frameworks for Prioritization

Impact Vs
RICE Kano MoSCow
Effort
Scoring Model Method
Matrix

Affinity
Buy A Weighted Feature
Grouping &
Feature Scorecard ROI
Voting
Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Frameworks for Prioritization

Impact Vs
RICE Kano MoSCow
Effort
Scoring Model Method
Matrix

Affinity
Buy A Weighted Feature
Grouping &
Feature Scorecard ROI
Voting

Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

RICE Scoring

REACH IMPACT CONFIDENCE

EFFORT
Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

RICE Scoring

# of people to be
impacted by a
feature or release

REACH IMPACT CONFIDENCE

EFFORT

Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

RICE Scoring
How users will be
affected as individuals

REACH IMPACT CONFIDENCE

EFFORT
Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

RICE Scoring
Sometimes you’ll have no
data or choice but to rely
on intuition and gut feeling

REACH IMPACT CONFIDENCE

EFFORT

Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

RICE Scoring

REACH IMPACT CONFIDENCE

EFFORT

How much work it’ll take each team

member working on the project
Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

RICE Scoring

REACH IMPACT CONFIDENCE

EFFORT

Module 4 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Activity: RICE Scoring

Outline each element: your reach, impact, confidence and effort

REACH IMPACT CONFIDENCE

EFFORT

Use your workbook to complete this activity:

[ServiceNow] Case Study & Template Workbook
Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Frameworks for Prioritization

Impact Vs
RICE Kano MoSCow
Effort
Scoring Model Method
Matrix

Affinity
Buy A Weighted Feature
Grouping &
Feature Scorecard ROI
Voting

Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Kano Model
USER
SATISFACTION
DELIGHTERS
(WOW)

SATISFIERS

INVESTMENT

MUST HAVE
Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Frameworks for Prioritization

Impact Vs
RICE Kano MoSCow
Effort
Scoring Model Method
Matrix

Affinity
Buy A Weighted Feature
Grouping &
Feature Scorecard ROI
Voting

Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Goal
● Promote open communication
● Manage stakeholders’ expectations
Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Priority Description % Backlog LOE

Ideal=60%
Launch blocker
Must have (No more than
Project fails if we don’t have it
70%)

Really important
Should have Anything we miss would likely 20%
be in v1.1

Nice to have
Could have 20%
But first to be cut

Important to clarify things we

Won’t have N/A
know won’t make it

Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Frameworks for Prioritization

Impact Vs
RICE Kano MoSCow
Effort
Scoring Model Method
Matrix

Affinity
Buy A Weighted Feature
Grouping &
Feature Scorecard ROI
Voting
Module 8 > Prioritization Frameworks > Impact vs Effort

Impact (user value) vs Effort

HIGH

BUSINESS VALUE 1 2

? X

LOW COMPLEXITY / EFFORT HIGH

Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Frameworks for Prioritization

Impact Vs
RICE Kano MoSCow
Effort
Scoring Model Method
Matrix

Affinity
Buy A Weighted Feature
Grouping &
Feature Scorecard ROI
Voting
Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Buy a Feature

Dishwasher Features Dishwasher Features

Dishwasher Features Bought?

Folding trays ………..$12 $6 $4 Folding trays ………..$12 ☺

Folding trays ………..$12
China Cycle……….....$26 $12
China Cycle……….....$26 China Cycle……….....$26
Rinse Cycle………......$18
Rinse Cycle………......$18
Start Timer…………$9 $8
Rinse Cycle………......$18 ☺
Start Timer…………$9
Start Timer…………$9

Assign Price Hand out cash Spend Prioritized List

Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

What do I buy first?

View this template here

Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Frameworks for Prioritization

Impact Vs
RICE Kano MoSCow
Effort
Scoring Model Method
Matrix

Affinity
Buy A Weighted Feature
Grouping &
Feature Scorecard ROI
Voting

Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Affinity Grouping & Voting

Brainstorm → Group Similar Groups → Name

Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Frameworks for Prioritization

Impact Vs
RICE Kano MoSCow
Effort
Scoring Model Method
Matrix

Affinity
Buy A Weighted Feature
Grouping &
Feature Scorecard ROI
Voting

Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Class Discussion: Weighted Scorecards

Create A Weighted Scorecard From Scratch, Including Appropriate Criteria & Weightings.

