Product Coalition

I took a sip of my latte as Alex wrestled his laptop bag onto the counter. “Been a while since those crazy Tribeca startup days. What are you up to these days?” I asked. “I’m consulting now — advising startups,” he said between bites of his sandwich. “For real?” I said, genuinely impressed. “How’d that happen?” He smirked, brushing a crumb off his sleeve. “It’s been a wild 18 months, but let me tell you how it all went down.” Leaning back, Alex launched into his story. “It all started with this late-night brainstorming session with my co-founder, Mia,” he began. “Mia and I were eating greasy pizza, scribbling ideas on napkins. It hit us — why wasn’t there a way for people to share quick, high-quality videos straight from their phones? Like a Nano-YouTube for everyday moments.” “Nano-YouTube?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “What made you think it would work?” “Well, think about it,” Alex said, gesturing like he was painting the idea in the air. “Back then, video capabilities on the iPhone were revolutionary. Social sharing was taking off — Facebook, YouTube. But video? It was clunky. People needed something seamless.” “So what did you build?” I asked. “We built an app with everything baked in,” Alex replied. “Users could shoot, tag friends, and share videos right to their social streams — Facebook, YouTube, all of it. On the backend, we built a scalable cloud platform with APIs to handle encoding, storage, and distribution.” “That sounds ambitious,” I said. “Did people like it?” “Oh, people loved it at first,” Alex said, leaning back and chuckling. “They’d say, ‘This is like the future of video sharing!’ It was intoxicating.” “We even started calling it our MVP — our Minimum Viable Phenomenon.” “Phenomenon?” I laughed. “Yeah, we were riding high,” Alex said, as his grin started to fade. Read more... https://lnkd.in/ezYYJS95 #productdevelopment #productmanagement

These days, as a product manager, I find myself telling this story to UX designers all the time. Sometimes they nod along like, “Yeah, yeah, I get it,” and sometimes I can tell they’re thinking, “That would never happen to me.” But trust me, it can. And I hope this little tale spares you some frustration down the road. When I was a user experience (UX) designer, I learned a big lesson — UX design speak isn’t for everyone. I’ll never forget the time I was presenting this app prototype to a room full of stakeholders, including some finance folks. I thought I was doing a great job. I was throwing out terms like “pain points,” “delightful experiences,” and how the “user journey” was completely optimized. The presentation was going great, and the prototype looked amazing — sleek, intuitive, the whole package. I was sure they were loving the results. Then I glanced at the finance team. Just blank faces and polite nods. I figured they were deep thinkers or needed time to absorb my genius. But weeks later, the project got postponed. No explanation. Frustrating. Finally, a coworker who had the inside track, pulled me aside and said, “It wasn’t the prototype — it looked great. But the finance team had no idea why it was designed that way.” “They were sitting there wondering, ‘Couldn’t we just cut costs or boost revenue some other way? I mean, what is the ROI on building the prototype that way? And do we need UX? What’s the ROI on UX?’” https://lnkd.in/ejYC7vqd #productdevelopment #productmanagement

If Santa Claus were looking for a job in tech, it’s hard to deny he’d slip effortlessly into the role of a Product Manager. Forget the fancy office tower and ergonomic chairs — he’s tucked away in a cozy, twinkling workshop at the North Pole. He doesn’t use Jira or Slack, and he has never heard of a Gantt chart, but that doesn’t stop him from handling a backlog that’s bigger than any you’ve ever seen. His roadmap is planned out for an entire year, and December 24th isn’t just a release date. It’s the annual deadline of all deadlines. Miss it, and you’re dealing with millions of disappointed faces. Yet there he is, humming cheerfully, twirling a candy cane behind his ear, and rolling with every last-minute request as if it were nothing more than a friendly suggestion. The truth is, every Christmas Eve he ships a product that fills hearts with joy and keeps the magic alive. You might say he’s never compromised on quality in his entire career. But how does he do it? What hidden skills turn a bearded fellow in a red suit into the world’s most remarkable product manager? Let’s take a closer look at Santa’s profile. https://lnkd.in/eknzybsW #productdevelopment #productmanagement

