ROI Over Use Cases
Posted: February 13, 2025 Filed under: Product | Tags: perfectionism, pm Comments Off on ROI Over Use CasesI’ve often found myself in what I now call “researcher’s syndrome” – that relentless urge to cover all angles, explore every possibility, and chase down every use case. As a PM, it felt natural: the more I knew, the better decisions I could make. Or so I thought. This is the story of how I learned that sometimes, less truly is more.
The Realization
In my early PM days, I was that person with sticky notes everywhere and a roadmap that looked like a tangled web of possibilities. I believed success meant creating products that solved every conceivable user need. My research was exhaustive, my feature sets were bloated, and honestly? My team was exhausted.
It wasn’t until a mentor @chuazm bluntly told me I was “trying to boil the ocean” that something clicked. The truth hit hard: in trying to solve everything, I was solving nothing particularly well. I also pickup new approach to first principal thinking with our EM @lsshawn.
Why Less Is More
Here’s what I’ve learned about focusing on what truly matters:
- Clarity Over Clutter
When we focus on fewer features, we gain clarity about what our product actually stands for. It’s not about doing less work – it’s about doing better work. Apple’s approach to product design has been my north star here. Their relentless pursuit of simplicity isn’t just aesthetic; it’s strategic. - Depth Over Breadth
Think about Slack. They could’ve tried competing with full project management tools or email clients, but instead, they focused on one thing: making team communication seamless. This laser focus allowed them to excel where it mattered most. - Strategic Alignment with ROI
The shift from “What else can we add?” to “What will deliver the highest impact?” transformed my decision-making process. Not all features are created equal – some might delight users but barely move the needle on business metrics. Learning to differentiate between “nice to have” and “need to have” became crucial.
The Philosophy in Practice
Here’s how I’ve integrated this mindset into my work:
- Start with Why: Every feature needs a clear purpose tied to user needs or business outcomes.
- Kill Your Darlings: Regular roadmap audits are essential. Be ruthless about removing features that don’t add significant value.
- Focus on Outcomes: Shift your thinking from features shipped to problems solved.
One of my proudest moments was when our team chose to improve an existing workflow used by 80% of our users instead of building a flashy new feature. The result? A 30% increase in user satisfaction. Sometimes the best solutions aren’t the most exciting ones.
A Closing Thought
Minimalism in product management isn’t about taking shortcuts – it’s about making deliberate choices that amplify impact. It’s recognizing that our resources are finite and choosing to use them wisely.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by possibilities or paralyzed by options, remember this: success isn’t measured by how many features you ship, but by how well you solve real problems. Sometimes, doing less is the bravest – and smartest – choice we can make.
I’ve learned that my initial instinct to cover every base wasn’t just about thoroughness – it was about validation. But true impact comes from focusing on what matters most and executing it exceptionally well.
What could you achieve by doing less, but doing it better?
P/S: I got inspiration to write this after watch Arseny Shatokhin video on AI agent development.