Grateful to be a coach for @lennysan’s #PM Fundamentals class.
Today, I’ll be live-tweeting the workshop on Execution.
Grab some ☕️ & let's learn how PMs can become great at execution 🧵👇🏽
Today, I’ll be live-tweeting the workshop on Execution.
Grab some ☕️ & let's learn how PMs can become great at execution 🧵👇🏽
First up, let’s define execution.
Per @lennysan, execution is the layer between the soft skills and the ‘WHAT to build’ skills.
It’s what you’re doing day-to-day to keep the team humming.
Per @lennysan, execution is the layer between the soft skills and the ‘WHAT to build’ skills.
It’s what you’re doing day-to-day to keep the team humming.
To make it more concrete, it’s essentially 3 things and doing that over and over again.
📝 Planning
⚒️ Building
🚢 Shipping
It’s the part of the job to get product out the door, efficiently, reliably, and consistently.
📝 Planning
⚒️ Building
🚢 Shipping
It’s the part of the job to get product out the door, efficiently, reliably, and consistently.
Execution is an especially important skill for new PMs.
That’s what the company wants from your most – not WHAT to build, but just help us build it
[career ladder from Gitlab: about.gitlab.com/handbook/produ…]
That’s what the company wants from your most – not WHAT to build, but just help us build it
[career ladder from Gitlab: about.gitlab.com/handbook/produ…]
Now that we know what execution means, let’s get super tactical & dive in:
✔️ What great execution is
✔️ 3 parts of great execution
✔️ 7 steps of effective roadmapping
✔️ Where great roadmap ideas come from
✔️ Brainstorming tips
✔️ Prioritizing
✔️ Art of the deadline
Let’s go!
✔️ What great execution is
✔️ 3 parts of great execution
✔️ 7 steps of effective roadmapping
✔️ Where great roadmap ideas come from
✔️ Brainstorming tips
✔️ Prioritizing
✔️ Art of the deadline
Let’s go!
What does great execution look like?
🧠 The mental model @lennysan uses when he thinks about a well-executing team is that of a well-oiled machine.
It runs smoothly, reliably, efficiently, doesn’t jump or take any attention, it just gets the job done and gets you where you need to be.
It runs smoothly, reliably, efficiently, doesn’t jump or take any attention, it just gets the job done and gets you where you need to be.
So if a well-executing team is like a well-oiled machine, what are you as the PM?
As the PM, you are the mechanic 🧰
You’re always looking for ways to make the engine run more smoothly.
As the PM, you are the mechanic 🧰
You’re always looking for ways to make the engine run more smoothly.
Next, let’s talk about the 3 elements of great execution.
1⃣Build the right engine
2⃣(Constantly) Tune the engine
3⃣Drive in the right direction
1⃣Build the right engine
2⃣(Constantly) Tune the engine
3⃣Drive in the right direction
PART1⃣: BUILD THE RIGHT ENGINE
Step 1: Get the right parts (resources)
Resources include:
👥People
💰Budget
⏲️Time
Step 1: Get the right parts (resources)
Resources include:
👥People
💰Budget
⏲️Time
Let’s discuss tactics on how to get the right resources.
Tactic #1: Get granular with your plan
Map out a timeline of proposed projects by people before committing to a long-term plan.
Here’s a handy example:
Tactic #1: Get granular with your plan
Map out a timeline of proposed projects by people before committing to a long-term plan.
Here’s a handy example:
(how to get the right resources)
Tactic #2: Always present your manager w options.
“With 2 engineers, here’s what we think we can do, & with 4 here’s the additional impact.
And with 6, 25% lift, amazing, don’t you want that?”
Whenever possible, have a recommendation & a POV👇🏽
Tactic #2: Always present your manager w options.
“With 2 engineers, here’s what we think we can do, & with 4 here’s the additional impact.
And with 6, 25% lift, amazing, don’t you want that?”
Whenever possible, have a recommendation & a POV👇🏽
(how to get the right resources)
Tactic #3: Ask yourself – what’s one additional resource that will most help your team?
Map out the *critical path* for your projects. Then, ask – what’s the one thing that will slow or block the whole project down?
Focus on that one thing.
Tactic #3: Ask yourself – what’s one additional resource that will most help your team?
Map out the *critical path* for your projects. Then, ask – what’s the one thing that will slow or block the whole project down?
Focus on that one thing.
🌟Hanging in there? Let’s do a quick recap.
To build the right engine, Step #1 = get the right parts / resources.
And we’ve covered 3 tactics on how to get the right resources:
✅ Get granular with your plan
✅ Present options
✅ Focus on the critical path
To build the right engine, Step #1 = get the right parts / resources.
And we’ve covered 3 tactics on how to get the right resources:
✅ Get granular with your plan
✅ Present options
✅ Focus on the critical path
🛣️Step #2 to build the right engine = Define the roadmap.
What is the roadmap?
For @lennysan, the roadmap is the focal point 🎯 of your execution machine.
What is the roadmap?
For @lennysan, the roadmap is the focal point 🎯 of your execution machine.
🛣️ Step #1 for building a roadmap → Crystallize the problem or opportunity
What are you trying to achieve? What is the point of all of the work on the roadmap?
