Five ways to make product frameworks your best friends, not your worst foes
I find frameworks helpful in supporting my brain in thinking and executing product activities. However, overusing them or falling into some common pitfalls will not result in efficiency.
Introduction
In product management, frameworks are essential. They help product managers make good decisions that meet customer needs and fit with company goals. Frameworks provide structure and consistency, driving efficiency in product development activities.
This article will cover common framework pitfalls I have seen and stumbled upon in my experience and point out potential problems. We'll look at the good and the bad and how to avoid them.
In the end, I will list some common frameworks that I find helpful in doing the day-to-day work of a product manager and where to find them.
This Year I/Craft 5 article is dedicated as Part 5 of a series on Mindset, skillset and toolset of product management. You can find other parts here.
Understanding Product Frameworks
Product frameworks direct product development from start to finish, creating an organized approach or helping a product team do a single task, i.e., debugging a product issue, analyzing a set of metrics, etc. They make the process more efficient, ensuring decisions align with the product's and the company's goals. These frameworks serve as a guide for the team, offering a consistent structure, promoting the best methods, and upholding high standards. In the end, they improve efficiency by cutting down on waste, resulting in a more efficient product development process.
Common Pitfalls of Using Product Frameworks and How to Avoid Them
While the frameworks can be incredibly beneficial, there are several common traps that a product team can fall into when using them.
Overcomplicating the Framework
One of the most common mistakes is overcomplicating the framework. While it's important to have a comprehensive process, making the framework too complex can make it hard to follow, leading to confusion and inefficiencies. To avoid this, always keep your framework as simple as possible. Ensure it's easy to understand and follow, even for someone new to the team.
Ignoring Customer Feedback
Another common pitfall is ignoring customer feedback. Remember, the end goal of any product is to satisfy customer needs. If you fail to incorporate user insights into your product management framework, you risk developing a product or making a decision that doesn't resonate with your target audience. Prioritize customer feedback and actively seek and incorporate user insights into every step while executing through your product framework can deliver an on-point result.
Lack of Clear Goals and Objectives
Executing a product framework without clear goals and objectives is like a ship without a compass. It's crucial to define what success looks like for your product. This will give direction to your team and help in decision-making processes. Always align your framework with your business goals to ensure you're steering in the right direction.
Prioritizing What's Easy Over Long-Term Success
It's easy to fall into the trap of focusing too much on immediate gains rather than long-term success. While it's essential to celebrate quick wins, they shouldn't be the primary focus. Balance your short-term and long-term goals to ensure you're building a product that will bring lasting success and value to your customers.
Focusing Only on the Part of the Framework You Like
Lastly, using the framework selectively – focusing only on the parts you like and ignoring those you don't – can lead to skewed results and missed opportunities. A framework is designed to be used in its entirety. Stay flexible and adaptable, and be ready to pivot and adjust the framework as needed. Remember, adjusting is not the same as ignoring.
In Summary
Keep It Simple: Ensure the framework is easy to understand and follow.
Prioritize Customer Feedback: Actively seek and incorporate user insights.
Align with Business Goals: Ensure the framework supports the strategic objectives.
Balance Short-term and Long-term Goals: Maintain a focus on immediate and future success.
Stay Flexible and Adaptable: Be ready to pivot and adjust the framework as needed. Adjusting is not ignoring.
By being aware of the common pitfalls and actively taking steps to avoid them, you can make frameworks your best friend, driving efficiency and success in your product development processes.
Parting thoughts
I generally believe that the human mind is inherently lazy. The brain consistently seeks to avoid overloading its cognitive bandwidth or find ways to diminish it. Frameworks, or more broadly, structured methods of thinking and executing tasks, can be enormously beneficial when used correctly to support our brains and minds.
Appendix: Common product frameworks and where to find them
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Description: Focuses on developing a product with the minimum set of features necessary to satisfy early adopters and gather feedback for future development.
Read more: Productfolio
Working Backwards
Description: Starts with the end goal in mind, often by writing a press release for the finished product to ensure the product meets customer needs.
Read more: Productfolio
North Star Framework
Description: Centers on a single, most important metric that captures the core value delivered to customers.
Read more: Productfolio
Business Model Canvas
Description: Provides a high-level view of the strategic points crucial for bringing a product to market, including customer segments, value propositions, and revenue streams.
Read more: Productfolio
Jobs To Be Done (JTBD)
Description: Focuses on understanding the jobs customers need to get done and designing products to fulfill those needs.
Read more: Productfolio
Opportunity Solution Tree
Description: A visual representation of how to achieve desired outcomes by prioritizing opportunities and solutions.
Read more: Productfolio
GIST Framework
Description: A lightweight plan that is built for change, lower management overhead, improved team velocity and autonomy, better cross-company alignment and ultimately, better products and solutions.
Read more: GIST Framework
Kano Model
Description: Categories product features into basic, performance, and delight factors to prioritize based on customer satisfaction.
Read more: HubSpot
Lean Canvas
Description: A one-page business model that helps startups identify key elements like customer segments, problems, solutions, and revenue streams.
Read more: Railsware
HEART Framework
Description: Focuses on Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention, and Task success to assess feature success.
Read more: LinkedIn