Thinking F.A.S.S.T.E.R. — A Principle-Based Toolset for Modern Product Delivery

In the ever-evolving landscape of product development, one truth remains constant: the need to deliver valuable products predictably, efficiently, and effectively. But how can teams stay ahead in a world where customer expectations shift like quicksand and market dynamics change at the speed of light?

Photo by Osman Rana on Unsplash

During a recent engagement with one of our clients in the U.S., their senior leadership challenged me to distil the essence of modern product delivery into a comprehensive and memorable set of principles that they could use to communicate their focus on changing how their system of work worked. The result? F.A.S.S.T.E.R. is an acronym that encapsulates the fundamental principles driving successful product teams in today’s competitive environment.

F.A.S.S.T.E.R. principles:

F — Focus on Value Delivery
A — Adapt Continuously
S — Small Batches
S — Strategy Informed by Business Goals
T — Track Outcomes of Value
E — Emphasise Customer Experience
R — Risk Mitigation

Welcome to the first in a series of articles where we’ll explore each component of the F.A.S.S.T.E.R. principle-based toolset, uncovering how these principles intertwine to create a holistic approach to product delivery. In the upcoming series, we’ll dig into each principle in more detail and share real-world examples, practical tips, and thought-provoking questions to help you apply these concepts in your organisation.

Whether you’re a seasoned product manager, a startup founder, or a corporate executive looking to innovate, the F.A.S.S.T.E.R. principles offer a fresh perspective on navigating the complexities of modern product development.

So, are you ready to revolutionise your approach to product delivery? Buckle up as we embark on this journey to think F.A.S.S.T.E.R. and deliver smarter. Let’s dive into our first principle.

F stands for ‘Focus on Delivering Value’

Gone are the days of aimless development cycles. The ‘F’ in F.A.S.S.T.E.R. reminds us to keep our eyes on the prize: value delivery. Every step, every decision, and every line of code should contribute to delivering tangible value to your customers and stakeholders.

Think of your product development process as a carefully curated farm-to-table restaurant. In such an establishment, every ingredient is chosen with purpose, every dish is crafted to delight, and nothing goes to waste. The chef doesn’t add ingredients simply because they’re trendy or available; each element must enhance the overall dining experience and contribute to customer satisfaction.

Similarly, in product development:

• Carefully select your “ingredients” (features, processes, tools) based on their ability to add value.
• “Cook” your product with precision, ensuring that each component enhances the overall user experience.
• Eliminate “waste” by removing anything that doesn’t contribute directly to customer or business value.
• Continuously refine your “menu” (product offerings) based on customer feedback and changing market tastes.

Adopting this farm-to-table mindset in your product development ensures that every effort is focused on delivering maximum value. This approach creates more satisfied customers and a more efficient and purposeful development process. Remember, in the world of product delivery, it’s not about how much you put on the plate but how well each element satisfies your customer’s appetite for value.

A stands for ‘Adapt Continuously.’

In the words of Charles Darwin, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one most adaptable to change.” The same holds true in product delivery. The ‘A’ in F.A.S.S.T.E.R. stands for ‘Adapt Continuously’, emphasising your approach’s need for flexibility, responsiveness, and emergent thinking.

Imagine you’re a surfer riding the waves of market trends and customer preferences. To stay on top, you must constantly adjust your stance, responding to each new swell and current. In product delivery, this means regularly reassessing your processes, gathering feedback, and being willing to pivot when necessary. But it’s not just about reacting; it’s about embracing the emergent patterns and opportunities that arise from this constant flux.

To cultivate an adaptive and emergent mindset, continually ask yourself:

• What unexpected patterns or insights are emerging from our recent work?
• How can we create space for serendipitous discoveries in our approach?
• Are we remaining open to pivoting our strategy based on emergent information?
• How can we foster an environment where valuable insights can naturally surface?
• Are we balancing our planned approach with the flexibility to explore emerging paths?
• What have we learned recently that challenges our existing assumptions?
• How can we turn unexpected challenges into opportunities for innovation?

Remember, adapting continuously isn’t just about making changes but cultivating a mindset of curiosity, openness, and continuous learning. By embracing both planned adaptations and emergent opportunities, you transform your product delivery process from a rigid structure into a dynamic, evolving ecosystem.

In the ever-changing ocean of product delivery, let your adaptive mindset be the surfboard that allows you to ride the waves of change with grace and agility, always ready to catch the next big swell of innovation that emerges on the horizon.

S stands for ‘Small Batches.’

In the world of agile product development, we’re often navigating uncharted waters. The ‘S’ in F.A.S.S.T.E.R. stands for ‘Small Batches’, but think of it as making a series of small, calculated bets rather than going all-in on a single hand.
Imagine you’re a venture capitalist with a portfolio of startups. Instead of investing all your capital in one big idea, you spread it across multiple promising ventures.

This approach allows you to:

1. Gather rapid feedback from the market.
2. Minimise risk by not overcommitting to unproven concepts.
3. Quickly pivot or double down based on real-world results.
4. Keep your team and stakeholders engaged with regular progress

In product development, working in small batches follows the same principle. You’re essentially placing small bets on features or improvements by breaking down your work into manageable chunks.

