Product management involves coordination and alignment across different teams, departments and stakeholders. While most product managers have a clear understanding of their own responsibilities the Nevico Product Management Survey 2022 suggest we may struggle with defining and aligning shared responsibilities within our teams and across departments.  

One possible explanation for this finding is that often we don’t have clear roles and responsibilities defined for the different members of our team, leading to confusion and lack of accountability. Additionally, we may not have the necessary communication and collaboration tools or processes in place to effectively align shared responsibilities across departments. 

An aligned product management team can bring a multitude of benefits to an organization. These benefits include: 

Improved Product Strategy: When the product management team is aligned, they are able to work together to develop a clear and cohesive product strategy. This leads to a more consistent product vision and a better understanding of the target market, resulting in more successful products. 

Increased Efficiency: Aligned teams are able to work together more efficiently and effectively. They are able to share ideas, knowledge and resources, which can lead to faster development and release of new products. 

Better Communication: When the product management team is aligned, there is better communication between team members. This leads to a more streamlined workflow and fewer misunderstandings, which can result in a faster development process. 

Improved Collaboration: Aligned teams are able to collaborate more effectively, which can lead to more innovative products. Team members are able to share their different perspectives and expertise, which can lead to new and unique ideas that wouldn’t have been possible with a disjointed team. 

Increased Productivity: Aligned teams are able to work more efficiently and effectively, which can lead to increased productivity. They are able to focus on the most important tasks and prioritize them accordingly, leading to faster development and release of new products. 

Overall, an aligned product management team can bring significant benefits to an organization. It can lead to better products, faster development, improved communication, and increased productivity. 

But how can organizations achieve this alignment? Who has the time to focus on building teamwork and skills when we keep firefighting, closing supply shortages, fixing sales problems, and reporting to management? Getting started with this can seem like a daunting task, but do not fear – it can be done with fewer resources than you think. 

• Step 1: Identify your product team. Who is involved in the product from ideation, to launch and end-of-life?  

• Step 2: Identify the key business objectives that your product or portfolio must support. Map out the strengths and weaknesses your team has in meeting those objectives. 

• Step 3: Build a roadmap for improvement based on your identified weaknesses on a team, and individual level.