Does a Phase 1 / Phase 2 Approach Ever
Actually Work?
Matt Anderson, @MattAndersonUT
#svpcamp

Does a Phase 1 / Phase 2 Approach Ever Actually
Work?
#svpcamp

Does a Phase 1 / Phase 2 Approach Ever Actually
Work?
• Are there best practices with a phase 1 / phase 2 approach?
– By that, I mean a scenario where a product has features A, B, and C in
2018 and adds features D, E, and F in 2019. How do you avoid getting
in over your head? How do you convey this plan in a roadmap?
#svpcamp

Does a Phase 1 / Phase 2 Approach Ever Actually
Work?
• As a product person, how can you grow your company and
your career with a side project?
• In this session, we’ll cover:
– Examples of phased approaches
– Whom to consider when phasing
– When to use a phased approach
– When NOT to use a phased approach
#svpcamp

About Me
#svpcamp
• Matt Anderson
– @MattAndersonUT
– Product manager in Draper, UT for AvidXchange
– Focus: payment & invoicing solutions embedded
in NetSuite
– Past work: mobile/web/API product manager

Examples of Phased Approaches
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• Robinhood core
competency

Examples of Phased Approaches
#svpcamp
• Robinhood core
competency

Examples of Phased Approaches
#svpcamp
• Robinhood core
competency

Examples of Phased Approaches
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• Robinhood phase 1
Bitcoin features

Examples of Phased Approaches
#svpcamp
• Robinhood phase 1
Bitcoin features

Examples of Phased Approaches
#svpcamp

Examples of Phased Approaches
#svpcamp
• Other good examples of phased approaches?

Whom to Consider when Phasing
#svpcamp
• Current users
• Operations
• Sales
• Support
• The dev team
• Your executive team

When to Use a Phased Approach
• If customers – internal and external – desire something huge,
split it up on a roadmap as a phased rollout
• Reasoning:
– You can drive conversation and acceptance of the plan by putting the
roadmap in front of people
– You’re not promising perfection in the first delivery
– Committing to elaborate plans is often seen as ambitious
#svpcamp

When to Use a Phased Approach
• If the initial phase offers enough value that people will use it
• Reasoning:
– If the product is complex or if customers will not use the product
until both phases are complete, I wouldn’t recommend the phased
approach
#svpcamp

When to Use a Phased Approach
• If it will minimize long development cycles
• Reasoning:
– Long development cycles lead to disinterested customers and give
you only a limited window to correct mistakes
#svpcamp

When to Use a Phased Approach
• Since developers often work in agile cycles these days, product
managers can even separate a dev launch from a marketing
launch
• Reasoning:
– This allows you to quietly coordinate multiple dev launches while
planning one big marketing launch for multiple phases
#svpcamp

When to Use a Phased Approach
• If something is not a workflow-type feature, it will break up
into phases quite nicely
• Example: making performance, stability, or security
improvements to the product
• Reasoning:
– You’ll deliver value faster, and will allow you to measure impact
before proceeding
– You’re not promising perfection in the first delivery
#svpcamp

When to Use a Phased Approach
• New third-party software integrations, like when your payment
product starts to integrate with bank APIs
• Reasoning:
– Third-party integrations need milestones and deadlines
– The partnership you desire from the other party is probably a long-
term one…that’s why you didn’t build it yourself
#svpcamp

When to Use a Phased Approach
• If your phases translate to customer segments, like rolling out a
feature to Canada I phase 1 and Australia in phase 2
• Reasoning:
– Each phase can be geared toward a unique customer segment
– Working on them in phases allows you to focus on one segment at a
time
#svpcamp

When NOT to Use a Phased Approach
• Major UI changes or site relaunches are not ideal for phasing
• Reasoning:
– Customers need to continue to be able to use your solution or solve
their problem while you are launching your features
#svpcamp

When NOT to Use a Phased Approach
• Some organizations are a little too comfortable with the idea of
phase 2
• A phased rollout plan can give you a false sense of certainty of
your plans after the initial launch
• Reasoning:
– It creates the temptation to not plan your product as thoughtfully as
possible, because it’s easy to add features to phase 2 that aren’t truly
critical because the next phase feels distant
#svpcamp

When NOT to Use a Phased Approach
• When a phase isn’t justifiable on its own
• To be successful, make sure you keep that core goal well
defined and that you return to it at each stage of the project to
confirm that you’re still geared toward solving that user
problem
• Reasoning:
– A danger of a phased rollout is that you lose sight of your core goal,
which is to solve a certain problem for your user
#svpcamp

When NOT to Use a Phased Approach
• If customers will not use the product until both phases are
complete
• Reasoning:
– You aren’t going to gain any valuable information if the phase 1 you
rush out doesn’t get used by the user
#svpcamp

Does a Phase 1 / Phase 2 Approach Ever Actually
Work?
• We’ve covered:
– Examples of phased approaches
– Whom to consider when phasing
– When to use a phased approach
– When NOT to use a phased approach
#svpcamp

Does a Phase 1 / Phase 2 Approach Ever
Actually Work?
Questions? Comments?
#svpcamp