I am Muhtasim Al Buyes Shetab, Working as a product manager in ShopUp. Managing the Lending Part of the Financial Products. Here my thoughts on the assignments

1. Assignment 03: Agile Methodology
This assignment is to understand the candidate’s experience in running multiple squads in an
agile development environment.
The ideal candidate is the “quarterback” between Outbound PM, Design, Engineering, and
Agile Coach to ensure everyone is aligned on the goals, outcomes, and expected delivery of
software in a high-velocity environment. Walk us through your experience in leading multiple
squads through an agile development environment across co-located teams in NYC and
Dhaka.
Introduction:
A product owner's core responsibility is to quarterback between teams and stakeholders to
deliver high-octane products ensuring seamless alignment and collaboration. To achieve that
transparency is the key, every stakeholder must be informed of what the other team members
are doing. From my previous experience, Ensuring clear transparency between different squads
where teams have geographical dispersions is a constant communication channel is a must,
and also daily huddles to understand the todo and accomplishments. Additionally, there has to
be someone who will work as the Person In Charge not just the point of contact who will ensure
clear communication and required decision on time. Will explain this more elaborately below.
Challenges:
a. Managing co-located teams in New York City and Dhaka introduces complexities related
to time zone differences, cultural disparities, and potential communication barriers.
b. Ensuring alignment among diverse cross-functional teams, such as Outbound Product
Management, Design, Engineering, and Agile Coaching, necessitates effective
collaboration and communication.
c. Meeting the demands of a high-velocity environment requires precision, efficiency, and
adaptability to deliver quality software on schedule.
d. Upholding Agile principles and practices, including sprint planning, backlog grooming,
daily stand-ups, and retrospectives, is vital for successful product development.
Experience and Solutions:
a. Implemented a robust communication strategy that takes into account time zone
differences to ensure that teams in both locations remain synchronized. Introduced a

2. suite of tools and platforms, including video conferencing and collaborative task
management software, to facilitate remote collaboration.
b. Pioneered regular cross-functional team meetings to foster a shared understanding of
goals and priorities. Encouraged open dialogue and the exchange of ideas among teams
to leverage diverse expertise.
c. Ensure a daily meeting to go over each assignment at the beginning to track each one's
progress and difficulties. The purpose of the huddle is to provide updates on each ticket;
specifics will not be discussed. One detail at a time can be described. For elaborative
discussion recommend people to have separate and specific meeting.
d. Streamlined Agile processes, reducing waste and enhancing the team's ability to meet
tight deadlines by doing exhaustive backlog grooming, capacity planning, task
prioritization, sprint planning, and robust retrospection.
e. Conducted Open discussions to reinforce Agile principles among team members and
stakeholders. Emphasized the importance of continuous improvement through regular
retrospectives and feedback loops.
Results:
A. Cross-functional teams in New York City and Dhaka have witnessed improved
collaboration, leading to a more seamless exchange of ideas and greater alignment on
project objectives.
B. Agile processes have been streamlined, resulting in increased efficiency and the ability
to meet high-velocity expectations.
C. A culture of Agile excellence has been cultivated, with teams and stakeholders
embracing Agile principles and participating in continuous improvement practices.

3. Assignment 2: Prioritization Analysis
As a candidate for the role, you are expected to be able to balance different projects based
on the needs of customers, the impact on retention and adoption, and the availability of your
engineering resources. Given that you are managing a team of 4 engineers which includes a
tech lead, 2 established engineers, and an intern, you have been asked to deliver the following:
1. A Bug was reported by multiple clients at the same time but it is not blocking any core
functionality within the platform. There is a workaround, but the workaround is less than
ideal. Required resources- 1 Engineer, 3 points.
2. A Bug that is blocking a strategic client from performing a core use case within the
platform. Required resources- 1 Engineer, 5 points
3. A client commitment to improve the software must be delivered within the next 7 days.
Required resources- 2 Engineers, 8 points.
4. An internal commitment that is half done so far and is expected to be completed within
the next 3 days if you continue to work on it. Required resources- 2 Engineers, 3 more
points
Given the above scenario, walk us through how you would prioritize the work in a stacked rank
order. Please come prepared with your own mental model or framework on how you would
prioritize the work
Introduction:
Prioritizing work effectively is a critical aspect of a Product Manager / Owner role. To prioritize
the given tasks in a stacked rank order, I would consider several factors, including customer
impact, strategic importance, resource availability, and timelines. But as for any business, it’s
very important to ensure customer satisfaction and a high retention rate, keeping those external
factors in mind I will do my prioritization. Here's how I would approach this task in the below
priority sequence:
Prioritize Tasks and Reasoning:
1. Bug Blocking a Strategic Client (5 points & 1 engineer):
A bug blocking a strategic client from performing a core use case is of high priority.
Because It directly impacts a key customer's ability to use our platform effectively. As this
task requires 5 points which is effectively 4 Days' worth of work, optimizing the
workaround will break the task into multiple sub-tasks and will monitor the incremental
improvement of the task. And will ensure that it is addressed promptly so that we can
maintain a positive relationship with the strategic client.