Criterion
Criteria Criterion 1 Criterion 3 Criterion 4 Criterion 5 Score Rank
2
Weight 20% 10% 30% 25% 15% 100%

Feature 1 40 90 10 60 100 50 1

Feature 2 5 10 50 90 50 47 2

Feature 3 20 15 20 40 70 32 4

Feature 4 14 30 90 10 30 39.8 3

Allows multiple decision criteria & nuanced weighting

To do this activity you will need to download the “Weighted Use your workbook to complete this activity:
Scorecard template” [ServiceNow] Case Study & Template Workbook
In a more advanced scorecard, what are additional criteria
you could consider besides “Customer Value”?

Weighted
Value to
Criteria ? ? ? Risk Effort Score
customers
(out of 100)

S/n
Weight 100.00% -0.50 -0.50
o

THINGS WE COULD
PRIORITIZE

SAMPLE (IDEAL) 10 0 0 100

1 Thing 1 10 3 1 80

2 Thing 2 10 3 7 50

3 Thing 3 7 1 3 50

4 Thing 4 10 10 7 15

5 Thing 5 3 7 1 -10

SAMPLE (WORST
0 10 10 -100
CASE)

Acquisition
Adoption Corporate To another
Retention Product feature or
Weighted Prioritization Referral Vision problem
(0,1,3,7,10 scoring) Revenue

Open Weighted
Value to Strategy
Criteria AARRR Adjacent Risk Effort Score
customers Alignment
Doors (out of 100)

S/
Weight 100.00% -0.50 -0.50
no
THINGS WE COULD
PRIORITIZE

SAMPLE (IDEAL) 10 0 0 100

1 Thing 1 10 3 1 80
2 Thing 2 10 3 7 50
3 Thing 3 7 1 3 50
4 Thing 4 10 10 7 15
5 Thing 5 3 7 1 -10

SAMPLE (WORST
0 10 10 -100
CASE)
Module 3 > Prioritization > Prioritization Frameworks

Frameworks for Prioritization

Impact Vs
RICE Kano MoSCow
Effort
Scoring Model Method
Matrix

Affinity
Buy A Weighted Feature
Grouping &
Feature Scorecard ROI
Voting

Unmute and Share Estimated time: 15 minutes

Case Study > [ServiceNow]

Activity: Feature ROI

● Evaluate where and how you are

investing

● Identify the estimated ROI by

feature

● Calculate the ROI for a product,

feature, or service

Use your workbook to complete this activity:

[ServiceNow] Case Study & Template Workbook
 03
Resilient
Roadmaps

Module 3 > Prioritization > Resilient Roadmaps

Module 3 > Prioritization > Resilient Roadmaps

Paint the Picture from Here to There

Find gaps in team/skills

Communicate progress
efficiently

Establish timelines
Manage expectations
Operationalize workstreams
with a large team

Module 3 > Prioritization > Resilient Roadmaps

A Roadmap Should Answer …

● Why are we doing this?

● Who are we building this for?

● What equals success?

● How will this fit into the market landscape?

● What is the level of effort?

● How will we position and sell this?

● When will it happen?

💡 Pro Tip: You may want to have different views or boards

to avoid confusion, but good not to assume its only for engineering
Module 3 > Prioritization > Resilient Roadmaps

A Roadmap Should be

● A fluid guide rather than a set-in-stone plan.

Roadmaps continuously change throughout the
lifecycle of the product

● Up to date to the best of your knowledge

● Readily available and easy to understand

● Dates should only be communicated when you

have a high level of confidence

Module 3 > Prioritization > Resilient Roadmaps

What Makes a Roadmap Great? Great!

Good

It is a trusted source of truth about

product priorities and is leveraged
Acceptable
by all to ensure alignment between
teams, objectives, strategy, and
It communicates clear
vision.
prioritization and the connection
between our objectives and the
strategy.
Helps others understand
dependencies between teams
and timing for
feature deliveries.
 Case Study: [ServiceNow]

Case Study Development

Unmute and Share Estimated time: 25 minutes

Case Study > [ServiceNow]

Activity: Resilient Roadmap

● As a group start to define what your product would

look like.

