Leading the Product speaker Inga Latham talks about "Managing products in a global company with distributed teams"
For the blog post that goes with this presentation and more speaker talks go to:
https://www.leadingtheproduct.com/behind-the-scenes/
7. TM.
HQ 2
LON
Denmark.
Belgium.
Canada. Netherlands.
Germany. Poland.
Sweden. France.
Ireland. Switzerland.
Spain. Australia.
Greece. Norway.
USA. Czech Republic.
Finland. New Zealand.
DEV Quebec.
DEV LAX.
DEV LON.
DEV Gothenburg.
DEV Poland.
DEV Stoke.
DEV Virginia.
HQ 1
LAXItaly.
UAE.
10. It’s Complicated, Complex & Occasionally
Chaotic…
Cynefin Framework.
Dave Snowden
Complex
Probe
Sense
Respond
Emergent Practice
Chaos
Act
Sense
Respond
Novel Practice
Complicated
Sense
Analyse
Respond
Good Practice
Simple
Sense
Categorise
Respond
Best Practice
Disorder
Sense & Respond.
Jeff Gothelf & Josh Seiden
(Authors of Lean UX)
12. + What does the organisation look
like? How has it evolved?
+ Are you on the Sun (HQ), a
Planet (key market/team) or are
you on a Moon (satellite office)?
+ Where is everyone located?
+ What is the team there for?
+ What do people think the
team is there for?
+ Who ran the show before?
+ What is the current op model?
14. + The Product Org.
+ The Roadmap.
+ The Process.
+ The Metrics.
+ The Relationships….
15. + What does product “do” here?
+ Who does product report to?
+ What is the Regional
Representation?
The Product Org
+ How is the product portfolio
carved up?
+ Who is in the Product Org?
16. The Roadmap
+ 2-5 year strategic vision
+ 12 month roadmap with quarterly
planning/commitments
+ Roadmap inputs
० Strategy, Competitors, Markets,
Customers, Technology
० Universally accepted
prioritisation drivers
+ Quarterly “roadmap” events for
communicating commitments &
seeking inputs with markets
+ Quarterly “inception” events
with development teams
+ Monthly updates
+ Release communications
(push & pull)
19. + There can only be one -
no country-specific roadmaps
please!
+ Get countries & departments to
prioritise their requests
Roadmap Pro-Tips
+ Using universally accepted
prioritisation drivers,
prioritise ruthlessly
+ There will always be a
“Marquee Client”
20. The Process
Research: Gather all the information
available - desk, customer, staff,
competitor & comparative research &
any quantitative data available
Design: A strong DT-led process &
involving a cross-functional team from
across the org (yes, from multiple
geographies too!)
Delivery & Launch: A clear
process with tracking &
accountability. How to
communicate to the org? How to
communicate to customers?
Evaluate - Measure & learn:
Piloting & experimenting
21. + Start with the Sausage Factory.
Shipping gives you credibility,
especially with people who don’t
see you every day…
+ Create positive visibility
Process Pro-Tips
+ Know the difference between
Localisation vs Translation
+ Proxy POs on site if development
teams are distributed
+ Iterate or stagnate = continuous
improvement
22. KYP = Know Your Product
० Product purpose & key metric
० Business metrics
० Customer metrics
० Application health metrics
० Non-functionals…
The Metrics
+ Create product-specific goals
& individual KPIs that roll up to
these to cement the link for the
teams.
23. + Get to know everyone
+ ID influencers & engage OFTEN
+ Create positive visibility
The Relationships
+ Have a mole in each location
+ Collaboration vs cooperation
+ Know the cultural differences
24. The Relationships Pro-Tip
+ There is one KEY relationship
० The Holy Trinity
० The Triad
० The Three-legged Stool
25. + Structure your time
+ Be consistent - with your time &
with how you show up every day
+ Favour face-to-face or voice
comms over email
+ Regularly inspect & measure
what people are doing
Product Leader Pro-Tips
+ The Product Org = Your Product
+ Use “The Process” & design a
team that meets the objectives
what of the business needs
Product to be
26. 4.
Iterate: Sensing & Respond
Sense – Listen/Observe:
० The teams/markets
० Customers
० Your Product Team
० Your peers
Respond:
० Create a “Voice” for
Product
० Ensure the Roadmap
reflects the inputs you have
been given
27. 1. Assume you know nothing
2. Get context
3. Put your building blocks in place
4. Iterate
5. Keep your sense of humour!
6. Develop a thick skin
4 Steps to world domination & 2 for sanity
28. It’s mostly complicated.
It’s a little bit complex.
It’s very occasionally simple & seldom truly chaotic.
It’ll be tough.
It’ll be uncomfortable.
But I promise you, you’ll learn every day & ...
IIt’ll be fun!!