4. 2. Client Commitment (8 points & 2 engineers):
A commitment made to a client is a matter of trust and reputation. It must be upheld.
With a commitment to improve the software within the next 7 days, it is essential to
allocate the necessary resources to meet this deadline.
The task has 8 points which means the potential timeline to complete this task is 5 to 7
days, and as I can assign 2 of my resources for this task, I will break this task into
multiple smaller sub-tasks so that the resources can complete the whole task in an
incremental manner and accomplish the work within 7 days. Therefore can ensure that
the commitment is fulfilled, which is vital for customer satisfaction, trust, and retention.
3. Bug Reported by Multiple Clients (3 points & 1 engineer):
While this bug may not block core functionality, and a nonideal workaround is there, the
important fact here is, that the bug has been reported by multiple clients. Which indicates
that it has a noticeable impact on customer experience and satisfaction.
Given that it only requires one engineer and 3 points which means 18 hours will be
required to complete this, it can be addressed relatively quickly. It should be a priority to
maintain customer trust and satisfaction.
4. Internal Commitment (3 points & 2 engineers):
The internal commitment that is already half done should be completed as it is expected
within the next 3 days. This work will likely have a positive impact on the internal team's
productivity. Also, this task has 3 points which means it is 3 days' worth of work, it
indicates that it can be addressed relatively quickly and the commitment is fulfilled
promptly.
My prioritization framework is based on the following principles:
1. Customer-related tasks take precedence because customer satisfaction and retention
are paramount for any business.
2. Tasks that involve strategic clients or commitments have high importance due to their
long-term impact on the company.
3. I consider the available resources. For example, if I have an intern on the team, I might
assign less critical tasks for their learning and development.
4. I give high priority to tasks with imminent deadlines, ensuring we meet our commitments.
This approach balances customer needs, strategic commitments, and resource allocation,
ensuring that we address critical issues promptly while managing internal commitments
efficiently.

5. Assignment 1:
As a candidate for the role, you are expected to manage an engineering team and assist them
in understanding and scoping the user stories, acceptance criteria, and designs for what they
need to deliver; help them facilitate through the deliverables and mitigate blockers to ensure
timely, quality delivery of products. However, while working with a certain team you identified
that the team is not working to its full potential. Upon further evaluation, you observed the
following issues:
1. The Tech Lead is not very vocal within the team and is not motivating the team members
to give their maximum effort.
2. The team's overall morale is down which is contributing to the extension of delivery
deadlines.
3. New York based stakeholder for your team has recently joined the squad and may not
be fully ramped up on the agile delivery process.
4. Lack of teamwork is clearly visible within the team.
5. The team is constantly failing to meet deadlines and are delivering buggy products.
Given the above scenario, what would your proposal be to ensure that the team members get
back their motivation and deliver software on-time, on-quality?
Introduction:
Its a serious matter of concern, when its been identified that the team is not delivering at their
100% of potential. Additionally it is visible that there are lack of motivation in the team. In this
situation their Supervisor or Lead is not being vocal or motivating them can lead to massive
failure as a team, as a organization, and also as individuals. Being a member of the core team it
is definitely my responsibility to motive the team, understand their barriers and blockers, and
also ensure that the teams moral is up again. Therefore, I will try to dive deep into their pain
points as a friend and teammate and also will try to motivate them by showcasing the overall
organizational vision, team vision, and more importantly Individual prospects. Will be elaborating
the whole in multiple section below.
1. Leadership and Motivation:
Will try to engage with the tech lead a little more to understand his or her barrier, will schedule a
one-on-one meeting with the Tech Lead to understand their perspective and any challenges he
or she might be facing. Will try to encourage my tech lead to take a more active role in
motivating team members. Will try to highlight the overall team performance, and the individuals