When I think back to my first year as a product manager, fresh out of college and navigating the chaos of a startup, I can only describe it as a whirlwind. There were fascinating projects, moments of inspiration, and plenty of hard-earned lessons. But if you’d asked anyone on our team, myself included, they’d tell you the same thing — we spent more time teetering on the brink of failure than we ever felt comfortable admitting. Yet, somehow, we managed to pull through. That year ended with a meeting that stands out as one of the most memorable moments of my career. This was a special kind of retrospective — part “come-to-Jesus” moment, part team therapy, and part traditional post-mortem. Our small but mighty team consisted of six people, each playing a vital role. At the helm was Sydney, our founder and fearless (if occasionally frazzled) leader, who had left a VP role at an investment bank to chase her vision. Next was Elizabeth, our data-driven marketing manager and business analyst, whose knack for turning spreadsheets into actionable insights kept us grounded. Then came Abby, our sharp-tongued UX designer, with an uncanny ability to champion user empathy and advocate for the people using our product. Carla and Jamie, our brilliant software engineers, were the backbone of the operation, keeping everything running despite the countless curveballs we threw their way. And finally, there was me — Jon, the rookie product manager, fumbling through Jira boards, user interviews, and team dynamics, trying to figure out what it really meant to steer a product toward success. That meeting was more than just a way to close the year. It felt like a collective reset, a moment to pause, reflect, and connect. It was honest, insightful, and, at times, hilariously self-deprecating. In many ways, it marked the beginning of a stronger, more focused team dynamic — one built on trust, shared understanding, and a whole lot of humility. What follows is a flashback of sorts into the chaos, humor, humility, and humanity that shaped one unforgettable year in product development. https://lnkd.in/euTNnxbz #productdevelopment #productmanagement

You might remember my last piece, where I lovingly detailed how to influence with grace, authenticity, and just the right amount of positive manipulation. Think Benjamin Franklin effect, not Emperor Palpatine. Well, buckle up. Today, we’re crossing over to the dark side — where influence turns into manipulation, and those who wield it often leave you wondering, “Wait, why am I agreeing to this?” So, let’s talk about dark psychology hacks. Yes, those sneaky tactics that make people give up their last chocolate chip cookie (or worse, their weekend) without even noticing. Before I dive in, a quick note — I believe influence should always be fair and help everyone involved. But sometimes, recognizing these techniques is the only way to defend yourself against them. Busyness as a Badge of Honor “Oh, I meant to get back to you, but I’ve been absolutely swamped prepping for that critical presentation.” — Jake, while watching cat videos. Let’s kick things off with a manipulation tactic so common you might not even realize it’s happening: the perpetual busyness performance. Jake, a colleague of mine, was the undisputed king of busyness theater. His calendar was packed, his email responses were delayed with apologies about being “buried under a mountain of tasks,” and he wore his busyness like a medal of honor. He seemed so indispensable that no one dared question his progress — or lack thereof. One afternoon, needing a quick update, I shot Jake an email. Hours ticked by with no response. Later, I spotted him in the break room, leisurely sipping coffee and scrolling through memes. “Hey Jake, did you get my email?” I asked. He sighed dramatically. “Oh, Daria, I’m so sorry! I’ve been absolutely slammed preparing for the big client pitch.” “Right, the pitch that’s scheduled for next month?” I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Exactly! So much to do, so little time,” he said, before hurrying off like someone rushing to catch a flight. Maybe you don’t even realize this is manipulation. But here’s how it works: by constantly projecting an image of extreme busyness, Jake creates an illusion of scarcity of his time and attention. This makes others hesitant to approach him with requests, hold him accountable for delays, or add to his “overwhelming” workload. This tactic is a deceptive way to control perceptions and shift responsibilities. This manipulation can lead to imbalanced workloads, where team members unconsciously absorb more responsibilities to compensate for Jake’s “limited availability.” https://lnkd.in/e4cAC2XM #productdevelopment #productmanagement

