AI and Product Management: The Urgency of Re-engaging Stakeholders

In today's technology landscape, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into products has become a priority for many companies. However, this frantic race for innovation often leads product teams to overlook the fundamentals of discovery. Each stakeholder has their own opinion on the features to develop, which can result in a mere production of features without real added value. The speed of delivery creates the illusion of efficiency, but in reality, it can lead to shipping the wrong solutions more quickly.

To correct this drift, it is essential for product teams to reconnect with discovery practices. This involves identifying the true problems of customers and testing hypotheses to assess whether AI can indeed solve them. Convincing stakeholders that their favorite idea is not necessarily the best is a significant challenge. It is crucial to demonstrate that while creating an AI prototype may seem simple, transitioning to a high-quality production version is far more complex. Every idea may appear promising at first, but that does not guarantee its long-term relevance.

Stakeholder management, that is, aligning with those who influence product decisions, is a crucial and often difficult aspect for product teams. The current moment has intensified the stakes, as when stakeholders come with ready-made solutions, backed by an entire industry validating their urgency, the usual advice is no longer sufficient. Regular communication, building relationships, and managing upwards are useful practices, but rarely enough.

Identify Key Stakeholders

In product management, stakeholders include all individuals influencing or being affected by product decisions. This generally encompasses executives, sales teams, marketing teams, customer success teams, as well as engineering, legal, and financial departments. Not all stakeholders carry the same weight: some can block a project, while others merely influence the discussion. It is essential to recognize this difference, as it determines the energy to invest in each relationship.

Working in a product trio, composed of a product manager, a designer, and an engineer, allows for quick responses to customer needs. However, it is crucial to involve stakeholders outside the trio to ensure that the best discoveries are not overlooked when presenting findings. There are many frameworks for mapping and categorizing your stakeholders, such as power-interest grids or RACI matrices. While useful, the real challenge lies in how to effectively engage them.

Avoid the Trap of Preconceived Conclusions

During meetings with stakeholders, product teams often focus on their conclusions, such as the roadmap or launch plan. However, stakeholders have their own conclusions and preferences regarding what should be built. Anchoring the conversation in the solution space invites a comparison of preferences, often biased by the Highest Paid Person's Opinion (HiPPO). This phenomenon, where the opinion of the highest-paid person prevails, is a constant complaint among product teams.

To overcome this challenge, it is essential to showcase the work done at each stage of the discovery process, involving stakeholders to gain their buy-in. This helps bridge the gap between an impressive prototype and an unfinished production version, thereby ensuring increased alignment and efficiency in developing AI-based products. By exposing the gaps between the prototype and the final version, teams can demonstrate the complexity and real challenges of production, which is crucial for securing stakeholder support at every stage.