What's your process for getting stakeholders involved in product discovery?

Stakeholder maps are a PM superpower. Here are 4 tips to engage stakeholders effectively: 1️⃣ Build trust with high-power, high-interest folks first. Prioritize face-time. 2️⃣ Sway resistors by getting buy-in from equals first. 3️⃣ Communicate early and often. People need time. 4️⃣ Give each stakeholder the correct info dose per interest level. An insightful map enables targeted outreach. But don't spread yourself thin engaging everyone.

As a product manager, involving stakeholders in the product discovery process is essential to ensure that the final product meets their needs and expectations. This involves identifying key stakeholders, defining goals, conducting research, holding workshops, creating prototypes, and involving stakeholders in testing and providing feedback. By involving stakeholders throughout the process, we can ensure that the final product is something that they will be excited about and that truly meets their needs. Effective communication and transparency throughout the process are also crucial to building trust and ensuring that everyone is aligned on the product vision.

Assuming we know who are the relevant stakeholders, the challenging part is to engage them into the effort. The lead question I would ask myself in order to have them involved, is to put myself into their shoes and answer the question of “what’s in it for me”

Stakeholder maps + well-facilitated workshops! Fully agree that stakeholder maps are PM gold. More than just position, it's critical to map out approval and input vectors, to ensure you know who needs to be consulted, informed, and who needs to actually approve. But a RACI is a static document - it doesn't tell you the dynamics between the players. Whether you bring in stakeholders once a year or once a quarter, finding a solid workshop model to apply so that full stakeholder input can be captured and digested is key. I've seen this done really well with a large group by breaking down into teams. This allowed 28 people on three continents to effectively participate in four workshops, and buy-in was near-total.

Imagine stakeholders as pieces of a puzzle - identifying them is the first step to completing the picture. Sometimes, they're not in plain sight, but that's where the magic of a systematic approach comes in. Uncovering those not-so-obvious stakeholders is like finding hidden treasures. Please don't ignore the skeptics; involve them. They may hold the key to a smoother journey.

Educate stakeholders on product management and the potential effects of their involvement. Understanding their roles and impacts can prevent derailment of the process. Call out the animals of product, so they know how not to behave: -Hippo: Often the highest paid and dominant. Mitigate by fostering a culture of inclusivity and diverse perspectives. - Zebra: Characterized by arrogance and unsubstantiated claims. Neutralize with evidence-based dialogues. - Rhino: Tends to rush into high-value opportunities. Counteract with careful and comprehensive analysis. By educating stakeholders on these dynamics, you can better facilitate their meaningful involvement in the discovery process, turning diverse perspectives into a collective strength.

As a product manager, one of the most critical skills to develop is the ability to deeply understand stakeholders' problems in order to design effective solutions that address them directly. This involves engaging with stakeholders to understand their needs by facilitating cross-functional discovery workshops or meetings, where stakeholders can share their ideas, pain points, and needs. By considering diverse perspectives from the onset, you can ensure that the solutions you devise are aligned with the stakeholders’ needs and are viable, measurable, scalable, and impactful.

In my experience as a product leader, getting stakeholders involved in product discovery is a delicate balancing act. You want their input and buy-in, but too many voices can lead to 'analysis paralysis'. I advocate for a more selective approach - involve only key stakeholders who can offer unique insights. Instead of presenting dry facts or figures, weave a compelling narrative around what you're trying to achieve. This helps stakeholders connect with the vision on an emotional level, fostering deeper engagement.

Ensure alignment on the goals and what is and what is not in scope. If the group is a new group - build a social contract. This makes the storming and forming stage more pleasant.

Imagine your product’s goals and expectations are like the heartbeat of a project. You’re not the sole owner; they belong to the product and its journey. Let everyone hear that beat loud and clear. Frameworks like AAI, RACI, DARE, or DACI can be your symphony notes, orchestrating a harmonious product launch. Remember, you’re the maestro conducting this symphony of change.

Often many stakeholders have little capacity to participate in user research directly. That's why when conducting interviews, always make sure to record some snippets. It might even be worth compiling a small video of responses. Humans, faces, emotions and expressions always resonate more than numbers and data.

Getting the broader team involved will have an incredible effect on the overall morale. People do their best work when they share in crafting the vision. I love to invite the whole company to user interviews and tests. Everyone has a different perspective that helps you pick up on observations otherwise missed.

One tool I love using for collaboration is "problem presentation". At this point you have a strong problem statement and to get to the best solution, use this opportunity to understand how the problem presents at different levels and departments: -How does your team help our users solve this problem today? -What are the three biggest pieces of feedback your team gets about this process? -What are the pain points your team has with this process? -We're 6m (or whatever time frame you choose) in the future and have delivered; what does this delivery look like for you?

One of the meetings that I learn a lot from are the meetings where we develop ideas with the stakeholders. Because of their different points of view, these meetings are highly creative and even surprising. The output of these meetings is not necessarily 100% usable, but the things that In these meetings, it is definitely useful for product managers.

Co-creating is a thrilling ride, akin to a rollercoaster of ideas. However, sometimes egos hop on for the journey. Brace yourself for disagreements; they're the loops in this collaboration adventure. Keep your focus on the ideas, not the individuals. Think of yourself as a referee ensuring a fair game. Radical Candor might be your whistle, keeping things in check. And remember, it's all about fostering an environment where the best ideas rise, no matter whose brainchild they are.

Be willing to accept trade offs without losing focus on the goals. Be prepared to acknowledge the people and the skills among you. Negotiation is sometimes the path of least resistance.

Sometimes, achieving alignment felt like an uphill battle because optimizing one metric appears to come at the expense of another. But here's how I got success 1) First, meticulously measuring and assessing the impact of each option on these critical metrics. Data-driven insights build credibility 2) Next, by getting creative! Seeking innovative solutions that address the potential losses from choosing one option over the other. This approach served as a bridge to unite stakeholders In my experience, diverse perspectives often result in the best interest of the customers in the long run. By quantifying, communicating, and innovating, you can pave the way for effective collaboration when there are conflicts and trade-offs.

When the stakeholders are involved in the discovery of the product, they better understand the limitations and trade-offs and can make sacrifices more easily because they themselves have been a part of the process.

I found it works well to run a final workshop and at the end get a physical sign-off on the results. This makes all stakeholders take the proposal seriously and minimizes long-term conflict.

In my experience, many consider stakeholder input for planning out the product development process but fail to include them in the execution process. It is obvious that stakeholder input is pivotal in the planning process but giving continuous updates to them essential. Execution updates could include: 1. Regular syncs with stakeholders for feedback and continuous communication. 2. Product previews for testing and feedback. 3. Building joint narratives for product launch.

Planning is like sketching a map, but remember, your product’s journey might take a detour or two. Be ready for surprises - they are the roadside attractions of your journey. Adaptability is your vehicle on this trip; it's what keeps you moving forward. And sometimes, the unexpected surprises are the best memories of the journey. Embrace them and let your plan breathe and evolve.

A successful product discovery isn’t a sprint; it's a marathon. It's a journey that never truly ends, and engaging with stakeholders is like having pit stops along the way. Relationships aren’t checkboxes; they’re ongoing dialogues. Keep the conversation alive, nurture those relationships, and you'll find your journey becoming more fulfilling and your product more successful.