We used to be a great place to work. You know the kind of company I’m talking about — the one where people stay late not because they have to, but because they want to. As one of the leading CRM software providers, we were known for innovation, a global presence, and — most importantly — a thriving culture that made all that possible. It wasn’t just the free coffee or the sleek office spaces. It was the people. We had strong leadership, passionate teams, and a design culture that felt like the heartbeat of the organization. But things started to shift when the company was acquired by a private equity firm. The initial signs were subtle — some new processes here, a few reorganizations there. But it didn’t take long before the changes came like a wrecking ball. Layoffs. Budget cuts. Strategic “restructuring.” I remember sitting in the cafeteria one morning with Elena, one of our senior UX designers. She was flipping through a slide deck for an upcoming presentation, but her usual energy was gone. “Jon, they’re gutting us,” she said flatly, not even looking up from her laptop. “What do you mean?” I asked, setting down my latte. She finally looked at me, her expression a mix of exhaustion and frustration. “They’re talking about replacing us with developers. Just scrapping the whole UX team.” I blinked. “Wait, what? That can’t be serious.” “It’s serious,” she said, turning her laptop to show me an email thread. “They’re pitching this as a cost-saving move. Developers will ‘handle design,’ and anything too complicated will go to an external agency.” The sheer audacity of the plan hit me like a slap to the face. Developers doing design? Sure, they’re good. but it’s not the same as having a UX team. And the crazy part? They wanted the Chief Design Officer (CDO) to stick around to oversee this Frankenstein of a process. “Maria’s is not going to love this,” I said, referring to our CDO. “She’s already packing up her office,” Elena replied. Maria did more than that. By the end of the day, she had resigned. Just like that, our biggest champion for design was gone, and with her went any semblance of stability for the UX team. https://lnkd.in/eTQhP58e #productdevelopment #productmanagement

Dealing with data and insights is just one piece of what a product manager juggles every day. The real challenge kicks in when you add everything else they’re responsible for — research, go-to-market strategies, finance, sales. “Don’t forget advertising and marketing. The list goes on,” Sidney chimed in when I brought this up. “And don’t forget the daily fire drills, stakeholder wrangling, and trying to make sense of endless dashboards. It’s not just juggling — it’s juggling while riding a unicycle.” Now imagine this in a big company. The complexity skyrockets. Many companies today don’t actually get what their product people do — or what they need to do it well. Instead of empowering them, they double down on managing projects, handing over the reins to a group called the Project Management Organization, or PMO. “The PMO? They’re more about paperwork than people,” Sidney said. “They’re all about enforcing rules and checking boxes, but they almost never give product managers the tools they actually need to succeed.” Take product analytics data, for example — this is where the cracks really start to show. These issues stack up, making it almost impossible for product managers to lead their teams the way they’re meant to. But there’s hope. One way to cut through the red tape and chaos? Build a Product Operations team — “Product Ops” for short. Maybe you’ve heard the term “Product Ops” but aren’t quite sure what it really means or how it works. Without Product Ops, even the most talented product managers can end up buried in bureaucracy, wasting time reinventing the wheel instead of unlocking their team’s full potential. “The goal to keep product teams out of the gunk,” Sidney added. “Product Ops is like WD-40 for a squeaky, stuck process. They clear the gunk so teams can actually do what they’re good at — building great products.” By prioritizing team effectiveness over efficiency, Product Ops actually ends up being the more efficient approach in the long run. It’s a shift from the heavy, clunky overhead of the traditional project-based model. By Michael H. Goitein https://lnkd.in/eQ5deAVF #productdevelopment #productmanagement

Set your 90 day plan as part of your new role application. Joni Hoadley shares why the PM Role Clarity canvas can help new hiring manager and new hires establish a happy-days onboarding plan! Grab the full episode 👉 https://lnkd.in/dQSchAFP

