Interface alignment in product management
Once upon a time, I pursued a PhD in Physics. One of the main objectives of my thesis back then was to understand what happens when depositing molecules on a substrate material. These materials have a lot of quantized energy levels and some of them are particularly relevant to how charges travel between these materials.
So I frequently designed experiments to examine how energy levels are aligned at the interface between two materials. Interfaces are tough to get right, as there are two surfaces brought together, and as one famous physicist, Wolfgang Pauli once said: “God made the bulk; surfaces were invented by the devil”.
Now, getting away from the universe of physics and materials and stepping into the universe of organizations, business units, products. I find a common theme between these two universes: interfaces, and some of them might as well be invented by the devil. In this other universe, it is not about traveling charges, but traveling information.
Interfaces are very important between different team members, teams, departments, organizations. And it is very important to create and maintain a good alignment at these interfaces.
You might believe that the alignment you have put so much effort into creating is enough to keep everything running smoothly. Unfortunately, you are most probably wrong. Entropy, a very important quantity in physics/thermodynamics, makes sure that the alignment you create and you believe “you got it” does not stay in place. That is why you need to put more energy into keeping it in place. With frequent, short and clear communication with all the relevant stakeholders in your projects, preferably in written, but also in verbal form.
You need to put energy to compensate for the entropy that makes sure that the alignment you created does not stay in place.
How to create and maintain alignment at the interfaces?
- Create, update and share short artifacts — documents that are digestible by the maximum number of stakeholders in the organization.
- Collaborate with your colleagues, as soon as possible. Matt LeMay has created a pledge of one-page one hour. The idea? Work no more than one hour on a document/deliverable before sending it to your colleagues. Have a look at it here.
- Communicate and re-align with the stakeholders in a project often. When you do that, try keeping collaborating on an artifact, in written or verbal form.
- Commit to not being perfect. By doing this, you will accomplish more, faster. Your stakeholders should not try to be perfect either, you could all align on that.
- Use templates to help you kick start writing your artifact. A lot of templates here.
- Read and be always informed. New events/data invalidate old decisions/strategies.
- Definitely more.