LEAN PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

WHAT IS LEAN?

As a designers, engineers, product managers we want to...

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Deliver value fast, forever

WHAT IS LEAN?

As a designers, engineers, product managers we want to...

​

Deliver value fast, forever

Outcomes and user benefits through features

Quickly and often

On an ongoing basis without burning out

HYPOTHESIS DRIVEN PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

When faced with uncertainty, you’ll take your riskiest assumptions, reframe it as a hypothesis to make it testable, develop tests for them, and observe the outcomes. Based on the results, you’ll either pivot away from these ideas or you’ll stay on course.

OUTCOMES VS OUTPUTS

What is an outcome?

1. Specific measurable statement that lets you know when you’ve reached your goals
2. What you expect to occur as the result of your actions

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What is an output?

1. List of features to be built
2. Inability to change direction if those features don’t bring value to the end user

WHAT OUTCOME DRIVEN PRODUCT MANAGEMENT LOOKS LIKE

Before defining product direction, the full team needs to understand the user needs, the business priorities, and the technology to accurately define the features to be built.

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Inverting the pyramid from PO’s defining requirements allows the team to respond to user needs that are aligned with the product vision.

Feature direction

DIRECTION OF FEATURES

Feature direction

METAPHOR!

• Landlord is paying for renovations
• Hires designers and contractors to build what she wants
• Tenants are never consulted with what they want

LEAN METHODOLOGY

1. Select the biggest risk 

2. Decide how to address it

4. Analyse and iterate

3. Observe

01

02

03

04

WATERFALL VS LEAN

WATERFALL METHODOLOGY

WATERFALL

Risk building wrong stuff

Time spent building stuff

Waterfall

Risk

WATERFALL

Time spent building stuff

Waterfall

Oh snap!

Risk building wrong stuff

WATERFALL VS LEAN

Time spent building stuff

Waterfall

Risk building wrong stuff

WATERFALL VS LEAN

Time spent building stuff

Waterfall

Oh snap!

Risk

Risk building wrong stuff

WATERFALL VS LEAN

Time spent building stuff

Waterfall

Build

Measure

Learn

Risk building wrong stuff

WHY LEAN?

CONTINUOUS DELIVERY

Continuous Delivery is the practice of delivery software to production in short cycles, repeatedly

• Our ideal: pushing to production several times a week
• Push when it’s ready--not when everything else around it is ready

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Why it works

• Tighter feedback loops lead to faster feedback
• Add value in the least amount of time
• Risk mitigation

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The Feedback Loop

Build

Measure

Learn

LEAN IN USE

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Other groups using lean

• Facebook
• Apple
• Netflix

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Other government groups using lean

• USDS
• 18F

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The Evolution of IOS Home Screens

PRIORITIZATION

PRIORITIZATION

Lean teams take on user value, level of effort and business impact when determining what gets worked on first

HGTV + LEAN

You’ve bought a fixer upper, you’re on a budget and you can’t fix every room in the house at once…

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• De-risk
• Appliances that might die soon
• Roof that leaks

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• Iterative
• Concentrate on one room at time?
• Concentrate on parts first? Floors? Doors?

METHODS

2X2

Outcome 1

Outcome 3

Outcome 2

Outcome 4

Outcomes

Problem 1

Problem 3

Problem 2

Problem 4

Problems

2X2

Outcome 1

Outcome 3

Outcome 2

Outcome 4

Outcomes

Problem 1

Problem 3

Problem 2

Problem 4

Problems

Address this first

Do this first

2X2

Outcome 1

Outcome 3

Outcome 2

Outcome 4

Outcomes

Problem 1

Problem 3

Problem 2

Problem 4

Problems

Don’t address this

Don’t do this

MATRIX

Business

User

Tech

Outcome 1

Outcome 2

Outcome 3

2

1

3

3

1

2

3

2

1

Total

8

4

6

MATRIX

Business

User

Tech

Outcome 1

Outcome 2

Outcome 3

2

1

3

3

1

2

3

2

1

Total

8

4

6

Do this first

TURNING IT INTO A ROADMAP

QUESTIONS?