Product Breaking Point To Breakthrough: How To Drive Successful Product Reviews
“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.” -Ken Blanchard.
To me, it seemed an ordinary day. Or as ordinary a day in a large company gets… during COVID.
Those small squares started popping on my screen, shrinking as each person joined until it wasn’t possible to distinguish between anyone on the screen.
Yet I could still see the tension on the team’s face and almost feel the hesitance in the air even though we were all separated by significant distance — no one wanted to be there.
The COVID pandemic forced us all into an uncomfortable place.
For me, a really uncomfortable place.
I enjoyed in-person meetings, especially in-person product review meetings. Early in the pandemic, this led me to resent virtual meetings, especially virtual product review meetings.
This particular product review meeting was a breaking point.
I struggled to figure out how to run the product review meeting effectively. As a result, the team struggled with how to prepare.
I worked in healthcare technology at the time. Many saw the sacrifices of those on the front lines, which I would never discount, but few saw the sacrifices of those behind the scenes, helping to hold everything together.
At the time, I worked long and tireless hours to help those in need access the required care. Whether finding a hospital or being treated remotely, many without COVID were scared to go to their doctor.
So, it’s a triple dose of stress — a pandemic, a high-pressure problem to solve, and virtual product review meetings. Given the circumstances, maybe the last one shouldn’t have stressed me.
I made it no longer than three minutes into the presentation and got this subtle feeling that the team was unprepared. Rather than take a breath, I launched into questions.
“Why was this prioritized?”
“What problem did it solve?”
“What outcome did it achieve for the user and the customer?”
“What validation was performed to indicate it was important?”
Yeah, I was seemingly in a bad mood. Yet, all I was trying to do was adapt to a foreign format for the meeting and ensure we got the best possible product, one customers would love, into their hands as fast as possible.
The team was shutting down. Given my level of stress, I was unable to process theirs. Finally, it happened.
“What’s his problem,” someone muttered under their breath, clearly forgetting the mute button.
Yet, instead of losing it, I paused and did something unexpected. I stopped the meeting. I apologized to the team and said we would pick it up next week.
Then, I wrote down what I expected in a virtual product review meeting and sent it to the team.
The next meeting? It went much better than the last, better than I hoped.
The view of the product leader
I am sure I’ve been cursed by many under their breath, even after sharing my expectations for a product review meeting.
A product leader’s questions sometimes seem accusatory, untrusting, and overwhelming. However, they are intended to guide and protect- to guide and protect the future of the product and the company.
I’ve been a product leader for over a decade. I’ve reviewed roadmaps for hundreds of different products. I’ve participated in more roadmap review meetings than I can remember. And until now, I never thought to share the view a product leader has on roadmaps — at least publicly.
Why share now? I want to help you if you are new to product leadership -or- if you work for a product leader who doesn’t always communicate expectations, leaving you wondering what went wrong.
The product leader and product manager showdown
As a product manager, I aimed to get through the product review meeting quickly with no questions asked.
As a product leader, I aim to ask questions to probe the thought behind the product and the roadmap — slowing down the discussion.
So yes, product leaders and managers are at odds with each other. Sometimes, I feel at odds with myself — do my questions as a leader lead the team to believe I don’t trust them?
My goal is never to criticize but instead to understand and coach.
I’ve seen too many product leaders dig in, call out faults, and leave it at that. That never works. So, if you are in that situation, demand coaching and productive feedback. Don’t simply accept the punishment.
And instead of thinking of it as being opposed, put yourself in the other person’s shoes. In this case, as a product manager, consider how you might run the meeting as a product leader. Be empathetic.
That also means, as a product leader, remembering those meetings when you were the product manager presenting.
As a product manager, remember the product leader doesn’t schedule a roadmap review meeting to rubber stamp your plan.
A common set of principles for roadmap review
“The document should be written with such clarity that it’s like angels singing from up high.” — Jezz Bezos
Great advice from Jeff.
The good news is that most product leaders apply a common set of principles during a roadmap review to drive clarity. Consequently, I use a common set of criteria and questions to dive into the quality of the thinking behind the roadmap and the roadmap itself.
Side Note: Asking why and how a roadmap was constructed in a certain way also makes a great product manager interview question.
When reviewing a roadmap with the product team, there are six points I always look for.
- Strategy — Is there a clear strategy behind the product and the roadmap? Does the roadmap align with the north star? Does it reflect market needs? Are the needs of the user clearly articulated? Does it align with how your product will win in the market? For more on the topic strategy, here are two posts to review:
- Eight core elements of a winning product strategy
- Essential question that lead to a great product strategy
- Story — Stories make the world go round. They’re how we make sense of complex information. Roadmaps are no different; they need to tell a story. Otherwise, they are a collection of outcomes, features, capabilities, dates, and more. The roadmap should tell a story of what, when, why, and how a release comes together to wow the user. If the roadmap doesn’t communicate a clear and compelling story, take a step back and rethink how you will present at the review meeting.
