Your PdM versus PO zero-sum discussion reminded me of a thought experiment I presented recently. I proposed using Jobs to Be Done not only as a lens for user research, but as a way to discover a viable business model around. The job that the venture should get done.
Interestingly, the dominant feedback was that this is the business manager’s job, not the responsibility of whichever P appears in someone’s title. I suspect the business manager may think the opposite: Why am I investing money and resources in a product team if that team is not responsible for discovering whether a viable business can be built?
This is where role definitions become more than a pointless semantic discussion. They can become organizational micro-boundaries that allow people to detach responsibility from observability: “I own the product, not the business.” “I own the business, not the discovery.” etc.
The title and framework may not matter. But in work that should begin with hypotheses, research and evidence, someone must own the learning. And this is the entire team as a team.
P.S. One sentence made me curious: Why will you not teach people how to apply discovery, but instead help them understand what discovery looked like in the past, present and future? For me, applying discovery is the most important part: turning uncertainty into a disciplined learning process within a specific context.
About discovery, context is important. I focus on teaching people to apply critical thinking, and choose what best suits their situation. I will indeed encourage to do discovery, but the how the person needs to choose as context changes constraints. And I agree with you, discovery is vital, especially today. Overall, the mindset is the key for me because within that, you can adapt to your scenario.
I absolutely love this post. I am not a PM, I work as a SM, but it just covers everything I have been through and been thinking about recently.
The sooner you discover it is not about doing things by the book but continuously changing and tweaking depending on your context, the more impact you will make (and happier and fulfilled you will become).
Yes, that's exactly the point. It's about understanding what your situation needs and adapting to make progress. It took me some time to get back to that, but as I did, things changed for the better.
Your PdM versus PO zero-sum discussion reminded me of a thought experiment I presented recently. I proposed using Jobs to Be Done not only as a lens for user research, but as a way to discover a viable business model around. The job that the venture should get done.
Interestingly, the dominant feedback was that this is the business manager’s job, not the responsibility of whichever P appears in someone’s title. I suspect the business manager may think the opposite: Why am I investing money and resources in a product team if that team is not responsible for discovering whether a viable business can be built?
This is where role definitions become more than a pointless semantic discussion. They can become organizational micro-boundaries that allow people to detach responsibility from observability: “I own the product, not the business.” “I own the business, not the discovery.” etc.
The title and framework may not matter. But in work that should begin with hypotheses, research and evidence, someone must own the learning. And this is the entire team as a team.
P.S. One sentence made me curious: Why will you not teach people how to apply discovery, but instead help them understand what discovery looked like in the past, present and future? For me, applying discovery is the most important part: turning uncertainty into a disciplined learning process within a specific context.
Thanks for sharing your story.
About discovery, context is important. I focus on teaching people to apply critical thinking, and choose what best suits their situation. I will indeed encourage to do discovery, but the how the person needs to choose as context changes constraints. And I agree with you, discovery is vital, especially today. Overall, the mindset is the key for me because within that, you can adapt to your scenario.
I absolutely love this post. I am not a PM, I work as a SM, but it just covers everything I have been through and been thinking about recently.
The sooner you discover it is not about doing things by the book but continuously changing and tweaking depending on your context, the more impact you will make (and happier and fulfilled you will become).
Yes, that's exactly the point. It's about understanding what your situation needs and adapting to make progress. It took me some time to get back to that, but as I did, things changed for the better.
I appreciate you sharing your view on it.
Inspiring ! Thank you for sharing
Glad it landed with you.