● Create a roadmap including what is most

important to your product and organization

Use your workbook to complete this activity:

[ServiceNow] Case Study & Template Workbook
 04
Communicating
Roadmap Updates and
Changes

Module 3 > Prioritization > Communicating Roadmap Updates and

Changes

Who Needs to Know?

Communicate with all teams involved: In spite of what others may assume, a Product
Manager doesn’t have all the answers. Cross functional communication is absolutely
essential here, as it is with any part of building products.

Delays should promptly be communicated to dependent teams and leadership (based on your
organization processes).

If you communicate product roadmaps to outside parties, make sure the discussion is
covered under an NDA, and be very careful not to promise something at some date without
confirmation from development.

If you publicly share your roadmap with customers, limit jargon and acronyms - should be
easy to understand. Consider requiring a product person in any roadmap conversation with
customers/prospects.
Module 3 > Prioritization > Communicating Roadmap Updates and
Changes

What to Include

What changed? Why did it change?. What are we doing

now?
Be clear about what is ● Keep it factual.
updating, and what is staying
● Don’t blame- this is when
the same. Others aren’t as
familiar with the roadmap as
you take ownership, even if What is the impact?
that means owning and
you are, chances are they
managing your
don’t remember what it
dependencies or vendors.
previously was.
● If a negative update,
include what you are doing
to prevent this in the
future.

Module 3 > Prioritization > Communicating Roadmap Updates and

Changes

How to Communicate the Changes

1. Regular cadence to review changes:

● Monthly roadmap meetings

● Product update meetings

● Prioritization input sessions

These are all great ways to ensure stakeholders are on the same page

2. Significant updates should be communicated 1:1 with impacted stakeholders.

It’s key to maintain relationships/trust.

3. Make sure your manager knows first, don’t want them to be surprised in a conversation with the executive team.

4. Follow up with written communication to everyone impacted.

 03
Product Execution

01
Requirements Standards
and Best Practices
 02
Product Requirements
Document
Living documents, your product’s homepage.

Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD?

Title Personas

Change History User Scenarios

User
Overview
Stories/Requirements
Objectives Features Out

Success Metrics Designs

Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A
Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
TITLE
Change History User Scenarios
Give this project a distinct name. (use cases)

Overview Requirements
(User Stories)

Objectives Features Out

Success Metrics Designs

Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A

Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
CHANGE HISTORY
Change History User Scenarios
(use cases)
It can be helpful to briefly note
what’s changed with each version Overview Requirements
so that someone coming into the (User Stories)

page to checkin knows what’s Objectives Features Out

different from the last time they
looked Success Metrics Designs

Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A
Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
OVERVIEW
Change History User Scenarios
● What is this project about? (use cases)

● Why are you doing it? Overview Requirements

(User Stories)

Objectives Features Out

Success Metrics Designs

Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A

Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
OBJECTIVES
Change History User Scenarios
Create a short, bulleted list of your (use cases)
goals for the product.
Overview Requirements
Why are you doing this? (User Stories)

Objectives Features Out

Success Metrics Designs

Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A
Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
SUCCESS METRICS
Change History User Scenarios
What are your KPIs? (use cases)

How will you know if you’ve Overview Requirements

succeeded? (User Stories)

Objectives Features Out

Success Metrics Designs

Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A

Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
MESSAGING
Change History User Scenarios
(use cases)
How you will explain the product to a
current or new customer in a short sentence. Overview Requirements
(User Stories)

Objectives Features Out

Success Metrics Designs

Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A
Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
TIMELINE
Change History User Scenarios
(use cases)
Include a timeline, milestones, or release
commitments Overview Requirements
(User Stories)

Objectives Features Out

Success Metrics Designs

Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A

Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
PERSONAS
Change History User Scenarios
Call out the key personas is intended for, (use cases)
create understanding and empathy Overview Requirements
(User Stories)

Objectives Features Out

Success Metrics Designs

Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A
Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
USER SCENARIOS
Change History User Scenarios
(use cases)
These are full narrative stories about
how your customers will use the Overview Requirements
product (User Stories)

Objectives Features Out

Success Metrics Designs

Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A

Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
REQUIREMENTS
Change History User Scenarios
(use cases)
This will be a list of feature
requirements with prioritization Overview Requirements
(User Stories)

