What happened after writing a recent Product Management IRL article? These insights are for paid subscribers to Product Management IRL.
This week’s backstory is about handling a lack of alignment:
The Risk Default Checklist (paid only) This worksheet is designed for product managers navigating competing concerns across engineering, finance, sales, or leadership — especially when no one is “wrong,” but no decision is being made.
What Prompted This Article?
My first review of the requirements was a disaster:
The business case forecast was too high
Not enough automation requirements
No one could understand the ask
Second requirements review with only sales was meh:
Need a lower price and value selling isn’t working
Need more opportunities before features
Third requirements review with only finance was discouraging:
New requirements must meet margin targets
Need quote automation to reduce finance effort
These requirements are just not coming together. There is no alignment among powerful teams.
But…is alignment my problem? Yes and No.
Yes, because I have an opportunity and development can’t start.
No, because the issues are outside of my control.
I decided to try a different approach to alignment:
consider risks
agree on the default
I settled on three risks to explore with the product team:
After struggling to reach alignment, I was looking forward to hearing about risks from the product team.
