Articles

By Andrew Park | 2024-11-1 In a recent conversation with David Luke, Agile Alliance board member, he pointedly criticized a common mindset that often divides product and engineering teams: “I don’t tell you how to run the business; you don’t tell me how to code.” This way of thinking fuels a separation that limits collaboration and constrains innovation, resulting in teams that are misaligned and products that miss the mark. The Problem with “Stay in Your Lane” Thinking W

By Andrew Park | 2024-10-31 In a recent conversation with Simonetta Batteiger, a seasoned product leadership and executive coach, we explored the evolving role of Agile and Scrum in product management. Simonetta, founder and CEO of Inclusive Leaders, brings over 15 years of experience in product management across multiple industries. As an advocate for inclusive leadership, she supports teams in thriving and building impactful products. This article captures insights from our

By Andrew Park | 2024-10-31 This article is based on a discussion I had with Adam Ellsworth, a Senior Product Manager at Lucid Software. Adam has extensive experience in cross-functional product development, market research, and M&A integration from his roles at Verisk and Endurance International Group. At Lucid, he drives product innovation and strategy for SaaS solutions, aligning product teams with business goals. The Hidden Challenge: Misaligned Expectations in Agile an

By Andrew Park | 2024-10-31 This article is based on a discussion I had with Tien Yuan, a product manager with extensive experience in SaaS and technical products. She has worked across various industries, focusing on Agile methodologies, product requirements, and user-centered design. Her approach emphasizes aligning product development with business objectives and improving time-to-value. Throughout her career, Tien has observed several challenges within the traditional i

By Andrew Park | 2024-10-31 This article is based on a couple conversations I had with Scott Sehlhorst, a seasoned product management and strategy consultant with over two decades of experience in software development, agile transformation, and product management strategy. Scott’s extensive career has involved helping organizations transition from Waterfall to Agile while refining product management practices to meet the needs of complex, multi-market software projects. He ha

By Andrew Park | 2024-10-22 David Luke, a board member of Agile Alliance, is spearheading their Reimagining Agile initiative, aimed at reshaping practices to become more product-oriented in software development. A major outcome of this effort is the Agile Product Management Initiative, which seeks to unify product management and broader development communities. It emphasizes adapting processes to align more closely with product strategy and design principles throughout the de

By Andrew Park | 2024-10-21 In today’s evolving product landscape, the role of the Product Owner, as defined by Scrum, was formulated in the late 1990s when software projects were much smaller and simpler, and most companies operated on sales-led product teams. Since then, software project complexity has increased by 50x, and user experience (UX) standards have risen dramatically. These two forces have driven the rise of the Product Oriented Model, which has gained significan

By Andrew Park | 2024-10-01 During a recent discussion with Anna-Katharina Reykowski, we shared our perspectives on how the software delivery process can be better aligned with a Product Operating Model. Agile and Scrum, which were initially developed to address the inefficiencies of the traditional waterfall approach, have often become overly focused on short-term thinking and ritualistic ceremonies. We agreed that to meet the evolving needs of businesses, Agile must shift t

By Andrew Park | 2024-09-19 As companies scale, Product Operations (Product Ops) teams are often introduced to help Product Managers manage operational complexities. However, Marty Cagan, a leading voice in product management, emphasizes that while Product Ops can alleviate certain burdens, there are key responsibilities that Product Managers should never delegate. This essay explores what can and cannot be delegated, based on insights shared in Lenny’s Podcast episode, The N

By Andrew Park | 2024-09-17 This morning, I had an insightful discussion with Gary Cohen about the metrics that dominate conversations in product development—flow, efficiency, and velocity. While these metrics can serve a purpose, we should be cautious about how much weight we give them. As product and engineering leaders, it’s our responsibility to ensure that we’re focused on outcomes, not just outputs, and that we preserve an environment where innovation can thrive alongsi

By Andrew Park | 2024-09-11 On August 30, I had the pleasure of interviewing Vilasini Neti, a seasoned Product Owner and Director at Freddie Mac with over 20 years of experience in product life cycle management. Vilasini has an impressive background in driving digital solutions across financial, educational, and healthcare industries, and she is a staunch advocate of Agile methodologies. Our conversation delved deep into the real-world application of Agile and Scrum, where sh

By Andrew Park | 2024-09-11 Gary Cohen is a seasoned software development leader and product development consultant with over 20 years of experience. As the Principal Consultant at Practical Agility LLC, Gary works with organizations ranging from startups to Fortune 10 companies to improve their agile practices and drive better outcomes for customers and employees. His leadership roles have spanned across major companies such as Assurance Software, Oracle, and Kenexa, where h

By Andrew Park | 2024-09-02 As a Chief Product Officer, Head of Product, VP of Product, CTO, Engineering VP, or Engineering Director, your focus is on aligning product and engineering teams with the broader business strategy. One critical area where alignment often falls short is in the role of Product Owners. Too often, Product Owners are reduced to “order takers,” executing tasks without contributing to the strategic direction of the product. This issue is particularly prev

By Andrew Park | 2024-09-02 Daily Scrum meetings, or daily stand-ups, were intended to be a cornerstone of Agile, fostering communication, identifying roadblocks, and ensuring team alignment. However, the reality in many companies often falls short, creating a significant gap between these intended benefits and what teams actually experience. To improve the effectiveness of daily Scrums, it’s essential to understand where these meetings commonly fall short and how to address

By Andrew Park | 2024-08-14 Product managers face significant challenges within Agile and Scrum frameworks due to their structured, sprint-based nature, which often conflicts with the broader, strategic responsibilities of product management. The role requires a long-term vision, extensive planning, and strategic decision-making, which clash with the short, iterative cycles of Agile sprints. Frequent interruptions from meetings and rigid sprint schedules disrupt the holistic