Objectives Features Out

Success Metrics Designs

Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A
Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
FEATURES OUT
This is what you’re not doing and Change History User Scenarios
(use cases)
why you’re not doing it
Overview Requirements
(User Stories)

Objectives Features Out

Success Metrics Designs

Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A

Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
DESIGNS
Change History User Scenarios
(use cases)
Designs, wireframes, or prototypes
from the design team Overview Requirements
(User Stories)

Objectives Features Out

Success Metrics Designs

Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A
Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
OPEN ISSUES
Change History User Scenarios
There are likely some parts of the (use cases)
product you’re unsure of, from
Overview Requirements
what your specific success metric
(User Stories)
goals are to if you should include a
use case or not Objectives Features Out

Note these questions under Open Success Metrics Designs

Issues
Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A

Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

What’s in a PRD? PRDs

Title Personas
Q&A
Change History User Scenarios
(use cases)
Include a Q&A to provide the
answers. Overview Requirements
(User Stories)

If you created a product Q&A to go Objectives Features Out

with the press release, you might
already have a good start to this Success Metrics Designs

section! Messaging Open Issues

Timeline Q&A
Module 3 > Product Execution > PRDs

Sample PRD

View this sample PRD here

03
Communicating
Requirements
With the Dev Team
 Storytelling in User
Scenarios
Writing stories to talk about the customer and the product you’re building is the most
effective way to help your team empathize with the customer.

Setup.
Complication.
Resolution.
Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Storytelling in User Scenarios

Start with heroes, the protagonist

● The hero is the persona/customer using the
product, trying to achieve something.

● Make sure we know who the hero of the

story is and any key details about their life.

Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Storytelling in User Scenarios

Stories need conflict

● What’s the hero trying to achieve?

● How are they doing it now/struggling?

● What are we going to help them achieve?.

Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Storytelling in User Scenarios

Action!
● How do they use your product/feature?
What are the key features that matter?

● Tell the story of what’s going on with

the user while using your product to
achieve a goal

Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Storytelling in User Scenarios

Resolution
What’s your customer’s life like after they used
your product/feature?

Do they return and do it daily?

Just tell us the new state of balance.

Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Engineers are KEY

Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Trust them
to code.
Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Effective Engineering Relationships

Learning Communicate Share Ownership

Treat this as a learning Get to know the team and Get their input around key
experience how they work. decision points and clearly
share the decision.
Provide feedback..

Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Effective Engineering Relationships

Learning Communicate Share Ownership

Treat this as a learning Get to know the team and Get their input around key
experience how they work. decision points and clearly
share the decision.
Provide feedback..
Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Effective Engineering Relationships

Learning Communicate Share Ownership

Treat this as a learning Get to know the team and Get their input around key
experience how they work. decision points and clearly
share the decision.
Provide feedback..

Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Give credit.
Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Get Buy-In for Requirements

1. Your peers, teammates, and your manager

are an asset.

2. After writing the first draft, get input and

feedback.

Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Work Together

PM
The Problem 1

User 2 DESIGN
The Solution

ENGINEERING 3
Builds It
Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Engage Engineering & Design

Ask how they would solve the problem, new The design team should be involved in the
tech? Figure out what’s feasible and get earliest stages, but a PRD is not complete
some very rough time/difficulty estimates. without their input on the UX.
Identify risks.

Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Listen to the people and let them feel

they’ve been listened to.
Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the Dev Team

Remember it’s a living document.

Estimated time: 15 minutes

Module 3 > Product Execution > Communicating Requirements with the

Dev Team

Class discussion: Communicating

Requirements
● What tips or tricks have you learned about
communicating requirements with
engineers?

● What difficulties are you encountering?

 04
Manage Trade-Offs
with Quality, Speed,
and Scale

Module 3 > Product Execution > Manage Trade-Offs with Quality. Speed and Scale

Manage Trade-Offs

What flexibility do we have with the features? (fixed, firm, and negotiable)
Where is the wiggle room? Do I have the option to get more time or
resources if justified? Can we reduce the scope?

The goal is to focus on delivering what matters most

● Technical

● Business

● Design
Module 3 > Product Execution > Manage Trade-Offs with Quality. Speed and Scale

Manage Trade-offs Strategies

Optimize for feature speed above all else on short timelines. Example: Launch
Startup Strategy
new features to all users every week

Optimize for experimentation above all else. Example: Test new ideas with
Hyper-Growth Strategy
small groups and with rapid iteration.

