Journey of a product from Vision to Execution (feat. Chuks Ejechi)

Polyglot Software Development

In this conversation, ⁠Chuks Ejechi⁠, a product leader, discusses the journey of a product from vision to execution. He explains the process of translating a business vision into a product vision and the importance of defining what, who, and why in the product vision. Chuks also highlights the challenges faced in executing ideas, such as resistance from stakeholders, shifting markets, resource limitations, and competition. He emphasizes the need to start small and iterate quickly, using minimum viable products to gather feedback and make improvements. The conversation explores the challenges of building a product from vision to execution, with a focus on the importance of identifying unique selling propositions and avoiding unnecessary features. The discussion also touches on the challenges of working with engineering teams, including the need for clear communication and coordination between front-end and back-end developers. The impact of geographical diversity on product development is also discussed, emphasizing the importance of understanding and appreciating different cultures and backgrounds. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the challenges faced by product teams and the importance of building a happy and cohesive team.

Takeaways

• Translating a business vision into a product vision involves defining what, who, and why.
• Challenges in executing ideas include resistance from stakeholders, shifting markets, resource limitations, and competition.
• Starting small and iterating quickly with minimum viable products allows for gathering feedback and making improvements.
• A minimum viable product should have an element of usefulness and relate to the original vision. Identify and focus on the unique selling propositions of your product to avoid building unnecessary features.
• Clear communication and coordination between front-end and back-end developers is crucial for successful product development.
• Understanding and appreciating different cultures and backgrounds is important when working with geographically diverse teams.
• Building a happy and cohesive team is essential for effective product management and development.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:51 The Process of Translating Vision into Product

12:21 Challenges in Executing Ideas

17:02 Starting Small and Iterating Quickly

20:54 The Importance of a Meaningfully Small Product

24:10 Building a Product: From Vision to Execution

26:06 Identifying and Focusing on Unique Selling Propositions

29:12 Challenges of Working with Engineering Teams

32:36 The Impact of Geographical Diversity on Product Development

39:23 Building a Happy and Cohesive Team