Austin Page

How can product managers navigate business ambiguity? Business ambiguity is a product manager's ultimate test. Here’s a 5-point guide for product managers to turn ambiguity into opportunity: 1. Embrace Flexibility: Adapt quickly and pivot as new information emerges. Flexibility keeps you responsive and relevant in ever-changing environments. 2. Keep the Vision Clear: Focus on the bigger picture. A strong, compelling vision guides your team through uncertainty, providing direction and purpose even when specifics are murky. 3. Prioritize Communication: Engage in transparent, continuous communication with stakeholders, team members, and customers. Regular updates and open dialogues manage expectations and gather crucial insights. 4. Experiment and Iterate: Adopt a test-and-learn mindset. Small, iterative experiments yield quick insights and refine your strategy with minimal risk. 5. Make Data-Driven Decisions: Use data to inform your choices. Even incomplete data can provide valuable direction and help reduce uncertainty. Trust the numbers, but don’t let them paralyze you. BONUS - Use customer voice as anchor, when data doesn't exist. Regularly engage with end users to understand their needs and pain points, ensuring your product stays aligned with real-world demands. Remember, in the face of ambiguity it is not about having all the answers. Rather, it’s about being flexible yet focussed to navigate the questions to reach the outcomes. #ProductManagement #BusinessAmbiguity #Leadership #Innovation #CustomerFocus #Adaptability

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Thought experiment... delete your roadmap. Stop everything. Now play things out... For the past year or so I have experimented with an activity. I ask teams to imagine that they stop "shipping". Nothing new. No improving existing features. They keep their jobs, and fix major production issues, but otherwise stay idle. When possible, I ask them to refer to some sort of business dashboard or statement. How do these numbers change? They imagine industry press, coffee machine conversations, customer feedback, and board meetings. What happens with the passing months? Could X possibly go unchanged? Would you be surprised if Y doubled? The responses are very interesting. It feels unnatural to imagine doing nothing (even if doing nothing may be the best decision). We're wired to keep ourselves busy and talk ourselves into our grand plans. In some businesses, the impacts of doing nothing are felt quickly. In others, teams find they can go a year or more without real "damage". A competitor gains ground. Cost of acquisition increases. Team members leave for a competitor (or to start their own businesses). It hits home that successful products are a slow burn, the result of many decisions over time. To tackle the exercise, some teams review the past year. How did that work contribute to where the business is today? For new product launches, add-ons, packages, etc. it is easy to say "if we hadn't done this, then X wouldn't have happened." We gravitate to obvious connections, but that is a trap of sorts. The purpose of this exercise is to surface assumptions, and to focus the team on the Opportunity. Yes, it is "not realistic". It takes some practice, but more than practice it takes freedom and safety. Freedom to explore a possible future without judgement. "Non-business" types (if there is such a thing) need to feel free to explore the problem-space. Give it a try! With a big cross-functional group. Folks with more familiarity with “the numbers” should be prepared to teach and guide. Folks with more familiarity with the long-term, slow-burn issues (market share, inertia, product phases, ecosystems, etc.) should do the same.

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Lots of company problems could be fixed by getting 50-100 ppl in a room with A+ facilitation and senior exec air-cover and support. Why this can't / doesn't happen is a big reason why change is so hard. Change is frequently a battle of change agendas. -- That can't happen out in the open. (Some) people are desperate for someone to blame. -- That is tough in a format where it is obvious there isn't one person to blame. (Some) people are too scared to let go of the reigns -- That happens when people work together to find a solution. We're too worried to put on the breaks and step away from keyboards -- Yep, that would happen. A senior leader is having trouble providing leadership -- That would become immediately obvious...people wouldn't want to meet and work together if there wasn't some signal it would be worth it There is a strong pressure to imagine teams and groups are independent. -- This is proven false when you get teams together. Finally, there is a deep-rooted fear of collective problem solving *working*. What would that mean? What would that mean for the managers who are tasked with working things out behind the scenes? What would that mean for efforts to solve problems in private? What would that mean for the person who thinks top-down actions are the only solution?

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"In product, we're bombarded by high-level concepts like empowerment, data-driven, product-led, customer-focused, accountability, getting into the details, and high agency. But teams have trouble putting these ideas into practice. Why? And what can you do about it? When I ask people to describe the behaviors these things might entail—what I would observe (see and hear) if these things were happening—I often get blank stares." https://lnkd.in/gFCpYZ7A

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I'm loving this debate between John Cutler and Ed Biden - both are thinkers and leaders I deeply admire. Zero-interest PMs were hired by zero-interest Product Leaders, who were probably hired by zero-interest CEOs. It's turtling all the way up 🐢 Are they all incompetent? Nah, they are just a product of the environment. It would've been foolish to not take advantage of the zero-interest capital. The key question is whether these people - at all levels from the CEO to the PMs - are capable of adapting to the current environment where profit margin and sustainability are key. Everyone needs to 'sober up' after years of being drunk and high with cash. Zero-interest leaders focus on acquisition at all costs. Sober leaders focus on bringing solid value that leads to retention and sustainable growth. Zero-interest leaders double, triple, even quadruple the size of their team. Sober leaders realize that team size != productivity, that spending hours in alignment meetings for a small feature isn't any fun. Running lean is the way forward. Zero-interest leaders build or even acquire aggressively, trying to capture as much market as possible. Sober leaders are thoughtful in choosing just 1 or 2 things to do. Zero-interest leaders care about framework and rules "This is the only correct way to do product." Sober leaders care about results, knowing that those frameworks and rules are merely vehicles to achieve results. Ultimately, sober leaders are accountable for business performance, not just acting like consultants in suits talking big words and making pretty slides. It's not easy to sober up - but it's adapt or die.