What are you trying to achieve? What is the point of all of the work on the roadmap?
🛣️ Step #2 to building a roadmap → Ideate
Where do great roadmap ideas usually come from? (in priority order)
Where do great roadmap ideas usually come from? (in priority order)
💭 Brainstorming is a great way to generate ideas.
Here’s @lennysan’s tips for running effective brainstorms.
Here’s @lennysan’s tips for running effective brainstorms.
🛣️ Step #3 to building a roadmap → Synthesize
Collect all of the ideas into a flat list.
Collect all of the ideas into a flat list.
🛣️ Step #4 to building a roadmap → Prioritize
There are many inputs into priorities.
And there a million prioritization frameworks – RICE, Kano, WSJF, MoSCoW, HiPPO, etc.
@lennysan’s advice ➡️ KISS (Keep it simple stupid)
In the end, it all comes down to impact vs. effort.
There are many inputs into priorities.
And there a million prioritization frameworks – RICE, Kano, WSJF, MoSCoW, HiPPO, etc.
@lennysan’s advice ➡️ KISS (Keep it simple stupid)
In the end, it all comes down to impact vs. effort.
🗣️ While you’re step #4, remember to RUTHLESSLY PRIORITIZE (aka say no).
How do you do that? Some tips:
How do you do that? Some tips:
🛣️ Step #5 to building a roadmap → Get feedback
Share your draft priority list with the team, give them a date by which to give feedback.
One tactic @lennysan uses: let people vote on their favorite ideas.
Share your draft priority list with the team, give them a date by which to give feedback.
One tactic @lennysan uses: let people vote on their favorite ideas.
🏁 Final two steps to building a roadmap.
Step #6 → Finalize
Step #7 → Communicate
‼️ It’s really important that you share out your final roadmap, and make it easy to find.
PRO TIP: Set a schedule for the roadmapping process.
Step #6 → Finalize
Step #7 → Communicate
‼️ It’s really important that you share out your final roadmap, and make it easy to find.
PRO TIP: Set a schedule for the roadmapping process.
🌟Alright, we’re 1/3rd done.
Quick recap of how to build the right engine:
Quick recap of how to build the right engine:
PART2⃣- TUNE THE ENGINE 🛠️
@lennysan says there are 5 tactics to keep your team’s operating efficiency.
Tactic #1: ABU – Always Be Unblocking
@lennysan says there are 5 tactics to keep your team’s operating efficiency.
Tactic #1: ABU – Always Be Unblocking
🛠️ (On Tuning The Engine)
Tactic #3: Art of the Deadline
Deadlines help in many ways:
- force prioritization
- keep work contained
- constraints create better work
- humans generally work better w deadlines
📝Great post on this by @BrandonMChu: blackboxofpm.com/deadlines-d692…
Tactic #3: Art of the Deadline
Deadlines help in many ways:
- force prioritization
- keep work contained
- constraints create better work
- humans generally work better w deadlines
📝Great post on this by @BrandonMChu: blackboxofpm.com/deadlines-d692…
🛠️ (On Tuning The Engine)
Tactic #4: Timeboxing
Things to possibly timebox
- Design sprints
- Discovery / exploratory work
- Eng prototypes
- Ideation work
- Visioning work
@lennysan's PRO TIP: Use it, but don’t abuse it
Tactic #4: Timeboxing
Things to possibly timebox
- Design sprints
- Discovery / exploratory work
- Eng prototypes
- Ideation work
- Visioning work
@lennysan's PRO TIP: Use it, but don’t abuse it
🛠️ (On Tuning The Engine)
Tactic #5: Mix big bets vs. incremental wins
@lennysan’s advice is to follow the 80/20 rule.
80% of your investment should be in low-risk, incremental.
If you’re a startup, you should be taking big bets - more like 50/50 or even 20/80.
Tactic #5: Mix big bets vs. incremental wins
@lennysan’s advice is to follow the 80/20 rule.
80% of your investment should be in low-risk, incremental.
If you’re a startup, you should be taking big bets - more like 50/50 or even 20/80.
🌟Recap of part 2.
Tune your engine by developing 5 skills:
1⃣ABU - Always be unblocking
2⃣Systemize it - create a checklist
3⃣Art of the Deadline
4⃣Timebox
5⃣Balance big vs. small bets
Tune your engine by developing 5 skills:
1⃣ABU - Always be unblocking
2⃣Systemize it - create a checklist
3⃣Art of the Deadline
4⃣Timebox
5⃣Balance big vs. small bets
🏎️ FINAL PART: DRIVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
That’s all about Strategy. It’s at the top of @lennysan’s pyramid.
We’ll share more about this in next week's workshop. Stay tuned!
That’s all about Strategy. It’s at the top of @lennysan’s pyramid.
We’ll share more about this in next week's workshop. Stay tuned!
👋🏽 That's all folks!
Recap: Execution is what you're doing day-to-day to keep the team humming.
As a PM, there are 3 things you need to get right ⬇️
Recap: Execution is what you're doing day-to-day to keep the team humming.
As a PM, there are 3 things you need to get right ⬇️
🔝 Back to the top:
https://twitter.com/ahuja_karan/status/1370176866972176385?s=20
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