Optimize for fixed timelines above all else. Example: time box releases and
Platform Strategy
work backward on features that can make each release.

Module 3 > Product Execution > Manage Trade-Offs with Quality. Speed and Scale

The Iron Triangle of Project Management

Scope
(Features, Functionality)

Quality
Cost Time
(Resources, Budget) (Schedule)
Module 3 > Product Execution > Manage Trade-Offs with Quality. Speed and Scale

The Iron Triangle of Project Management

Module 3 > Product Execution > Manage Trade-Offs with Quality. Speed and Scale

What Makes Quality Software?

● Functional Suitability ● Reliability

● Performance Efficiency ● Security

● Compatibility ● Maintainability

● Usability ● Portability
Module 3 > Product Execution > Manage Trade-Offs with Quality. Speed and Scale

Before you decide, make sure you know

When you are having conversations about making a tradeoff,

make sure you understand:

● The pros and cons of the different options

● Short-term cost/long-term cost

○ Tech debt - Re-work required (total cost of

dev/ownership)

● The Impact on the user, metrics, timeline, and features

● 1-way door/2-way door

Module 3 > Product Execution > Manage Trade-Offs with Quality. Speed and Scale

Speed

● More critical for startup or early stage

products.

● Each organization has a different

tolerance for errors, bugs, and issues.

Strike a balance between urgency and

diligence, think deeply, and act with gusto.
 You have to make sure that you are moving
fast. But what you can’t trade off with speed
is quality
Jeetu Patel

Module 3 > Product Execution > Manage Trade-Offs with Quality. Speed and Scale

Time to Market (TTM)

How do you reduce Time to Market?
● Increase resources/skills

● Reduce scope or release an MVP

● Develop products and services with a dedicated team

● Create a strategy to shape the product portfolio for speed

Why do companies want shorter TTM?

● Competitive advantage

● Reduce R&D costs (and waste)

● Improve customer satisfaction

● Grow Revenue

● Grow market share

Module 3 > Product Execution > Manage Trade-Offs with Quality. Speed and Scale

Scalability Decisions

Scalability is your ability to efficiently scale resources up or down to meet

demand. Scalability is about doing more with less.

Decisions to make

When What do we do now vs what do we do later?

What What aspects of the product need to scale?

How How much time and money do we need to invest to ensure we can scale as
needed?

Module 3 > Product Execution > Manage Trade-Offs with Quality. Speed and Scale

Scalability Questions to Ask

Questions to ask when thinking about scale:

● Can the product meet the demands of today, next month, and next year?

● What is required to expand to other markets, or languages (localization)?

● Does the product require human intervention? If so, what happens if we grow
10x next month? What can be automated?

● How many users (online and batch) will concurrently access the system? Will
it crash if it goes viral?

● How does the architecture need to change to be able to scale? What is the
impact of doing it now versus doing it later?
 05
Constraints,
Limitations, Risks,
and Assumptions

Module 3 > Product Execution > Constraints, Limitations, Risks and Assumptions

Constraints & Limitations

Constraint is anything that prevents you from making progress towards your product goal

Common parameters that can turn into constraint for your product

● Competition pricing (and resource cost)

● Timelines (seasonal factors, competition, budget, etc.)

● MVPs and must haves (for Pilot/Launch)

● Product Support Needs (post launch)

● Non-functional Requirements (NFRs)

 Module 3 > Product Execution > Constraints, Limitations, Risks and Assumptions

Risks

A risk is any situation involving exposing to danger.

Our ability to successfully deliver a product from a

Execution Risk
technical and operational perspective.

The product’s ability to generate successful

Market Risk
outcomes after delivery

Module 3 > Product Execution > Constraints, Limitations, Risks and Assumptions

Risk Management Process

Document the risk including a

description and owner.
IDENTIFY

Review the process, near-misses,

REVIEW Assess the probability
remediation statuses, successes, ASSESS
and impact of the risk
failures and trends.

