Key Concepts: Best practices, product development, impact, strategy, OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), "doing things the right way," middle layer (between impact and day-to-day work).
The Over-Reliance on Best Practices in Product Development
The core argument is that the product development world has become overly focused on "best practices" over the past two decades. While acknowledging the value and usefulness of best practices, the speaker highlights a significant downside: an excessive fixation on "doing things the right way" at the expense of achieving actual impact.
The "Middle Layer" Problem
The speaker identifies a critical "middle layer" that exists between the ultimate impact of product development and the day-to-day work involved. This layer encompasses elements like strategy and objectives. The problem is that many product teams tend to prioritize adhering to the processes and frameworks within this middle layer (e.g., "is this on strategy?", "is this part of our objectives?") rather than focusing directly on whether their work is truly driving the desired outcomes.
The Illusion of Correctness
The speaker uses the examples of OKRs and strategy to illustrate this point. Teams might diligently follow the prescribed steps for implementing OKRs or developing a strategy ("doing OKRs the right way" or "doing strategy the right way"). However, simply going through the motions doesn't guarantee success. A perfectly executed strategy, according to established best practices, might still fail to deliver the results expected by investors or shareholders. Similarly, well-defined OKRs might not collectively contribute to the overall business goals.
Impact vs. Process
The central tension is between focusing on the process of product development (adhering to best practices, following frameworks) and focusing on the impact of that development (achieving desired outcomes, meeting stakeholder expectations). The speaker suggests that the emphasis has shifted too heavily towards the former, leading to situations where teams are busy "doing things right" without necessarily "doing the right things."
Conclusion
The main takeaway is a cautionary note about the potential pitfalls of blindly following best practices in product development. While best practices can be valuable tools, they should not become the primary focus. Product teams need to maintain a clear understanding of the desired impact and ensure that their work, at all levels, is directly contributing to achieving those outcomes. The speaker implies a need to shift the focus from process adherence to results-oriented thinking.
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