We’d just wrapped up another one of those “full circle” design reviews — you know the kind. Our UX designer, Mia, started with a polished new design. The room was silent for a beat, and then the feedback started rolling in. “Can we make the button bigger? Feels like it’s hiding,” someone chimed in. “Shouldn’t the navigation bar be fixed? Scrolling might confuse users,” added another. “Oh! What if we swapped the dropdown for a toggle? Users love toggles,” said yet another voice, with far too much enthusiasm. Mia nodded, listened, and jotted down notes. She didn’t push back — not yet. Instead, she let us workshop her design like it was a group art project. The design shifted. Blockers popped up. Tweaks were made. Problems were solved. And then, drumroll please… we landed right back at Mia’s original design. “I appreciate all the feedback,” Mia said, with a knowing smile. “But I went with this layout because our usability tests showed it’s the fastest for users. We want them focused on completing the task, not hunting for buttons.” Mic drop. Mia knew her stuff. She didn’t just have a good design. She had the receipts to back it up. Regrettably, in our response, we’d just spent an hour doing laps around her brilliance. That meeting was a lightbulb moment for me. Maybe it’s time for the team to lean a little harder into trusting the experts at the table. If all we’re doing is spinning in circles to end up where we started, what’s the point? What are we really contributing to the process? So, I decided to experiment with something — I’m calling it the art of not having an opinion. Now, let’s be clear — this isn’t about not caring. I care deeply about my products and the people creating them. This is about trust. It’s about stepping back and letting the incredibly smart, capable people around me do their thing without me hovering. Holding back unnecessary opinions doesn’t just make me a better product manager — it can do the same for you. Here’s how it works. By Justin Hawkins https://lnkd.in/eZqDrQFj #productdevelopment #productmanagement

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, the first real taste of freedom after the pandemic. I was walking my Yorkie through the neighborhood, marveling at how life was coming back to the mom-and-pop shops. The dry cleaners had reopened, the Chinese takeout was buzzing, and the neighborhood pub was finally pouring pints again. My personal favorite, though? The little café on the corner with coffee beans so good they could probably cure heartbreak. As I strolled, I couldn’t help but reflect on the surreal, exhausting rhythm of working as a digital product manager from home during the pandemic. Endless Zoom calls filled my days, with hours and hours of meetings that felt like they could’ve been resolved with a quick in-person discussion. The misunderstandings were frequent — people’s struggles to communicate effectively over video chats laid bare how reliant some managers were on their micromanagement techniques, which Zoom simply couldn’t replicate. It was frustrating, to say the least, and disheartening to see how much productivity and connection were lost to virtual fatigue. And then there were the closed shops, the quiet streets — a constant reminder that the vibrant, living world we knew had been paused. Seeing the neighborhood come back to life felt almost miraculous. There’s nothing greater than seeing a civilization finding its way back to normalcy. That’s when I spotted Killian. He was sitting outside the café, balancing a slice of homemade cake and wrangling his little boy, Arthur, who had somehow managed to get frosting on his face. “Jon! Long time no see!” Killian called out, waving me over. “Killian!” I replied, grinning as I approached. It was good to see an old friend, especially in this new, hopeful context. Life was returning to the streets — and, it seemed, to the people. We exchanged the usual pleasantries — “How’ve you been?” “How did you survive lockdown?” And then Killian dropped a bombshell. “I started a SaaS business right before the pandemic,” he said, casually, as if he’d just mentioned picking up a new hobby. Now, I’ve been around enough product managers and startup founders to know this wasn’t your average weekend project. Starting a SaaS (Software as a service) business is like deciding to build a spaceship in your garage. It’s ambitious, messy, and guaranteed to make you question your sanity. Naturally, I was curious. “So,” I said, taking a seat, “you started a business during one of the most unpredictable times in modern history? That’s insane… and kind of brilliant. How’s it been going?” Killian exhaled like he’d just run a marathon. “Honestly? It’s been… a ride,” He admitted. “The joy-to-pain ratio is about 1 to 20. Every success is hiding a hundred disaster moments. But I’ve learned a lot — mostly the hard way. Want to hear the war stories?” How could I say no? https://lnkd.in/ezq6Sd35 #productdevelopment #productmanagement