It all comes down to discovery & delivery
Marty Cagan's well-referenced book "Inspired" delves into the prevalence of the waterfall approach in product development, a trend that regrettably seems to permeate the majority of product teams.
I've observed this recurring pattern in numerous startups, spanning diverse sizes, stages of funding, and industries. It often stems from influential individuals within an organization naturally focusing on their perspective first, gradually extending their attention towards the actual product —interfaces that customers and users engage with. Since the essence of what we sell is customer-centric solutions, my argument is that product teams should work inward from the product's interface to inform their roadmap, with user research findings (and business goals) being a primary catalyst.
Instead of considering a feature or product as the final destination, framed through the lens of product management or engineering frameworks, we should predominantly dedicate our efforts and concentration on the product's actual interface. We ought to gain real-time insights from users, validate and incorporate alterations as we progress, and allow these insights to shape our roadmap.
Alternatively, imagine constructing a luxury hotel (rather than a digital experience). The success of the hotel relies on delivering a remarkable guest experience. Now envision commencing our endeavor not with architects and interior designers who craft the experience but with builders and city planners. Imagine relying heavily on builders and city planners throughout the endeavor, only involving architects and interior designers at the very end to add final touches. Visualize the compromised outcomes and superfluous discussions as we traverse the aspects least significant to our guests before finally addressing their most vital needs. Picture the constraints enforced by the time spent with builders and city planners, limiting our ability to tailor the user experience to guest desires.
To clarify, this doesn't dismiss the collaboration between architects, interior designers, city planners, and builders as they fashion a guest-centered experience. The emphasis lies in where the team directs its focus at the project's onset and what propels their roadmap towards creating a triumphant luxury hotel. The aim is strategic efficiency from the outset, maintaining customer orientation as the driving force instead of relying on product management and engineering frameworks and subsequently aiming to align with the customer experience.
Our capability as a product team to systematically unearth and deliver solutions marks the distinction between excellence and mediocrity in both products and teams. Exceptional products and UX don't materialize through chaotic, process-driven approaches spearheaded by product managers and engineers. They flourish when entire teams possess the means and processes to consistently glean insights from users, harmonize these insights with business objectives, and execute on their discoveries while continually evaluating their progress along the way.