Process Improvements

Showcased below are my approaches to streamlining workflows and driving impactful results through efficient and well-defined processes. You'll find examples of how I analyze, design, and implement processes across various areas. My expertise lies in developing and implementing product roadmaps and product operational improvements that provide strategic direction and facilitate efficient execution. I am committed to optimizing processes to enhance productivity while maintaining a collaborative and supportive team environment that prioritizes the needs of all stakeholders.

Product Roadmaps

Recognizing the power of roadmaps to bring order to ambiguity and align teams is one of my strong suits and I prioritize roadmap development and process improvement in every product role. My project management background has prepared me to effectively address conflicting priorities and organizational challenges. I've consistently improved company processes, building roadmaps from scratch like at Momentum, Christine Walker Consulting, and Fit Small Business, and revitalizing existing ones like at Technology Advice and CNET. My process involves creating two roadmap versions: a high-level, accessible version for broad communication and a detailed, internal version that anticipates any potential question by including granular information such as stakeholder details, detailed descriptions of business goals, and relevant links to Jira, Slack, Figma etc. Both versions exist in the same document so that it's streamlined, but the high level version typically has fields hidden to avoid overcomplexity.

Benefits of Strategic Product Roadmaps:

Clear Strategic Direction: Provides a shared understanding of the product vision and goals, easily digestible through clear visuals.
Outcome-Driven Focus: Shifts the focus from output to impactful outcomes, clearly visualized for easy comprehension.
Enhanced Communication & Collaboration: Facilitates clear communication and shared understanding across teams and stakeholders with visually engaging and easy-to-understand formats.
Improved Stakeholder Buy-in: Visually appealing and well-organized roadmaps make it easier to communicate the product strategy and secure stakeholder support.
Effective Resource Allocation: Supports efficient resource planning and allocation with clear visual representations of timelines and dependencies.
Adaptability & Flexibility: Allows for adjustments based on market changes and feedback, easily reflected in a dynamic and visually adaptable roadmap.
Progress Tracking & Measurement: Provides a visual framework for tracking progress against key milestones and measuring the success of product initiatives.
Data-Driven Decisions: Enables data-informed decision-making by visually linking roadmap items to measurable outcomes and KPIs.

Below is an example of a roadmap that I built from scratch.

AirTable | Kanban, High Level Overview

AirTable | Detailed (Version for Me)

Process Documentation

I believe that well-defined processes are essential for consistent and reliable product development. While every system has nuances, a clear, accessible, organized, and optimized process provides the foundation for success. A consistent process, understood and utilized by the entire team, mitigates the risks of external distractions, research rabbit holes, keeping everyone focused and on track. I've successfully implemented processes that significantly reduce back-and-forth communication, freeing up valuable time for more strategic work. By streamlining workflows and establishing clear communication protocols, I've reduced the need for lengthy meetings, improving team efficiency and productivity. Well-defined processes have enabled my teams to focus on the most critical aspects of product development, leading to higher-quality products that better meet user needs.

The importance of having a reliable and replicable process:

Increased Efficiency: Standardized processes eliminate guesswork and wasted effort, leading to faster completion times and higher output.
Reduced Errors and Rework: Clear processes minimize the chance of mistakes and inconsistencies, reducing the need for costly rework.
Improved Predictability: Reliable processes make it easier to predict timelines, resource needs, and outcomes, enabling better planning and forecasting.
Scalability: Replicable processes make it easier to scale operations and handle increased workloads without sacrificing quality or efficiency.
Streamlined Onboarding and Training: Standardized procedures simplify the onboarding process for new team members and reduce training time.
Consistent Quality: Reliable processes ensure consistent quality of output, regardless of who performs the task.

FigJam Process Mapping

Brainstorming

I've consistently improved brainstorming processes in every role, either establishing new systems or refining existing ones. Using a method learned from a senior product designer, I facilitate collaborative brainstorming sessions that begin with a brief icebreaker to stimulate creative thinking, followed by a structured problem breakdown to identify root causes. This process, which often reveals that perceived problems are actually stemming from something deeper, then moves onto "how might we" ideation and prioritization using an impact/effort matrix, culminating in defined action items. This efficient approach can yield actionable solutions in as little as 30 minutes while simultaneously strengthening team cohesion.