- Outcomes — I often sound like a broken record on this topic. If a roadmap is a collection of features without clear outcomes, start over — no outcome = no go. You must articulate how delivering the roadmap will create value for the customer, the user, and the company. For more on outcomes and how to develop outcome-oriented roadmaps, here is a post to reference — Unlocking success when creating an outcome-oriented roadmap
- Prioritization — Is there a clear set of priorities reflected in the roadmap? Prioritization is the most important exercise a product team can take when it comes to a roadmap. It’s not possible to do everything, so you must choose. When I look at a roadmap, I want to understand the priorities, that you are willing to defend your choices, and that you have a clear reason why you selected the priorities in the way they are represented on the roadmap.
- Ownership — This one is simple. Who owns the roadmap? Who owns each feature? The team needs to show that they are invested in the roadmap, believe in it, and will see it through. Accountability with names tied to each item on the roadmap is critical. If no one is willing to take ownership of an outcome, feature, or capability on the roadmap, it should be removed immediately.
- Validation — Validation comes in several forms for roadmaps. First, did you test it? Did you put it in front of potential users as a prototype, clickable, mockup, etc.? If not, discovery was not truly completed and more work is needed. Did you review the assumptions and validate them with others? Did you complete design, engineering, and stakeholder reviews? Are they on board? Your goal should be to de-risk but not to eliminate risk. Bring in the data.
Understanding expectations
It is important to set expectations before we get into the questions to prepare for. It’s always best to ask your leader what they expect. And if you are a product leader, you should share expectations for the product reviews you schedule.
And yes, I have plenty of scars from product review meetings gone wrong. They mainly were caused by my not asking what the expectations were or not spending enough time preparing. So, even if no expectations are set, use the tips below to prepare and succeed.
- Set Your Story — A story doesn’t come together by accident. Pull your data, research, and slides into a story. Run through it a few times and edit as you go.
- Send The Agenda — If there isn’t a standard agenda, set it and send it before the meeting.
- Provide A Pre-read — Even if you aren’t asked, send the slides in advance with a note reiterating the agenda and a few bullets highlighting the ask, the key questions, and points.
- Prepare and Rehearse — You must prepare, or it will show. Present it at least once with the team before the review so you all know the points you will make. Ensure you anticipate and have answers to questions you are likely to face.
- Open Properly — Always open the meeting by reviewing the agenda, the key questions, and points.
- Clearly state your request for your product leader in the meeting — e.g., approval of the next release, feedback on specific outcomes/features, etc.
- Close — End the meeting by recapping the discussion, approvals, and follow-ups.
- Reiterate — Send an email following the summarizes the close and providing timelines for the follow-ups.
- Debrief — Talk with the team. What went well? What did not? What unsaid expectations did the leader set that you can prepare for next time? What questions did you hear that you should take note of?
Questions product leaders ask
Just like the framework for roadmap reviews, there is a common set of questions I find most product leaders ask as they probe the team during the review meeting. And while you can imagine a few based on the six points I shared above, I am sharing my curated list below.
Note that this is not an exhaustive list, and it’s best to ask your product leader what questions they want you to be prepared to answer during the roadmap review. It’s also important to ask about their expectations.
- Can you walk me through how the roadmap reflects the strategy and how we plan to win in the market?
- Can you describe the release’s outcomes and value as a whole? What will the customer get as a result?
- How did you prioritize the outcomes and features? What did you want to do that you can’t?
- What research and testing led us to believe these are the right outcomes and features to target for this release?
- If we do this now, what risk does it create down the road to scalability — is it locking us into a position?
- Do we have the resources to execute the roadmap and release(s)?
- What significant risks do you foresee? How do you plan to mitigate them?
- Which stakeholders did you review the roadmap with? What feedback did you incorporate?
- What’s the release plan, including product marketing and customer engagement?
- Are we making the progress we thought we would from review to review? If not, why? What is the root cause? What can be adjusted? Are we being too optimistic?
- How are the features from our past review performing vs. expectations (outcomes, user feedback)?
Bringing it home
Product roadmaps are the one tool that communicates the direction of your product, like a GPS, while also weaving together the story, the strategy, the stakeholders, execution, and the promises you make to the market as well as your customers.
Therefore, product roadmaps are a key tool product leaders use to review the product with the team. Product leaders can cast a long shadow over the team during product roadmap review sessions. A shadow they are often unaware of.
As a product leader, recognizing your impact on the team is critical. Coach them. Properly set expectations. Share your questions in advance. Empathize — you were once a product manager sitting in their shoes. Help them through the product roadmap review.
As a product manager, it’s important to take the time to prepare for the product roadmap review. Don’t go in and wing it. Invest time, confirm expectations, anticipate questions, and tell a data-driven story — if you do, I promise your roadmap reviews will improve. Your product leader thanks you.
