Roadmapping & how to be the best product manager ever

1. Wendy Johansson / Product School / September 7, 2016
Why Are You
Roadmapping?
@UXWENDY
Andhowtobethemostamazingproductmanagerever.

2. ABOUT ME
• Head of Product & UX @ Wizeline
• Cognitive Science @ UC San Diego
• UX before you UXed
• Start-up aficionado: Veoh, Loopt,
Ooyala, AppNexus, Wizeline

3. #1 Thing to Do to be
the Most Amazing Product
Manager Ever

4. Solve problems.
Don’tbuildfeatures.

7. FEATURES PROBLEMS
• Are dictated solutions
• Don’t try to understand the user’s
core problem
• Prescribe solutions for engineers
and UX designers to execute
• Lead to lack of ownership
• Force you, the PM, to take a user-
oriented mindset
• Help the team focus on holistic
problems instead of point solutions
• Allow the team to solve problems
together

8. FEATURE PROBLEM
• “Software for your taxes” • “Prepare my taxes”

9. FEATURE PROBLEM
Source: Intercom: Criticism and Two Way Streets

10. 3 Questions to Ask as
the Most Amazing Product
Manager Ever

11. SLIDE
ASK ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU BUILD:
1. What problem are you solving?
2. Who are you solving it for?
3. How will you measure success?

12. SLIDE
1. What problem are you solving? => value prop
2. Who are you solving it for? => target market
3. How will you measure success? => business model
=> context for your cross-functional team members
ASK ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU BUILD:

13. BURBN
October 2010, a new app for you to:
• Check-in
• Make plans (future check-ins)
• Gamify hanging w/ friends
• Share photos and videos
• AND MORE!

14. BURBN
What problem was Burbn solving?
Who were they solving it for?
What was success?
Success was “figuring
out what stuck”

15. 5 More Questions to Ask as
the Most Amazing Product
Manager Ever

16. ASK 'WHY' FIVE TIMES
ABOUT EVERY MATTER
• Part of Toyota’s “continuous improvement”
philosophy
• Can be used to identify the root of any problem
you are trying to solve

17. ASK 'WHY' FIVE TIMES
ABOUT EVERY MATTER
• What problem are you solving?
• Why?
• Why?
• Why?
• Why?
• Why?
• Who are you solving it for?
• Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?
• How will you measure success?
• Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

19. Building a Roadmap as
the Most Amazing Product
Manager Ever

20. ?
?
?
?
?

21. ROADMAPPING LIKE A
BOSS (CUZ YOUR BOSS
DELEGATED IT TO YOU)
• Why are you roadmapping?
• Who is your user/audience?
• What defines a successful roadmap?

23. Why Everyone is Pissed at
the Most Amazing Product
Manager Ever

24. “Whywasn'tIconsulted,”whichI
abbreviateasWWIC,isthe
fundamentalquestionoftheweb.”
Source: Ftrain

25. Source: Ftrain
“Braceyourselffortheinitialangry
waveofcriticism:Howdareyou,
Ihateit,it'sugly,you'restupid.”

26. Source: Ftrain
Noreally,whywasn'tIconsulted?

27. SLIDE
BE THE MOST AMAZING
PRODUCT MANAGER EVER BY…
• Solving problems, not building features
• Asking 3 core questions about what you build
• Asking Why 5 times to understand the root of the
problem
• Don't let your team ask WWIC

28. QUESTIONS?
@UXWENDY