Must-haves when starting or joining a product team

Over the years I’ve managed several product teams, always from first principles, and as I’ve matured as a product manager I’ve written a few memos to myself. Things that got us over a hump or feedback I received from colleagues. Every so often I’ll glance back at these memos to remind myself how to do things well. These are the must-haves and key things to remember which help me start or join a product team and hit the ground running.

This is a living list, so it might change. Check back every now and then.

The foundational principle

As product manager, you look after the environment that the team needs to succeed, making sure we all have a clear view of what success looks like and how we’ll get there. Give them space to collaborate and facilitate them in making decisions.

Start with the basics

• What is the product or service?
• What problem does it solve? Write that down in plain language.
• What is the outcome we want users to reach? What is the outcome we want users to avoid?
• What are the pain points preventing users reaching their outcome?
• Which of those points is most painful and needs removing first? Which one next?