1. The document discusses advanced product management topics such as using Kanban boards to provide transparency and enforce decision making. It also discusses using velocity to track progress and predict completion dates. 2. Kanban boards offer benefits for transparency, visibility into status, and predictability for stakeholders. Tracking velocity using story points allows projecting completion dates based on scope of work and weekly velocity. 3. The document recommends manufacturing predictability by regularly calculating finish dates, setting action plans for deviations, and realigning with goals. It also advises focusing on a single important metric rather than too many metrics.

1. Chris Lange
Chris.Lange.pub@gmail.com
Product Management Advanced Topics
Posted for general distribution. Adapted
from product management consulting
• Amplify product value with stakeholders
• Manufacturing predictability with velocity
• Alternatives to excessive metrics
Topics:

2. Product Management – Core Principles
• The goal of effective product management is continuously building the right
product for your customers
• Successful products deliver superior value propositions to both articulated and
unarticulated customer needs
• Solutions require leading cross-discipline collaborations and rapid iterations to
solve high-value Customer Fail-Gaps (CFGs)
• Success is being able to achieve a desired user behavior in the context of a
business model
Chris Lange: chris.Lange.pub@gmail.com

3. Advanced topic 1: Transparency using Kanban Boards
Kanban boards offer transparency and enforce decision-making in product issues
Although associated with startups, their benefits may be even greater for larger teams –
particularly when stakeholders are involved:
• Transparency on how product work has been prioritized
• Visibility on the status of work-in-progress
• Predictability in seeing the impact of trade-off decisions
What Kanban
offers larger
teams and
stakeholders
• In initiatives with many interests, Kanban reinforces alignment and trust
through transparency
• Kanban provides flexibility to be both agile in approach and predictable in
delivery
• Kanban provides a fuller context for better for trade-off decisions
Situations
where
Kanban
adds value
Chris Lange: chris.Lange.pub@gmail.com

4. Advanced Topic 1: Extend influence with Kanban
Kanban extends your influence by reinforcing clarity in issues that can cause project
disconnects, friction or misalignments
Outcomes Kanban add
1. Stakeholder alignment The Kanban carries a specific goal. Work planned will be relevant
and in priority order. Misalignments are easy to spot and address.
2. More focus on outcome.
Less focus on status.
Stakeholders can always see where their work is in the queue, as
well as all other tasks. Discussions have everyone looking at the
same scope.
3. Reduced ambiguity Kanban requires a stack rank, forcing prioritization decisions
4. Delivery in priority order Prevents teams from knocking off “easy tasks” that may be
less of a priority
5. Better Trade-off decisions Trade-offs are made in the context of all work planned, not
isolation. The team can assess how any work item down the line
will be impacted.
Chris Lange: chris.Lange.pub@gmail.com

5. Advanced Topic 2: Velocity and Predictability
Avoid situations of last minute cuts, surprises or expensive changes by tracking sprint velocity.
It gives visibility and timing for the final milestone at any point of the project.
Velocity = average points delivered
per sprint (e.g. 25 points per weekly sprint)Story 1 - 5 pts.
Story 2 - 3 pts.
Story 3 - 8 pts.
Story N - 2 pts.
Story 4 - 2 pts.
Story 5 - 2 pts.
Story 6 - 2 pts.
Velocity
Finish
milestone
date
At current velocity, you can
project these stories will
not be complete in time
This calculation enables you to project the
completion date for your scope of work.
Total points yet to be completed
Average weekly velocity
Weeks
until
done
=
Determine if your trajectory
puts you ahead or behind
Example dev. cycle
with sized User Stories
Chris Lange: chris.Lange.pub@gmail.com

6. Advanced Topic 3: Manufacture Predictability
Manufacture predictability while pursuing an agile product course
• At any stage of the product cycle, calculate status on finish date
using velocity, story points and scope
• Set an informed, actionable plan to manage anticipated deviations
• Realign the project to business goals and stakeholders
Know your
Projected
outcome
• Extend date (maintain scope and resources)
• Add resources (keep scope and date by increasing velocity)
• Re-prioritize/change scope (same time and resources)
Manage future
deviations and be
predictable now
Act proactively on known changes and create project options.
This will enable you to successfully land changes with stakeholders
Typical options
Chris Lange: chris.Lange.pub@gmail.com

7. Advanced Topic 4: Don’t Over Metric
• Avoid the temptation of creating a data dashboard with many measures and metrics
• Having too much data can slow decision making - you are receiving more than
sufficient information
Don’t
over
metric
Focus on
the user
behavior
change
• Your goal: achieve a change in customer behavior in the context of a business model
(e.g. increase % of visitors that purchase)
• Establish the metrics that measure your progress towards that goal
One metric
and many
experiments
• Determine one metric, where the inability to reach a goal would change your strategy –
this is your “One Metric That Matters” (OMTM)*
• Focus your efforts on one metric and progressive experimentation to move that needle
• Too many metrics equals too many experiments – a poor ROI
* Coined by Ben YoskovitzChris Lange: chris.Lange.pub@gmail.com

8. Advanced Topic 5: Determine Your Most Important Metric
Customer
Behavior Metric* Examples
Acquisition • Does your business model rely on visits
(e.g. ad supported)
Activation • At its current stage is an activation metric a critical dependency for
the larger business model? (e.g.. % visitors that create a profile or
complete a task?)
Retention • Are driving ongoing activities that grow lifetime value the key need?
(e.g. subscriptions duration)
Referral • Relevant if your business model is built on virality
Revenue • Examples include : Upgrading from freemium to paid, purchases
Determine the single metric that demonstrates progress in the
customer behavior area your business model most relies on:
Focus your efforts on progressive, MVP-based experiments
– evaluated in terms of making progress against this one metric
* Categories from Dave McClureChris Lange: chris.Lange.pub@gmail.com

9. Summary
• Benchmark your current efforts against the above
• Starting change in a single project may be more successful than a large
scope of simultaneous changes
• Contact me to learn more
1. Growing the impact and success of your product efforts requires productive partnerships with
stakeholders
2. Leading a product development initiative with transparency and predictability enables you to
align and influence stakeholders
3. Manufacture predictability. Plan your outcome by managing future deviations early, while
options are plentiful and relatively cheap.
4. Determine your single, most valuable metric to anchor your efforts
5. Establish your foundation for success: An agile team, focused on a single metric, empowered
with good trade-off data and contributing stakeholders
Your Next
Actions:
Chris Lange: chris.Lange.pub@gmail.com