6. we are working with. So that my tech lead start reacting more as a leader than a supervisor to
ensure team binding and individual elevation.
If I can feel that there is a lack of inspiration in leadership in my tech lead I will try to Inspire and
promote leadership qualities within the Tech Lead by providing coaching and mentorship.
Additionally to encourage the team, will suggest my lead to set a positive example, support
team members, and recognize and reward their contributions.
And finally to establish better team bonding, will organize team-building activities and
workshops to improve cohesion and camaraderie among team members. A motivated team
often depends on strong interpersonal relationships.
2. Morale and Delivery Deadlines:
To address the concerns, will conduct individual and group meetings to discuss team
members' circustances and frustrations. Will Actively listen to their feedbacks and take steps to
resolve any issues affecting team morale. If to achieve or resolve this I need to connect or
conduct session with my management I will do that.
I will try to ensure clear expectations from my team, and will communicate tranperantly for
quality and deadlines. Will try to engage them to the larger vision and impact of this project or
tasks, so that the team members are aware of the significance of their job and how it affects the
project's outcome.
With a clear communication with my management I will Implement a recognition and rewards
system to acknowledge exceptional performance. Recognize achievements publicly and offer
tangible rewards to boost team morale.
3. Onboarding New Stakeholder:
As my new remote stakeholder is partially ramped up on agile process, I will arrange a welcome
meeting for the stakeholder to introduce them to the team. This meeting should include team
members, including the Product Manager, Product Owner, Scrum Master, and developers.
During the introduction, provide an overview of the project, its goals, and the stakeholder's role
within the team. Additionaly will emphasise on the high-level overview of agile methodologies
and principles. Will try to give in depth understandoing on the iterative nature of agile,
emphasizing adaptability and customer-centric development. Share essential agile concepts
such as user stories, sprints, backlog, and the importance of continuous feedback.
If I identify that there is a gap in my stakeholders understanding, will arrange a formal agile
training sessions. These can be facilitated by an experienced Agile Coach or a team member
well-versed in agile methodologies. The training should cover the agile framework being used,
such as Scrum, and Kanban.
I will encourage my new stakeholder to interact with the team regularly. Will include in daily
stand-up meetings, sprint planning sessions, sprint reviews, and retrospectives for more clear
understanding. Also will assign a mentor or buddy from the team who can answer questions and

7. provide guidance. This person can help the stakeholder navigate the agile process, tools, and
team dynamics. And also will ensure a regular one-on-one meetings with the buddy to address
specific queries and concerns.
4. Building Teamwork:
Will try to create a collaborative work environment by promoting cross-functional teamwork.
Assign team members to tasks that require collaboration and mutual support. Will try to arrange
motivational session, where we can discuss on the teamwork and strenght of it. With a
discussion to my tech lead and management will try to Invest in training and skill development
opportunities for team members to enhance their capabilities and foster a sense of competence.
Will make sure to conduct regular retrospectives to evaluate the team's performance and
identify areas for improvement. Encourage open discussions and constructive feedback.
5. Ensuring the Deadlines with Non Buggy products:
Firstly, as a Product Owner I have to ensure that all the Deliverables are well defined from the
beginning. And also the Vision and importance are clear to my team. Have to prepare
comprehensive User Stories, Acceptance Criterias, Error Cases, and Wireframes.
Secondly, have to establish open and effective communication channels within the team.
Maintaining regular communication with developers, testers, and other stakeholders to discuss
the progress and challenges. Ensuring effective daily stand-up meetings to address any
roadblocks and need to align everyone on this.
Will try to breakdown the project and tasks into manageable smaller sub tasks, so that the
incremental growth can be easily monitored. Significantly, I will Prioritize quality assurance and
testing of each tasks. Have to ensure that testing is an integral part of the development process,
not a last-minute activity. Will consider implementing test-driven development (TDD) to catch
bugs early in the development cycle itself.
Lastly, will emphasize on collaborative problem-solving culture. When issues or bugs are
identified, team needs to be collaboratively involved to finding solutions. Additionally, address
not only the symptoms but the underlying causes of problems.