Product Management
Is a product the right solution?
Something I ask at the start of any engagement, is where the idea of a product is coming from. Is an area of the business struggling? Are you struggling to manage Customer Service needs? Will an AI chatbot fix everything? (hint; it won’t)
When starting out on the inception and definition of a product, it’s important to think about who it’s for and, critically, what the product will deliver for that person or business. The ‘what’ in this instance should be a measurable metric of success. This can be anything from the number of impressions on a website, to a number of transactions completed over time or a even a user’s satisfaction score.
Doing this then allows us to easily define problems that we’re trying to solve which, in turn, informs us as to the solutions that we can build. This is how to determine whether you need an App, a website, a CRM system or any other sort of digital Product. It should be led by requirements, not by the system itself.
Data data data
Data and user research are the foundation of building any great product. They take the guesswork out of decision-making and help product teams understand what users actually need, not just what they think users need.
While long-time employees are undoubtably experts in their field within an organisation, that doesn’t always equate to knowing what is best for a user at the other end of a system.
Research gives us context: it reveals pain points, motivations, and behaviors. Data gives direction: it shows what’s working, what’s not, and where to focus next. Together, they make sure every feature, design choice, and roadmap decision is grounded in evidence, not assumption. Without them, you’re building on hunches and adding risk to your development cycle.
Build your roadmap
Following the research and data driven phase of discovery for product development, building and evolving a roadmap is the next step essential to delivering meaningful outcomes. A strong roadmap aligns business objectives, customer needs, and technology initiatives into a clear, actionable plan. This in turn provides structure while allowing flexibility as priorities evolve.
In my experience leading complex digital initiatives across financial services, AI, and global content delivery, a well-defined roadmap bridges both strategy and execution.
Stakeholders are then empowered to make informed decisions and ensure teams stay focused on delivering the highest-value outcomes. Continuously evolving the roadmap keeps products and teams relevant, responsive, and results-driven in our world’s rapidly changing digital landscape.
