I’ve been seeing the term “Product Trio” spring up in the last several months, comprising PM, engineering, and UX. When I was coming up 20 years ago, the trio was PM, engineering, and quality (the three legs of a stool). UX wasn’t on anyone’s radar at the time (and the UX we developed made this obvious!). As far as I can tell, the visibility of Q has waned in the last 10 years, probably a function of role definitions in Scrum, a development I don't consider the least bit healthy.
While I like exploring the balance between these disciplines in delivering great products, I think it’s misleading to call them the Product Trio.
A product is only as good as the business that’s built around it so there are many important stakeholders involved in “product” (a term that is being used less and less precisely). As I've written and said ad nauseam, delivery is the easy part.
The New Product Trio
In this post, I’ll propose a different Product Trio and re-invent the Product Delivery Trio.
Firstly, product success is driven primarily by three constituents:
Product Delivery: Which we can think of as a quartet (more on this in a bit) led by PM
Go-to-market: Mostly marketing and sales, who make sure the product ends up in productive use with customers in a way that’s acceptable to the business
Leadership: Who helps set direction, allocates resources, and is ultimately responsible for the success of the product business.
I would call this the “Strategic Product Trio” (or “Product Trio” for short). Again, the focus is on creating a product business, not just developing/delivering the product. This model can become the basis for rationalizing accountabilities, engagement models, etc.
The Product Delivery Quartet
I like the idea of a “Product Delivery Quartet” comprising PM, engineering, quality, and UX. Each of these disciplines is critical in getting a product “on the shelf” at the right time, balancing the dimensions of viability, feasibility, and desirability. I love the transition from an emphasis on testing to one of holistic quality, but I believe strongly that Q should have a place at the table and be empowered as a check and balance on the other disciplines. It is a mistake to diminish their accountability while (rightly) spreading responsibility throughout the team.
BTW, many other important disciplines are involved in creating a successful product business, like finance and support (which could be considered part of GTM, in my opinion). However, if we think about operational engagement, these and some other disciplines like legal are involved on a more exceptional basis.
Recap
So, the new Product Trio represents the folks (mostly) driving a successful product business: leadership, product management, and GTM. The Product Delivery Quartet contributes to the business by participating in setting strategy and getting the right product on the shelf on time and at a cost that makes the business viable. It comprises PM, engineering, quality, and UX.
The voices today in product management have become way too delivery-oriented. It’s time we move the center of focus back where it belongs — building product businesses. I believe this shift is of existential importance and should be reflected in our discourse on product development.
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