The Challenging Landscape

Picture an environment where the term "Product Manager" is virtually taboo. A place where stakeholders are perpetually frustrated and the engineering team is on the brink of burnout. It was in this turbulent setting that I found myself leading a product for a particularly challenging client.

The Heart of the Issues

Disgruntled Stakeholders

Complaints ranged from "We're completely in the dark!" to "Our urgent demands seem to go into a black hole!" The lack of visibility and delays in deliveries created a vicious cycle of distrust.

Overwhelmed Engineering Team

Here, the challenges were multiple: accumulated technical debt, frequent changes in requirements, and a workload overload that made it nearly impossible to stick to deadlines.

The Transformation Strategy

Rotational Product Leadership

My first course of action was to implement a rotational product leadership. This not only distributed the workload but also provided unique insight into the challenges faced by all involved.

Deep Dive Diagnosis

During my stint in the rotation, I had one-on-one conversations with stakeholders and team members to perform a deep diagnosis of the issues.

The Action Plan

1. Clear and Transparent Communication

I established weekly update meetings. But it was not merely a matter of reporting status; I trained the team to translate technical challenges into language that stakeholders could understand.

2. Focus on Resolving Technical Debts

I allocated our senior developer to deal exclusively with technical debts. This included the challenging upgrade from an older version of Vue.js to the latest one.

3. Structuring Epics

I divided the project into clearly defined epics with specific dates and requirements. This served to set realistic expectations for all involved.

4. Quick Response Channel

I developed a workflow for urgent demands. This meant sometimes providing provisional solutions, like reports pulled straight from the database, to meet immediate needs.

The Outcome

The transformation was remarkable. The team became more focused, and stakeholders gained a level of visibility that was previously non-existent. The project, which had been navigating troubled waters, found its course.