CONTROL
CONTROL
Accept the risk or
establish a mitigation and monitor plan
Module 3 > Product Execution > Constraints, Limitations, Risks and Assumptions

Risk Management Model

HIGH Close Requires

Intensive
monitoring monitoring
management
required and
management
MEDIUM
IMPACT

Accept with Management Management

monitoring recommended required
LOW

Accept with
Acceptable risk Managed
monitoring

LOW MEDIUM HIGH

PROBABILITY

Module 3 > Product Execution > Constraints, Limitations, Risks and Assumptions

Assumptions

Fill in the blank: If _________________ doesn’t happen, my product will fail.

Assumptions are a silent but dangerous type of risk

● Desirability – Assumptions of this nature aim to give an idea of how appealing users would find
a product in question. They provide an answer to a question like, “Do they (users) need this?”

● Viability – With these assumptions, the focus is on finding out whether a project or product is
worthwhile. This is in terms of it generating sufficient revenue to justify its existence.

● Feasibility – A product can be desirable and viable but yet difficult to produce. Feasibility
assumptions help decide what you can successfully pull off with the resources at your disposal.
Module 3 > Product Execution > Constraints, Limitations, Risks and Assumptions

Assumption Mapping

1. Identify assumptions

2. Define the impact and probability

3. Assign an owner and create a mitigation plan

4. Share them with impacted teams or individuals

Hint: Reviewing the transition moments in the

customer journey can be a great spot to start. What
are the moments that connect the various steps -
how can they fall apart?

View this template here

Case Study: [ServiceNow]

Case Study Development

 Unmute and Share Estimated time: 15 minutes

Case Study > [ServiceNow]

Activity: Risk and Assumption Mapping

● Capture and categorize risks or assumptions for your
product

● Key questions to ask:

○ What am I expecting other teams or
departments to do or keep doing?
○ What do I expect from the technology,
platform, or vendor?
○ What behavior am I expecting from my users?
○ What happens if they don’t do it?
○ What single points of failure does my product
have?
Use your workbook to complete this activity:
○ How can things go wrong? [ServiceNow] Case Study & Template Workbook

Q&A
 04
Scaling Product

01
Product Teams at
Scale
Module 3 > Scaling Product > Product Teams at Scale

Signs to scale your Product Team

Your Product Managers look ready to snap

You are expanding your product line

Your product is entering a growth phase

Module 3 > Scaling Product > Product Teams at Scale

The Operations of Product

Why is it important to have a dedicated Prod Ops role?

● Is it a role within a product team that facilitates the easy communication and
sharing of resources and data between departments

● It’s an essential role to help cross-functional product teams work effectively and
efficiently

Tasks owned by a POM

● Managing which tools the product team uses ● Setting goals for teams and individual contributors

● Developing business processes ● Owning and developing strategies for the teams’
priorities
● Facilitating market research
● Analyzing data
Module 3 > Scaling Product > Product Teams at Scale

Meetings and Processes

How does these work in your organization? Are they effective?

Meetings Processes

● Annual Planning ● Ensuring best-practices

● Quarterly Planning ● Research

● Roadmap updates ● Requirements

● Product Demos ● Prioritization

Module 3 > Scaling Product > Product Teams at Scale

Tools, Communication, and Decisions

How does these work in your organization? Are they effective?

Tools Communication Decision Making

● Roadmapping ● Regular Updates ● Budget or resourcing

● Analytics ● Escalations ● Prioritization

● Data ● Cross-team ● Execution

Collaboration
● Development
Module 3 > Scaling Product > Product Teams at Scale

Organizational Context

How Product Teams work will vary from

company to company. You’ll need to adapt how
you work when you change organizations.

Using a context map can help you organize the

information you’ll want to understand

View this template here

Module 3 > Scaling Product > Product Teams at Scale

Key Takeaways

Monitoring the team’s exhaustion can be a signal that you need to scale the team or operations

If your organization doesn’t have a Product Operations function, the Product Leader needs to
assume the role or delegate

A key part of scaling a Product team is ensuring efficiency with meetings, processes, tools,
communications, and decision making
Daily Reflection
1. State one concept or key learning

from today that was impactful for

you and/or that you will be able to

implement immediately in your role.

2. List any questions you have about

how today’s concepts tie into your
product, team, and/or job
responsibilities.

* Be sure to follow-up with your manager after

Product School to discuss these questions.

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