Setup and run a Product Team
Doing a product it’s more work and more difficult than people think, but it can be smoother and easier to go ahead with a good team with a good setup on it.
The organization is key and not just a way to create processes and ask for a ticket to do something urgently.
Before discussing some tips regarding how to create a strong product team, you need to have a clear and accurate vision of the strategy of the company. We will not speak about the Company’s vision & Strategy in this article. Let’s focus on the product team and agile methodology.
“Don’t copy and paste an organization or anything without taking a step back and checking if it is adapted to your company, your processes, your organization.”
“A mistake is a way to learn and improve”
“Don’t be afraid of mistakes, like bugs Embrace them.”
What should be a Product Team from my point of view
In my opinion, a product team is a bunch of people who work together, using different skills/expertise and going ahead with the same realistic focus. In this team, the Product Manager will be a bridge between the different “squad”.
If you don’t see my article about “What should I know as a Product Manager | Global Overview”, (#shameOnYou ^^) go now because that can help you to understand easier the Product Team setup.
The team should be composed of guys who have product spirit and always want to do the extra miles to solving problems for customers. They are customers-oriented ❤ and recognise the real importance of the user’s needs.
Also, the team should understand the business company, the current context for the company and the outcome we need to grow (faster and correctly -> Yes we all want to increase our MRR/ARR every time)
The mindset is also really important and you have to find people who are motivated by the product and looking to help their customers. You have to give them autonomy and you have to make them responsible. It’s their product too!
Which skills should I have in my team?
A first thing……I can read in a ton of articles, “You need a big team to rollout correctly a product”, “Your team should have at least 2 PM, 2 PMM and of course 10/12 engineers”…
Damn! NOBODY DEFINE THE NUMBER OF PERSON/SKILL IN A TEAM.
A team is adaptive and you need to define what it will become, regarding the product you will develop.
You have to determine the balance of skills you need to ensure the delivery with the good quality and of course to resolve user’s problem or bring a new product to help them on a day to day basis.
Another thing to clarify… I saw it a lot of time… Product Manager IS NOT the boss of the product team. He’s a contributor like the other peoples.
Stay close to me baby
I am not old school but I think when you are close to a teammate it’s easier to communicate and to share feeling and focuses. When I worked with a team in another county it was…..different.
I mean, Yes they are pro and skilled, but…. we can’t speak when we need, we can’t brainstorm when we need, we can’t listen to a conversation between a skilled person and potentially come in to help to provide a solution…you can’t lunch with the team, you can’t take some coffee (or tea ^^) with them,…and we don’t have the same Timestamp…
And one more element, the relationship is different, the team spirit is more important and more confidant, a real and particular dynamic, atmosphere. We are all together to roll out this product and to help our customers.
So…Stay close to me baby and go work together ❤
I am not saying, “DON’T WORK WITH A GUY WHO CAN’T BE CLOSE TO YOU!!!” but in my opinion, it’s more comfortable to work with a teammate sitting next to you. (not true anymore, I changed my mind, “thx” COVID ^^)
Team composition
Like a soccer coach, you want to define your team and the strategy to have. Like I said before, regarding the product needs, you have to adapt.
Usually, a Product team have the following skills, at least :
- Product Manager x1
- Product Designer x1
- Product Manager Marketing x1 (can be into the Marketing team)
- Engineers x 3/5
- QA x1
The number of each type of skills depends on the needs of the product. I’ve had this type of configuration on several products and it works, but you need to scale up if the product ambitions are greater.
PLEASE, don’t copy and paste an organization or anything without taking a step back and checking if it is adapted to your company, your processes, your organization.
How to work?
What is my work methodology?
Define your methodology. Mine is Agile. (I will provide an article about that in some days/weeks)
I am working with Agile methodology for years and it’s suitable for the product team. Of course, if you work in agile and you have the possibility to hire a scrum master, that can help you a lot. Don’t forget that you have to constantly adapt it to your organization, and not just copy/past it.
