Why Product Teams Should Prioritize Real-world Evidence over Extensive Planning

Core Concepts

Extensive planning and prioritization frameworks are often ineffective for achieving desired product outcomes. Instead, product teams should prioritize taking action and gathering real-world evidence to guide their decision-making.

Abstract

The article discusses the limitations of common product prioritization frameworks, such as RICE, MoSCoW, Kano, WSJF, and OKRs. The author argues that while these frameworks may seem like the right approach to achieving outcomes with limited capacity, they often lead to legitimate customer needs getting stuck in a prioritization intake funnel, where "value often goes to die."
The author suggests that a better approach is to prioritize action and gathering real-world evidence over lengthy planning. They explain that relying solely on ranking and prioritizing perceived value can be a trap, as it assumes that more thinking and planning upfront will lead to better results, which is not always the case.
The author then outlines a step-by-step process for using real-world evidence to guide product development decisions. This approach involves taking action, gathering feedback and data from real users, and using that information to inform the team's next steps, rather than relying on extensive planning and prioritization frameworks.
The key points highlighted in the article are:

Prioritization frameworks like RICE, MoSCoW, Kano, WSJF, and OKRs can lead to valuable customer needs getting stuck in a prioritization intake funnel.
Relying solely on ranking and prioritizing perceived value can be a trap, as it assumes that more planning will lead to better results.
A better approach is to prioritize action and gathering real-world evidence to guide product development decisions.
The author outlines a step-by-step process for using real-world evidence to inform product decisions.

Stats

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Quotes

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Key Insights Distilled From

Planning Vs. Action: Why a Product Team’s Best Bet Is Real-world Evidence

by Todd Lankfor... at medium.com 07-15-2024

https://medium.com/management-matters/planning-vs-action-why-a-product-teams-best-bet-is-real-world-evidence-c555db8d9864

Deeper Inquiries

What are some specific techniques or methods that product teams can use to gather and analyze real-world evidence effectively?

To gather and analyze real-world evidence effectively, product teams can utilize techniques such as user testing, A/B testing, customer interviews, surveys, and data analytics. User testing involves observing how actual users interact with the product to identify pain points and areas for improvement. A/B testing allows teams to compare different versions of a product to see which performs better in real-world scenarios. Customer interviews provide valuable qualitative insights into user needs and preferences. Surveys can help gather feedback at scale, while data analytics can provide quantitative insights into user behavior and trends.

How can product teams balance the need for action and real-world evidence with the need for some level of planning and prioritization?

Product teams can balance the need for action and real-world evidence with planning and prioritization by adopting an iterative approach. Instead of spending excessive time on elaborate planning, teams can take quick actions based on initial insights and gather real-world evidence to inform their next steps. By setting clear goals and hypotheses upfront, teams can focus on taking action to validate assumptions and gather evidence. Regularly reviewing and adjusting priorities based on real-world feedback can help teams stay agile and responsive to changing market conditions.

What are the potential risks or downsides of relying too heavily on real-world evidence, and how can product teams mitigate those risks?

Relying too heavily on real-world evidence can lead to a narrow focus on incremental improvements and missed opportunities for innovation. Product teams may become overly reactive to short-term feedback and fail to anticipate long-term trends or disruptive changes in the market. To mitigate these risks, teams can balance real-world evidence with strategic vision and experimentation. By combining qualitative insights from real-world evidence with strategic foresight, teams can identify emerging opportunities and drive long-term growth. Additionally, fostering a culture of experimentation and learning can help teams embrace uncertainty and adapt quickly to new information.