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Before you use a product framework, answer these 8 questions... Is the framework designed for experienced people as a job aid, or as a tool for less experienced people to "go through the motions"? More specifically, how does experience level impact the use of the framework? Are there modifications for less experienced users? Has anyone ever used the framework, or is it more of a thinking tool to describe emergent practices or patterns? Is it designed to be used as is, or more as a heuristic? How do you actually use it? Is it meant to be used by a group, in single-player mode, or something else? How might different contextual factors influence how the framework is used? Is that discussed in the framework description itself, or is it implicit? When is this not the right approach? What might you observe if the framework is doing its job? What exactly will you see? How will you know it is working? What should you keep an eye out for? If you start to see these warning signs, what should you do to mitigate negative effects? Where can you find actual real-world examples of the framework being used? Where (and what) are the alternatives? There is almost never a case where a single framework is the only solution. If you can't list alternatives, there's something wrong. Part of picking the right framework is being intentional about its use.

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Somewhere I have a post that I started with Don Bircher about how to say no. This article does a good job articulating just that as well as the importance of doing it. #productmanagement https://lnkd.in/e2U_t3pm

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Being a product manager is tough enough—add in a challenging job market, and it can feel like an uphill battle. In our latest episode of The Product Porch, Ryan Cantwell, MBA, Todd Blaquiere, MBA and Ken Feehan dive into what it really takes to stand out and become indispensable as a product manager. Whether you’re new to the role or just looking for ways to step up your game, we share practical tips on how to avoid common pitfalls and add real value to your team. It’s about finding those small actions that make a big difference in your career and team’s success. If you’re looking for ways to rise above the noise and thrive in a tough market, this episode is for you. 🎧 Give it a listen and let us know what you think! (link to the podcast is in the comments section below) #ProductManagement #CareerGrowth #TheProductPorch #NewPMs

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As a Product Manager, here are five daily practices that have been game-changers for me: 1️ Set up my day for success with the same morning routine 2️ Ask "Is this the best thing I can be doing right now?" 3️ Guard my time by asking why? 4️ Check, double-check, and then check again 5️ Continuously reflect, learn, and improve These habits have been instrumental in navigating the complexities of product management and driving impactful outcomes. What daily practices fuel your success in the PM role? Let's exchange insights! #ProductManagement #DailyHabits #SuccessStrategies

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The Key to Measuring Product Market Fit: Why Retention Matters More Than Satisfaction I often get asked, “how can I determine if I have Product Market Fit (PMF).” For any new product launch, accurately gauging PMF is critical. A powerful indicator of this fit is customer retention, which often provides deeper insights than mere satisfaction metrics. Understanding and measuring retention offers a clear view of how well your product resonates with your target audience. Retention goes beyond the initial excitement of a new customer. It delves into the ongoing relationship your customers have with your product or service. For instance, consider a mobile gaming app. Here, retention isn’t just about downloads but how often players return to the game. This return rate is a tangible measure of the game’s relevance and appeal to its audience. Moreover, retention can be a telling predictor of long-term business viability. It’s not just about customers using your product, but how they integrate it into their daily or weekly routines. How should you measure retention? Let’s break it down with a simple method: cohort analysis. This technique tracks groups of customers over a period to see if they continue using your product. The goal is to observe a stable or ‘flattening’ retention curve, suggesting that customers find lasting value in what you offer. Imagine you own a coffee shop. To understand how well your shop retains customers, you can use a method called cohort analysis. This method involves grouping customers based on when they first visited your shop and tracking their return visits over time. Read the full article here for examples and how to bring this to life: https://lnkd.in/ggFEbJSZ

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As a PM, I sometimes feel like a chronic overplanner. These 7 principles help me move projects forward: A well-written PRD or spec is one of the most important deliverables for a product manager, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of overspecifying features or getting stuck on the “how,” delaying progress. Over the years, I’ve learned a few principles that help me write specs that not only guide my team but also speed up execution. Here’s what works for me: 1️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 > 𝗡𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Don’t overcomplicate specs when there are many unknowns. If risks are low, make decisions quickly. Can’t decide? Shrink the scope until a decision becomes clear. 2️⃣ 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 Plans aren’t set in stone—they’re educated guesses. Avoid overanalyzing every edge case upfront; many will emerge during implementation. Focus on execution. 3️⃣ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 Well-written documents are only as effective as the engagement they drive. Enforce reviews and encourage proactive feedback. Specs aren’t presentations—they’re collaboration tools. If stakeholders haven’t reviewed them, presenting them is a waste of time. 4️⃣ 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 Define the “why” (value to the customer) and “what” (features to solve their problems). Leave the “how” to engineering and design teams—overspecifying can slow progress and stifle creativity. 5️⃣ 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 Always maintain one reliable document as your central reference point. Think of it as your product’s passport—clear, updated, and universally trusted. 6️⃣ 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲, 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 Written communication outlasts verbal instructions. Specs serve as a consistent reference for the team and create accountability. Use them to document decisions and foster alignment. 7️⃣ 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Specs guide direction, but success is measured by shipped products, not perfect documentation. Keep the focus on delivering value to customers, not obsessing over the process. Did I miss anything? Share below👇

