Product Management Frameworks
Employing Frameworks Effectively and What Not to Do for New(er) Product Managers
One of the buzziest words a Product Manager can utter, and there are many, is “framework”. This very vague and oft used word typically means that there is boundaries are guidelines to put around a problem to help frame it for a group and get to a quick alignment. There are a ton of frameworks within the world of product management — RACI, ICE, RICE — and when you get to the nitty gritty of each, they are typically getting to the same things. What is the cost benefit of going forward with this work and how might that vary for different teams and functionalities. Who is responsible for what and how might that impact the scope of a project.
I have found frameworks incredibly useful in driving specific project conversations forward and to align different people with disparate ideas, but I do think there is a time and a place for them. Far too often I see new Product Managers come in and want to employ a framework for every problem, often ahead of really looking into the problem they are trying to solve. That is to say, in many cases applying a RACI framework too early might end up being too short sighted and too much of a short term play. Without a clear idea of the intended outcomes of the project, how can employing a RACI be impactful? Frameworks should act as templates, but a good product…