The benefits of this strategy include:

1. Get frequent feedback from users and stakeholders.
2. Deliver value incrementally, maintaining momentum.
3. Avoid overwhelming your development team or users with massive changes.

Think of it as the difference between building an entire theme park at once versus opening with a few key attractions and expanding based on visitor feedback. The latter approach allows you to see what resonates, identify issues early, and adapt your strategy as you go.

Remember, in the agile world, it’s not about getting it perfect the first time — it’s about learning and improving rapidly. By working in small batches, you’re creating a feedback loop that fuels continuous improvement and innovation. You’re not just building a product but cultivating a responsive, adaptable product development ecosystem that can thrive in uncertainty.

Continually ask yourself:

• Are our work items small enough to deliver value quickly and get rapid feedback?
• How long does it take for a typical work item to go from start to finish? Can we reduce this time?
• Are we able to pivot or adjust our direction based on the feedback we receive from each small batch?
• Are our stakeholders and team members seeing regular, tangible progress?
• How often are we delivering something of value to our users? Can we increase this frequency? Are we working on the next ‘smallest useful thing’?
• Are we breaking down large initiatives into smaller, testable hypotheses?
• Do our small batches allow us to manage risk effectively by limiting the impact of any single failure?
• Are we overwhelmed by the volume of work in progress, or does our batch size allow for smooth flow?
• How quickly can we incorporate learning from one batch into the next?
• Are our small batches revealing dependencies or bottlenecks that we need to address?

So, next time you’re planning your product roadmap, ask yourself: “How can I break this down into smaller, testable hypotheses?” Your team, stakeholders, and, ultimately, your users will thank you.

S stands for ‘Strategy Informed by Business Goals.’

The second ‘S’ in F.A.S.S.T.E.R. stands for ‘Strategy Informed by Business Goals’, reminding us of a fundamental truth: good product is simply strategy delivered. It’s not enough to create a product that users love; it must also serve a strategic purpose within your organisation, striking the delicate balance between user goals and business objectives.
Imagine you’re an orchestra conductor. Your product is the music, your users are the audience, and your business goals are the underlying composition. A great conductor doesn’t just aim to play beautiful notes; they interpret the composer’s intent, balance the instruments, and deliver a performance that resonates with the audience while staying true to the musical score.

In product development:

• The ‘musical score’ is your business strategy
• The ‘instruments’ are your product features and capabilities
• The ‘audience’ represents your users and their needs
• Your role as ‘conductor’ is to harmonise these elements

By aligning your product initiatives with overarching business goals, you ensure that every feature, every improvement, and every decision contributes to user satisfaction and strategic objectives.

This approach helps you:

• Prioritise features that serve both user needs and business objectives.
• Allocate resources more effectively towards strategic initiatives.
• Measure success not just in user metrics but in business impact.
• Create a coherent product narrative that resonates with stakeholders at all levels.

Remember, without this strategic alignment, even the most impressive product might end up as a beautiful piece of music played to an empty hall. Your product should be the vehicle through which your business strategy comes to life, delighting users while driving towards organisational goals.

As you develop your product roadmap, continually ask yourself:

• How does this feature/decision advance our business strategy?
• Are we balancing user desires with organisational needs?
• Is our product effectively ‘delivering’ our strategy to the market?

By keeping your business strategy at the forefront and harmonising it with user needs, desires and wants, you ensure that your product isn’t just a collection of features but a powerful instrument for achieving your company’s vision. In the grand orchestra of business, let your product be the symphony that brings your strategy to life, resonating with users and stakeholders alike.

T stands for ‘Track Outcomes of Value.’

The ‘T’ in F.A.S.S.T.E.R. stands for “Track Outcomes of Value,” emphasising the importance of defining, monitoring, and learning from the metrics that truly matter.
Think of this as your product’s fitness tracker. Just as a fitness enthusiast might track steps, heart rate, and calories burned, you need to identify and monitor the key indicators of your product’s health and performance. But it’s more than just collecting data — it’s about setting clear goals, measuring progress objectively, and fostering a culture of learning from successes and failures.

To truly embrace outcome tracking, continually ask yourself:

• Have we clearly defined what success looks like before starting?
• Are our metrics aligned with both user needs and business objectives?
• How can we measure outcomes objectively to avoid confirmation bias?
• Are we creating a safe environment where teams feel comfortable reporting and learning from less-than-ideal results?
• How can we balance short-term metrics with long-term value creation?
• Are we measuring leading indicators that can help us predict future success?
• How can we use metrics to tell a compelling story about our product’s impact?

Remember, the goal of tracking outcomes isn’t to prove you were right but to learn and improve continuously. By defining success upfront, you create a north star that guides your efforts and helps mitigate the tendency to cherry-pick data that supports preconceived notions.

Importantly, cultivate a culture that values measurement as a tool for learning, not judgment. Encourage teams to view unexpected results not as failures but as valuable insights that can drive innovation and improvement. This approach transforms the fear of being “wrong” about initial value predictions into excitement about discovering new paths to success.

