The Art of Shipping: Guiding Principles for Successful Product Development

The Art of Shipping: Guiding Principles for Successful Product Development

Introduction:
In the world of product development, the ultimate goal is to create something that "just works" and fulfills its intended purpose. However, achieving this is often easier said than done. This article will explore the guiding principles for building successful products, emphasizing the importance of shipping, making decisions, and considering the context in which these decisions are made.

Shipping is a Feature:
One of the fundamental principles that every product manager understands is that shipping is a feature. Regardless of the time and effort invested in developing a product, there will always be changes and improvements to be made based on customer feedback. The key is to ship the product, learn from it, gather data, and iterate. This process applies whether you spend three years or three months developing a product. It is through this motion of continuous improvement that a product evolves and becomes better.

Deciding with a Point of View:
As a product manager, one of the most challenging aspects is making decisions. Often, decisions require the collaboration of multiple individuals, each with their own opinions and perspectives. It is essential to have a clear, focused point of view and bring that to the product. In an ideal scenario, a well-run team will have minimal decisions that involve many people. However, when faced with differing opinions, it is crucial to find a middle ground that satisfies the needs of all stakeholders. This compromise should not leave anyone unhappy, both in the present and the future.

The Temptation to Tweak:
After shipping a product, the temptation to continuously tweak and improve it may arise. While incremental improvements can be beneficial, it is vital to consider the impact on existing customers and the risk associated with touching the code again. Sometimes, making incremental changes can result in speed bumps in user experience flow and design, masking the potential benefits. Context is everything when deciding whether or not to make further changes, and the skills and experience of the team, as well as the overall business objectives, should be taken into account.

Hindsight and Criticism:
Hindsight is 20/20 in the world of product management. It is natural for others to offer their perspective, advice, and criticism on the choices made during product development. However, it is essential to remember that the skills, experience, business realities, and execution capabilities of the team play a significant role in decision-making. While criticism can be valuable, it is crucial to filter it through the context in which the decisions were made and the insights available at that time.

Actionable Advice:

1. Embrace the iterative process: Understand that product development is an ongoing journey of learning and improvement. Ship your product, gather feedback, and iterate based on customer needs and preferences.

2. Foster effective decision-making: Develop a clear, focused point of view and bring it to the product. When faced with differing opinions, strive to find middle ground that satisfies the needs of all stakeholders.

3. Evaluate the impact of incremental changes: Before making tweaks and improvements to a shipped product, carefully consider the potential benefits and downsides. Will these changes significantly enhance the user experience, or will they introduce unnecessary complexities?

Conclusion:
Building successful products requires a deep understanding of the importance of shipping, making decisions with a point of view, and considering the context in which these decisions are made. By embracing the iterative process, fostering effective decision-making, and evaluating the impact of incremental changes, product managers can navigate the complexities of product development and deliver exceptional experiences to their customers.