2. Teaching and Measuring Product Sense

Product Sense is a vital skill for anyone working in product management, and as a leader, it's important to not only develop this skill for yourself but also help your team acquire it. In this document, we will explore how to teach Product Sense, focusing on structured techniques and practical exercises, as well as how to effectively measure this capability in your team.

Teaching Product Sense

The journey of teaching Product Sense begins with breaking it down into core components. We can look at Product Sense through four main pillars: problem structuring, contextualization, creativity, and synthesis. Let’s explore how to effectively teach each of these components.

1. Problem Structuring

Frameworks and Mental Models: To teach problem structuring, it helps to use frameworks and mental models. Frameworks are tools that help structure responses, while mental models guide how we think about challenges.

2. Contextualization

Contextualization is about understanding the environment around a product—the company, market, users, and competitors.

3. Teaching Creativity

Creativity in Product Sense can be nurtured through team exercises that encourage expansive thinking.

4. Teaching Synthesis

Synthesis is the ability to distill complex ideas into their essence. The best way to practice synthesis is by introducing constraints that force simplification.

Measuring Product Sense

Evaluating Product Sense can be complex and sometimes subjective, but turning subjective evaluation into a qualitative analysis can help.

1. Define Relevant Parameters

Start by defining what parameters are relevant for evaluating Product Sense. For instance, you can base the evaluation on the four pillars: problem structuring, contextualization, creativity, and synthesis.

2. Break Down Parameters into Skills

Each parameter should be broken down into smaller, measurable skills. For example:

3. Assign Weights and Expectations

Not all skills are equally important at every career level. Assign weights to different skills depending on the seniority of the team member. For example, understanding product strategy might be less important for an associate product manager (APM) than for a group product manager (GPM).

4. Set Evaluation Criteria

Define what a top score looks like for each skill. For instance, what does a “10” look like in terms of proficiency with frameworks for an APM? What does a “2” look like? Use examples from the team's work to align expectations and provide clarity.
Instead use numbers, use: "under", "perform" and "over".

5. Ongoing Evaluation

The final step in evaluation is to assign a score, but effective leaders don’t just show up at the end of a cycle—they conduct ongoing evaluations. Set monthly checkpoints to monitor progress. Regular, informal feedback helps avoid surprises during formal evaluations.

Conclusion

Product Sense is a multifaceted skill that product leaders need to teach and evaluate in their teams. By focusing on structured problem-solving, understanding context, fostering creativity, and honing synthesis, you can help your team grow this important ability. Measuring Product Sense requires a thoughtful approach, breaking down the skill into parameters, assigning weights, and setting expectations. With consistent practice and feedback, you can ensure your team develops a strong Product Sense to create impactful products.