How To Manage a Product Transformation Project
Transformations managed like projects fail for the same reason projects fail in complex domains. Managing a product transformation with agility — iterative, evidence-based, and outcome-focused.
Manage the product transformation like a product
For the fun of it, the next time a big consultancy pitches a product operating model to your organization, ask how they recommend managing the transformation. Then listen for whether the approach sounds more like a project or a product.
Will they measure vanity metrics or product metrics? Will they talk about the real why? Will they inspect whether the change is actually improving outcomes, or only whether the rollout is on plan?
As change agents driving a product operating model, we are asking people to become more accountable for outcomes. We are asking them to stop specifying a book of work and start sharing purpose, evidence, and learning. We should show some leadership by example.
Here is our initiative. Here is the outcome we believe it will achieve. Here are the leading indicators we will track along the way. Here are the kill criteria. If we can use a product operating model to develop our product operating model, we have a better chance of building something fit for purpose and creating a case study the organization can believe.
For deeper ideas on applying product orientation to the change itself, see the Product-oriented Portfolio Agility Trail Map.
Practical thinking on turning AI pilots, adoption, and portfolio work into business impact - by finding the constraint, changing the work, and proving value as you go.
Yuval Yeret helps product and tech leaders move from agile theater to evidence-informed delivery. Work with Yuval →
