How do you get the perfect shot in archery? It requires your bow’s sight to be properly tuned and aligned when you plan to release it. You should bring back the bow to the same spot each time and release it in the same exact motion for hitting the right target. But many times, one of the above-mentioned variables is off, and you just don’t make it to the target. If you want to be the best, you have to determine the things to adjust.
This is a similar situation to the product teams. Product manager headhunters always try to hit the bull’s eye. The foremost target of product teams is to meet the unmet needs of the users.
Having said that, here we have come up with the four practices that product teams can learn from archery to hit the mark.
Target Identification
An archer always has the target in his mind. Likewise, your project should have a clearly articulated problem. Your team members should know their aim so they can think of the solution. Form an outline of the product and its details. For instance – It should include the problems associated with the product, context, and the desired results.
You can take the help of separate folders to set your goals. In this way, your stakeholders can keep an eye on them. The stakeholders can also choose to give editing access to the files only to the product owner or manager to reach the desired outcomes. Identifying the targets guide you through the product plan and gives you an idea of efficient prioritization. It helps to keep track of your progress and identify risks.
Decide Your Shot
Individuals prepare a checklist before doing anything. But do you know that preparing a mental checklist is also important? Yes, it is. Archers prepare a mental checklist before releasing every arrow to the target. In the same way, product teams can also ensure to keep important steps in mind before they actually begin to execute the plan. Some questions they can ask themselves might be – Do we have the right software or feedback mechanism to check whether we have reached our goals? Are our communication platforms and communication mechanisms intact to give correct information to the stakeholders and users?
These are just examples of questions. You can ask more and see what works best for your team.
Measure The Gap
The product release is great. But don’t just stop after releasing the product. The effective and successful product teams measure their success and how close they are to achieving their targets. Reviewing the analytics and feedback of the customers is very important to see whether they are successful in the right terms or need a few adjustments. Peter Drucker, an Australian-American management consultant, says that it is difficult to improve the things you can’t measure. And without thinking about this, your team will face a hard time knowing whether they have made a good product or just an average one.
Try Again
Sometimes, it becomes difficult to introduce improvement or immediate iteration to the product you just shipped. You may make a slight improvement. But it is always advisable to make changes to the product and give it another shot.
What More Can You Do To Hit The Mark With Your Product Teams?
Teamwork And Independence
Do you think that archery is a solo sport? If yes, you might need to think again. It could be both a solo and a team sport. Everyone experiences good and bad days. It teaches you the qualities of resilience and having realistic expectations from the solo perspective. A team, however, is bound to face failures if it functions as a group of people shooting alone and hoping to get the highest scores in archery. The best teams are those who function as a team and know about the strengths and weaknesses of each team member.
What is the difference between a good product and the great product? The difference lies in how well the teams understand the products and the values they are giving to their customers. For instance – The headhunting firms NYC select the right product managers for your organization to get you the best results in the product market. By having set targets, good techniques, analyzing the reviews and the feedback, and making changes and improvements, your organization will definitely hit its targets as planned.
Palarino Partners believe in building world-class product management teams for you. Our prime goal is to recruit the best product managers for private software companies. It helps them avoid the most costly expense – a mis-hire. It does not matter whether you have good sales or whether you are good at dealing with customers; not having a product means you don’t have a company. So, connect with us to avoid the mis-hire. Get in touch with us for more information.