Benefits of Strategic Product Concept Brainstorming:

Diverse Perspectives & Expertise: Including stakeholders from different areas (e.g., marketing, sales, engineering, customer support) brings a wider range of knowledge, experience, and perspectives to the table, leading to more innovative and well-rounded ideas. It's important though, to not include too many people and cause the brainstorming session to be over complicated. For those not included, a detailed summary can be sent to ensure they are still up to speed.
Enhanced Problem Solving: Different stakeholders may have unique insights into customer needs, market trends, and technical feasibility, which can help identify and address potential challenges early in the concept development process.
Improved Idea Generation: Brainstorming fosters a creative and collaborative environment that encourages the generation of a larger quantity and higher quality of ideas compared to individual work.
Increased Buy-in and Alignment: Involving stakeholders early on ensures they understand the rationale behind the product concept and feel invested in its success, leading to stronger buy-in and smoother execution later on.
Reduced Risk of Costly Mistakes: Early feedback from stakeholders can help identify potential flaws or weaknesses in the product concept before significant resources are invested in development.
Better Understanding of User Needs: Stakeholders who interact directly with customers (e.g., sales, customer support) can provide valuable insights into user needs and pain points, ensuring the product concept is aligned with market demand.
Faster Decision Making: A small, focused group can facilitate more efficient discussions and decision-making compared to larger, less structured gatherings.
Improved Communication and Collaboration: Brainstorming sessions provide an opportunity for stakeholders to build relationships, improve communication, and establish a shared understanding of the product vision.

Below is an image of the template I use.

FigJam Brainstorming Session Template

User Research

While comprehensive user research, including in-depth interviews, is ideal, I recognize the time constraints stakeholders often face. To address this, I use efficient methods such as leveraging existing data from website analytics, customer support tickets, and social media feedback to identify user pain points and areas for improvement. I also utilize A/B testing on existing products or prototypes to compare different versions and gather user feedback, and conduct shorter, targeted interviews with a smaller number of participants to address specific research questions. I'm passionate about user research and enjoy analyzing and synthesizing findings, effectively translating them into actionable insights for executives and stakeholders.

The importance of user research:

Reduces Risk: By validating assumptions and testing ideas with real users, you can minimize the risk of building something nobody wants or needs.
Improves User Experience: User research helps you design intuitive and user-friendly products that are easy to use and meet user expectations.
Increases User Satisfaction: Products designed based on user insights are more likely to satisfy user needs and lead to higher levels of satisfaction and loyalty.
Drives Product Innovation: User research can uncover unmet needs and opportunities for innovation that you might not have discovered otherwise.
Informs Product Strategy: User insights can inform product strategy and roadmap decisions, ensuring you're building the right things at the right time.
Saves Time and Money in the Long Run: Investing in user research upfront can save significant time and money by preventing costly mistakes and rework later in the development process.

Below are a few examples of my user research methods.

User Interviews Analysis & Synthesis

User Journey Mapping

Empathy Mapping

Process Improvements

Product Roadmaps

Process Documentation

Increased Efficiency: Standardized processes eliminate guesswork and wasted effort, leading to faster completion times and higher output.

Reduced Errors and Rework: Clear processes minimize the chance of mistakes and inconsistencies, reducing the need for costly rework.

Improved Predictability: Reliable processes make it easier to predict timelines, resource needs, and outcomes, enabling better planning and forecasting.

Scalability: Replicable processes make it easier to scale operations and handle increased workloads without sacrificing quality or efficiency.

Streamlined Onboarding and Training: Standardized procedures simplify the onboarding process for new team members and reduce training time.

Consistent Quality: Reliable processes ensure consistent quality of output, regardless of who performs the task.

FigJam Process Mapping

Brainstorming

User Research

Reduces Risk: By validating assumptions and testing ideas with real users, you can minimize the risk of building something nobody wants or needs.

Improves User Experience: User research helps you design intuitive and user-friendly products that are easy to use and meet user expectations.

Increases User Satisfaction: Products designed based on user insights are more likely to satisfy user needs and lead to higher levels of satisfaction and loyalty.

Drives Product Innovation: User research can uncover unmet needs and opportunities for innovation that you might not have discovered otherwise.

Informs Product Strategy: User insights can inform product strategy and roadmap decisions, ensuring you're building the right things at the right time.

Saves Time and Money in the Long Run: Investing in user research upfront can save significant time and money by preventing costly mistakes and rework later in the development process.

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Below are a few examples of my user research methods.

User Interviews Analysis & Synthesis

User Journey Mapping