In the data-rich landscape of product delivery, let your outcome tracking be the compass that shows where you are and guides you towards where you aspire to be. By embracing clear goals, objective measurement, and a learning mindset, you turn data into your most powerful ally in the quest for continuous improvement and value delivery.

E stands for ‘Emphasise Customer Experience.’

In today’s competitive landscape, the ‘E’ in F.A.S.S.T.E.R. reminds us that customer experience is paramount. It’s about crafting a seamless, satisfying journey that addresses both expressed and latent user needs from the first touchpoint to long after the last interaction.

Imagine you’re designing a theme park of the future. Your goal isn’t just to create exciting rides but to orchestrate an entire experience that delights visitors in ways they never expected.

A visionary theme park designer considers the following:

1. The end-to-end journey:

• Pre-visit: Marketing, ticket purchasing, trip planning.
• Arrival: Parking, entry, wayfinding.
• In-park experience: Attractions, amenities, services.
• Departure: Exit process, souvenirs, follow-up communication.

2. Expressed needs: The features and experiences visitors explicitly request.

3. Latent needs: The unspoken desires or pain points that, when addressed, create unexpected delight

Similarly, in product development, we must think holistically about the customer experience:

• Surface level: The user interface and immediate interactions.
• Mid-level: The user flows and processes within the product.
• Core level: The underlying technology and data structures that power the experience.

By mapping out this journey and diving deeper into user behaviour and context, we can:

1. Identify and eliminate friction points across the entire experience.
2. Uncover opportunities for delight that go beyond feature lists.
3. Innovate beyond user requests to create truly transformative experiences.
4. Align the front-end experience with back-end capabilities.
5. Balance addressing immediate user feedback with long-term vision

As you develop your product, continually ask:

• How does this fit into the overall customer journey?
• Are we reducing friction or inadvertently creating it?
• What are our users really trying to achieve beyond their stated goals?
• How can we simplify or enhance users’ lives in ways they haven’t imagined?
• Are we considering both the emotional and functional aspects of the experience?

Remember, true innovation often lies in addressing latent needs while perfecting the entire user journey. Adding features isn’t always the answer; sometimes, the most impactful improvements come from simplifying processes, reducing cognitive load, or better connecting existing touchpoints.

By emphasising customer experience in this holistic way, you’re not just delivering a product but crafting a cohesive, memorable journey that turns users into advocates. You’re also proactively shaping the future of your industry by anticipating needs users couldn’t express. In the grand theme park of your market, let your product be the destination that not only meets functional needs and expectations but also opens users’ eyes to possibilities they never imagined, creating lasting positive memories and advocates who can’t imagine returning to the old way of doing things.

R stands for ‘Risk Mitigation’

The ‘R’ in F.A.S.S.T.E.R. stands for “Risk Mitigation,” emphasising the importance of identifying, assessing, and addressing risks through evidence-based methods and experimentation.

In product development, we face two main categories of risk:

1. Delivery Risk: Will we meet our commitments and stakeholder expectations?

• Focus on predictability, the management of work-in-progress, work item age and forecasting with an agreed confidence level.

2. Product Risk: Are we building the right thing, the right way?

• Encompasses value, feasibility, viability, usability, and ethics/legal risks.

Think of risk management as navigating uncharted waters. Your product is the ship, and risks are the potential hazards along your journey. To safely reach your destination:

1. Map the Territory: Identify potential risks across both categories.
2. Gather Intelligence: Collect evidence to assess the likelihood and impact of each risk.
3. Run Experiments: Design and conduct small-scale tests to validate your assumptions and mitigation strategies.
4. Chart the Course: Use insights from your experiments to plot the safest and most efficient route.

Key questions to guide your risk mitigation journey:

• What are our most critical risks in both delivery and product categories?
• What evidence do we need to assess these risks accurately?
• What experiments can we run to test our risk hypotheses and mitigation strategies?
• How can we quickly learn and adapt based on the results of our experiments?

Remember, effective risk mitigation isn’t about avoiding all risks — it’s about making informed decisions based on evidence and continuous learning. By embracing experimentation and evidence-based decision-making, you transform risks from potential pitfalls into opportunities for innovation and improvement.

In the ever-changing seas of product development, let your evidence-gathering and experimentation be the compass and sextant that guide you safely to success, turning the winds of uncertainty into the sails of opportunity.

Conclusion

This first article summarises the F.A.S.S.T.E.R. approach to modern product delivery, exploring how it is more than just an acronym. This principle-based toolset can transform how you conceptualise, develop, and deliver products. By focusing on value, adapting continuously, working in small batches, aligning with business strategy, tracking outcomes, emphasising customer experience, and mitigating risks, you’re setting yourself up for success in the fast-paced world of product delivery.

So, are you ready to shift your product delivery into high gear? Embrace the F.A.S.S.T.E.R. approach and watch your products zoom past the competition. Remember, in the race for product delivery, it’s not just about being faster — it’s about being F.A.S.S.T.E.R.!