Always Start With The Customer
Once I was across the lunch table from someone who was struggling to get their voice heard in the organisation. They were not sure if their ideas were right and because they were new in the role lacked the confidence to push them through. We talked it through and concluded the best way was get out and talk to some customers.
Product Authority Comes from Listening To Customers
Listen to their problems, talk about what matters to them. Take this information back and look at the ideas and see if they fix a customer problem, make their life easier and help them get stuff done. If yes then push ahead, it is really powerful to be able to say “ I spoke with X customers and they said this…”. It is no longer your opinion against another, it is your expert knowledge of the customer against someone else’s opinion. This is an important and powerful place to be.
..But even more importantly insights come from customers
Quite often the insights from customers or just the realty check of the context your products will be used in can be a game changer. Software products are designed in great offices by people who spend every day with their products. Out of the office and in the homes of customers and in the businesses of users the product is far less central and understanding this is where the product managers true authority comes from.
Don’t Delay, Get Started!
It can be daunting and/or difficult to talk to customers. But there are many ways to get these insights so just pick one and if it is not good, try again. If you can’t get to the customer or not sure you want to go there just yet? Then don’t let this stop you, instead talk to every person in your company and note down everything they say. Sift through opinions and dodgy assumptions and find the real facts and evidence. Take all this data to the ideas and opportunities and apply the same test. If anything is left standing take it to some customers to double check.