A lot of times I did many roles at the “same times”(Product Manager, Product Owner and Scrum Master). that the life you have in a startup early-stage environment.
When the methodology is validated and suitable for your needs, you need to have a clear vision of the scope and responsibilities of each member of the team.
How to split the team?
If you need to divide your team, I advise you to, first identify how you want to organize yourself while taking into account that every company, organization, is different. Don’t just copy and paste a successful company (I say this several times because it’s important)
Once you’ve chosen your product organization, it’s time to get started and “A/B test” it. You don’t get much right on the first try, learn to accept the mistake and use it as a stepping stone to a better version of what you have proposed.
Embrace the bugs.
When working at a fast-moving startup, bugs are inevitable and frequent. However, you learn more per-minute-spent-on-bugs than any other concentration of time.
Processes
Do Mistakes
A mistake is a way to learn and improve. It’s better, in my opinion, and by experience to do mistake earlier and change what you have to do ;)
Don’t be afraid of mistakes, like bugs Embrace them.
Rituals
You have to define a work methodology to implement “rituals” for teams and to help the work on a day to day basis.
Like I said, I am currently (and for a few years now) using Agile methodology.
This philosophy allows people to be in a positive mindset using good communication, “self-management” and continuous improvement.
Scrum meeting
The first element to add to your process. 10 people max each morning. The team doing a circle and each member of the team will speak 2/3 min regarding what did he/she do yesterday, answering the following questions :
Did you meet some problems yesterday? Do you find a solution? Do you need some help? What will you do today?
Sprint
Time interval, 2/3 weeks of work focus on X user stories. (the number of US is defined by point).
Try to DO NOT go out of this scope. You have to focus on what you decided with your team, the Product Owner and Scrum Master. If you change the sprint you can influence the roadmap and you will certainly be late on the main element.
Moreover, this kind of behaviour will reduce the confidence your team will have in you or the people who are managing the sprint focus. Keep them motivated and let’s show that we want to offer them the freedom of working “correctly. Every time you will modify the sprint’ scope you will create frustration. Stick to your focus as much as you can.
Of course, an emergency is an emergency but be careful… each element can be an emergency… :(
Sprint review
After your sprint, do a meeting with your team and the Product Owner to show him what is already done in the previous sprint. It will be used to help the Product Owner to have a vision on the product development and it will help to be sure all members are on the same page.
Retrospective
After your sprint, do a meeting with your team and involved stakeholders to discuss the previous sprint. What we do good? What we should improve? What we have to avoid? What are the next tasks regarding the team?
This meeting should be lead by a Scrum Master.
I will not speak in this article about the full Agile methodology because we need more than these 4 main elements and we need a complete article ;)
Managing focus
Now you have to define the focuses of your team. As VP/CPO you will of course handle this and provide themes/outcome to focus on.
Using those themes, you will define with accuracy what will be the different focus and priority with your team (and other of course). (We are not speaking here on how to prioritise topics and when, we are admitting that is already done, for this example)
You can also, to help a day to day focus, set up individuals goals.
Use the methodology which one you are the most comfortable with. I like to use OKRs with the company but also with my team. having a vision of (at least) for the year and using this vision to define how to achieve this. (Feel free to check a first interesting draft of OKRs just here -> Objectives and Key Results system(OKR) | Overview).
In addition to this article, feel free to check my list of articles 👇🏻👇🏻 , I am sure it will help you to structure, anticipate & organize ;)
You can also find me on Linkedin, Twitter or Substack. In addition, feel free to subscribe to my newsletter. Interesting things are coming ;)
About Alessandro
With 10+ years of experience, Alessandro is an experienced Product Manager specialized in driving vision and roadmap for businesses. He has demonstrated his ability to work in a start-up or large organizations with a positive mindset, always aware and try new things to improve products/processes.
Accustomed to the pressure and making of important decisions, He had to manage the strategic product choices and participate in the company's strategic decisions.
Alessandro is today, VP Product & Design Hivency
