🧐 Throw Another Product Manager on the Pile? Not So Fast!

As organizations grow, scale, and build new products, it’s not uncommon for them to face challenges like missed deadlines, scope creep, or misaligned priorities. When confronted with these issues, the knee-jerk reaction is often to hire more product managers, assuming that additional resources will magically solve the problems. However, this approach rarely addresses the root cause and often compounds the issues. 🚨

The Allure of More Managers 😕

When projects go off the rails, it’s tempting to attribute the challenges to a lack of management oversight. This is especially true in younger organizations where Product Managers have been the go-to resource to get things done.  So, it tends to seem natural that if we just had more product managers, we could keep a closer eye on things, get more done, and steer the ship back on course. But is that really the case? 🤔

Peeling Back the Layers 🔍

Adding headcount is generally the costliest and high-risk way to solve product management challenges. Before throwing another product manager on the pile, it’s crucial to take a step back and examine the situation holistically. The issues you’re facing could stem from a variety of factors, take a critical look at all three aspects of product management practice and ask some probing questions prior to adding new team members.

Product 📊: Is your product vision clear and aligned with market needs?

• Do we have a clear understanding of our target audience and their needs?
• Are we prioritizing the right features and initiatives against a clear strategic objective?

Process 🔄: Are your development and communication processes optimized for efficiency? Is there alignment cross-organizationally?

• Do we have effective communication channels and feedback loops in place?
• Are our planning and development processes optimized for efficiency?
• Are they agile and adaptable to change?

People 🤝: Do you have the right skills and expertise on your team?

• Are roles and responsibilities clearly defined within the team?
• Are the teams’ skills aligned with broader organizational needs?
• Is the cross-functional organizational aligned and working together
• Is there simply too much consistent and high value work for the existing team?

By digging deeper into these areas, you can diagnose the root cause and identify the specific pain points that are holding your team back. 💡

How many? A rule of thumb ⚖️

While there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for the perfect ratio of product managers to team size, industry benchmarks suggest that a healthy range is typically between 1:5 and 1:10. This means that for every 5-10 engineers, designers, or other team members, you should have one product manager to guide the strategy and execution.

However, it’s essential to remember that these ratios are merely guidelines. The optimal proportion for your organization will depend on factors like the complexity of your product, the size of your user base, and the maturity of your team and development processes. 🎯

An Iterative Approach 🔄

Rather than immediately hiring more product managers, consider taking an iterative approach to diagnose and address your challenges:

Product 📊: Start by clearly defining your product vision and strategy, ensuring alignment with market needs and business goals.

Process 🔄:  Review your development processes and identify areas for improvement. Implement agile methodologies and streamline communication channels.

People 🤝:  Assess your current team’s skills and identify any gaps that need to be filled. Provide training and development opportunities to help team members grow.

It is important to continuously monitor and measure your progress, adjusting as needed based on data and feedback.  By taking a systematic approach to diagnose and address the root causes of your challenges, you can optimize your team’s efficiency and effectiveness without necessarily adding more product managers to the mix. 💪

The Value of Fractional 🌟

So, you have done the due diligence, and you think you need more product management support.  Maybe you’re not 100% sure.  In either case, consider exploring fractional product management. Fractional product managers will provide targeted expertise and guidance on a part-time or project basis, allowing you to benefit from their experience without the long-term commitment of a full-time hire.

Moreso, you can confirm that your root-cause assumptions are correct, and the volume of work will remain at a consistently higher level before making the long-term commitment of a full-time hire.

Wrap up 💡

When faced with product development challenges, resist the urge to simply throw another product manager on the pile. Instead, take a holistic approach to diagnose the root causes of your issues, focusing on product strategy, people, and processes. By optimizing these foundational elements and maintaining a balanced ratio of product managers to team size, you can set your organization up for success. 🚀

Let’s Collaborate 👥

Need help with your Product, People or Process challenges? At TCY consulting we are passionate about the mission of educational technology and experts in the business.  Based in New England but working globally, we transform visionary ideas into tangible, successful outcomes. Let’s connect and discuss how we can elevate your product management to new heights.

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