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People like to dunk on Product Managers for setting 3 hour meetings to ultimately decide to change a button color. Generally, I’d agree that the impact of the color of a button isn’t important, but early in my career a change in button color resulted in conversion moving from ~5% to 75-80% (albeit without a marathon meeting). As a new associate PM, I was on a team responsible for a ground-up rebuild of our data query UI and subsequent user migration. And for context, no, we did not have a designer on the team at this point in time. After launching the alpha version, we quickly realized we had a problem: ✅ Customers were logging in to the product ❌ They were not running queries (which was kind of the whole point of the UI - so that wasn’t good). We wired up additional analytics for key steps between hitting the post-login landing page and clicking “Run” to submit a query. The data showed that people were successfully navigating to our “Data” page but weren’t finding the button to build a new report. It wasn’t highlighted as the next key step in the workflow. Circled with the engineers, decide to highlight the button in green and push the change. Like magic (or just good UX) conversion immediately skyrocketed: - Before: ~5% of users running queries - After: ~80% of users running queries Lessons learned: 1. Nudges in your product matter. If there’s a “default” or most likely path that users should take through your product, highlight those buttons. 2. Just hire a designer. You’re saving no $$$ making stupid mistakes like we made.

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In product management, there’s no universal blueprint for balancing product, UX, and engineering teams. Each product has different needs, and finding the right team structure can be the difference between moving quickly or getting stuck. So how do you get the balance right? Here’s what I’ve seen work: 1️⃣ Team Size Matters: Smaller teams move faster. In the early stages, a lean team with a product manager, UX lead, and a couple of engineers can iterate quickly and test ideas. 2️⃣ Stage of Development: During discovery, agility is key. But as you transition to delivery, scaling your team thoughtfully becomes crucial for executing on a clear vision. 3️⃣ Context is Everything: Whether you're building a front-end product or back-end systems, your team’s structure should adapt to the product’s needs. The bottom line? Flexibility is essential. As your product evolves, so should your team structure. How do you balance product, UX, and engineering on your teams? Share your answers in the comments! #dearmelissa #productmanagement #productmanager #ux #engineeringteams #productdevelopment

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> you always have a strategy, even if it is implicit and not written down. Writing helps you sharpen it, have a shared understanding. > one of the simplest yet most powerful things you can do, is to write your strategy down.

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🎯 Have consistent goals 🛡 Minimize distractions 🗺 Explain the context 💰 Talk about the money 🛑 Be explicit where you will take risk 👥 Manage their role breadth 📄 Agree a lightweight reporting process

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Check yourself before you wreck a product manager’s career. Is a PM on your team struggling? Before writing them off, take a look at systemic issues. This isn’t just about fairness; it is essential to ensure you aren’t going to repeat the same problem with your next hire. Some organizational issues to watch out for include: * Is the PM role clearly defined and understood in your org? * Does the PM have the resources they need to execute effectively? * Has the PM received enough support as they ramped up? * Does your org communicate effectively across departments? * Do you have clear product-market fit, or are you still searching? And some tough questions to ask yourself: * Have you put in the time to establish a relationship with the PM? * Have you made it safe to come to you with problems and questions? * Were you clear about what it takes to succeed on your team? * Have you provided the air cover they need to make tough calls? If you answered 'no' to many of these questions, consider whether the issues you observe in a PM’s performance may actually be symptoms of more fundamental organizational problems. (Check back in the comments soon for a longer article on this topic.)

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User onboarding can be hella hard to create and conceptualize, especially if the PM's product sense and hands-on experience is not in-depth. If you lose your onboarding, you pretty much lose your product game. Master your onboarding, and you'll have a more streamlined journey to the "aha" moment of your product. I've compiled a quick carousel of 9 onboarding models/tricks used by top products I admire: → 1st strong impression → Interactive tutorials → Progressive profiling → Benefit-oriented copy → Guided tours → In-app messages & tooltips → Gentle nudging → Gamification → Error handling & exit strategy Enjoy! 🙂 ------------------------ 🔔 Hey, this is Shehab Beram, a product leader, PLG, and product discovery advisor, and the founder of VisionX®, the first personal branding studio for product leaders worldwide. I share product management & growth insights every week. #technology #startups #ProductManagement #ProductManager #product

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I always post these at odd times. So here is a re-up. How to differentiate a PRODUCT MANAGER role and a PROJECT MANAGER role, when you need either or both :) #productmanagement #projectmangement #productmanagers #recruiting #hiring

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