5. Managing Delivery Dates in Product Development

Introduction

Delivery dates are a classic source of tension in product development. Business teams often ask, “When will this be ready?” while product teams grapple with the complexities of setting and meeting those deadlines. Addressing both perspectives with empathy is essential for product leaders. By understanding the business’s need for specific timelines and the challenges inherent in development, we can find a balance that respects both sides.

In this section, we’ll explore why delivery dates are crucial from a business perspective, examine the complexities that make them challenging to determine, and look at practical strategies for managing this dynamic.

Why Delivery Dates Matter to the Business

From the business team’s perspective, there are several reasons why delivery dates are critical:

1. Seasonal or Fixed Events: Certain dates are non-negotiable, such as the holiday season, Mother’s Day, or school vacations. If you work in the digital department of a travel company, your product must be ready before the holiday travel rush.

2. Regulatory Deadlines: Compliance requirements also set firm deadlines. For example, in my time at ContaAzul, the government mandated the new invoice layout 4.0 by a specific date, which we had to meet.

3. Company Events: Company events are often prime opportunities for launching new features. For instance, at Locaweb, we timed feature releases to coincide with annual developer events.

4. Marketing Campaigns: Marketing campaigns often hinge on specific launch dates, especially if they involve scheduled media buys, which necessitates having the product ready in time to capitalize on these promotional efforts.

These fixed dates add pressure on development teams to deliver within specific timeframes.

The Challenges of Setting Delivery Dates in Product Development

On the product development side, there are many factors that make it difficult to provide exact dates:

1. New or Evolving Teams: If the development team is new or includes new members, it’s challenging to gauge their pace or delivery speed accurately.

2. Scope Complexity: The larger the feature or product, the harder it becomes to estimate the timeline. Large scopes increase the risk of unexpected changes or additions.

3. Changing Scope: Scope creep can occur as new requirements emerge, or if the team needs to address unrelated work, slowing down the project.

4. Technical Debt: Legacy systems, especially if poorly documented, can create unpredictable challenges and impact delivery time.

Product development is inherently complex, with many factors affecting velocity. The graphic below, from Aptio’s blog, illustrates how various positive and negative factors impact development speed:

• Negative Impacts: Issues like slow workstations, system complexity, unstable test environments, and rework can hinder progress.
• Positive Impacts: Focused work, team experience, and work-life balance enhance productivity.

This complexity highlights why setting delivery dates is not straightforward for product teams.

Bridging the Gap Between Business and Product Teams

To balance business expectations with development realities, it’s essential to foster collaboration and shift the focus from strict delivery dates to achieving results.

1. Foster Collaboration, Not Adversity

Remind both teams that they are not adversaries but partners working toward the same goal: the company’s success and customer satisfaction. For instance, at Lopes, our product and sales teams shared common goals, such as increasing the number of leads and sales. Recognizing these shared objectives helped align the teams and reduce tension.

2. Shift the Focus from Features to Outcomes

The product itself is a means to an end, not the end goal. When a business asks about a delivery date, they’re ultimately asking when they can expect a particular result, like increased revenue or improved customer retention. By refocusing the conversation on results rather than specific features, we gain more flexibility in deciding which features to prioritize for achieving those outcomes.

Practical Strategies for Managing Delivery Dates

1. Provide Ranges, Not Exact Dates: When exact dates are uncertain, give the business a range of possible delivery windows. This approach communicates the timeline while allowing for unforeseen changes.

2. Set Milestones for Complex Projects: Break large projects into smaller milestones. This enables you to show progress and adjust expectations incrementally.

3. Use Minimum Viable Delivery (MVD): Identify the smallest possible deliverable that can provide value. Launching an MVD allows for quick feedback and iterations, letting the business see progress without waiting for a fully complete product.

4. Communicate Delays Proactively: If challenges arise that could delay the timeline, communicate early. Explaining the reason for the delay and how it impacts the project helps maintain trust and manage expectations.

5. Educate Stakeholders on Product Development Complexities: Help non-technical stakeholders understand the complexities involved in digital product development. When they appreciate the various factors influencing timelines, they’re often more understanding and collaborative.

Conclusion

Navigating the tension around delivery dates requires open communication, empathy, and a focus on shared outcomes. As product leaders, we have a responsibility to bridge the gap between business needs and the realities of development, fostering collaboration and building trust. By aligning both sides around shared goals, setting realistic expectations, and focusing on delivering value rather than arbitrary dates, we can create a more productive and less stressful environment for everyone involved.

Ultimately, our role extends beyond managing timelines; we’re here to educate the organization on the intricacies of digital product development and demonstrate how digital can drive meaningful results for the business.