Tailor-made Product Management
Why Everything in Product Management Is Bespoke, Why It’s Hard, and What We Can Do About It
Product management is often viewed as a blend of art and science. While we rely on frameworks, methodologies, and best practices, the reality is that every product is unique, every company is different, and every team has its own dynamics. No two products or projects are alike, and this makes everything we do in product management bespoke.
This bespoke nature of the role is one of its greatest challenges. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to building and managing products, which can be both exhilarating and exhausting. But while this complexity makes product management hard, it’s also what makes the role deeply fulfilling. In this article, we’ll explore why everything we do in product management is custom-built, why this is difficult, and how we can better navigate the challenges.
1. Every Product Is Different
As product managers, we have a variety of frameworks and methodologies in our tool belt . But customers, industries, and markets vary drastically. Even within the same industry, two companies might approach their products in completely different ways based on their size, target audience, or technological constraints. As a result, the tools, strategies, and decisions that work for one product might not work for another.
Why This Is Hard:
No “playbook” to follow: Unlike some professions that have rigid processes or methodologies, product management requires constant adaptation. What worked for you last time may not work this time.
Constant problem-solving: You’re not just executing predefined tasks—you’re continuously defining problems, shaping solutions, and making decisions based on incomplete information.
What We Can Do About It:
Embrace experimentation: Since every product is unique, embrace a mindset of experimentation. A/B testing, piloting features, or conducting small-scale trials allow you to learn quickly and adapt. This also applies to any workshops or collaborative sessions you may be running - if you’re tailoring your approach, try it with a small audience first and then scale it up.
Customise your framework: Product management frameworks are useful starting points, but don’t hesitate to tailor them to fit your specific context. The goal is to find what works for your product and team.
Get to know your product deeply: Invest time in understanding the nuances of your product, your customers, and your market. The better you understand your specific environment, the better decisions you can make.
2. Stakeholders and Teams Are Unique
No two teams or organisations are the same, and this creates complexity in managing expectations, communication, and collaboration. Your engineering team may have a different approach to development than what you’ve experienced before. Your sales team may be pushing for features that don't align with your roadmap. And your senior leadership team may struggle with more agile ways of working.
Why This Is Hard:
Diverse expectations: Different stakeholders — executives, marketing, sales, engineering — often have conflicting priorities. Navigating these tensions requires a bespoke approach to communication and decision-making.
Cultural differences: If you’ve worked in different companies or industries, you’ve likely noticed that organisational cultures vary. What works in a fast-moving startup might not fly in a large, hierarchical enterprise.
What We Can Do About It:
Tailor communication styles: Understand that different stakeholders require different communication methods. An executive might need a high-level overview, while your engineering team may prefer more detailed specs and rationale.
Build relationships: Develop strong relationships with your cross-functional teams. Invest time in understanding their pain points and goals, and aligning around a shared vision. These relationships will help you manage conflicts and collaborate effectively.
Be a diplomat: Part of being a product manager is acting as a translator between various departments. Being able to frame decisions in a way that resonates with each stakeholder group is key to managing expectations and getting buy-in.
3. Prioritisation Is Always Contextual
Prioritisation is central to what we do as product managers, but it’s never as simple as using a formula. The component parts that make up the definitions within a prioritisation framework are rarely the same from one product to the next. What’s high priority today could be low priority tomorrow if the market shifts or business strategy pivots.
Why This Is Hard:
Conflicting priorities: You’re often balancing user needs, business goals, and technical constraints, all of which can pull the product in different directions.
Changing conditions: A new competitor entering the market, a change in business strategy, or sudden customer feedback can all shift your priorities overnight.
What We Can Do About It:
Use frameworks with flexibility: Frameworks like RICE (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort) or MoSCoW (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won’t have) can help guide prioritisation, but they should be used as guidelines, not rules. Have clear definitions against each component part (e.g. What do we mean by Reach? What do we mean by Impact?), and be ready to adjust based on the context.
Stay connected to the bigger picture: Keep your product vision and business strategy front and centre. Use these as a compass to guide prioritisation when everything feels urgent. What moves the product closer to its goals? What supports long-term growth over short-term fixes?
Communicate trade-offs clearly: Help stakeholders understand the trade-offs of each decision. When prioritisation decisions are made, be clear about what is being sacrificed in the process and why.
4. User Feedback Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
Incorporating user feedback is an important element when building a successful product, but even customer needs are bespoke. Different segments of your user base may have conflicting requirements. What works for power users may be overkill for new users. It may even be difficult to acquire customer feedback in a timely manner.
Why This Is Hard:
Diverse customer needs: Catering to different user personas or customer segments can make prioritisation even more challenging.
Signal vs. noise: Distinguishing between meaningful feedback and “nice-to-haves” can be difficult, especially when vocal or impassioned users dominate the conversation.
What We Can Do About It:
Validate feedback with data: Whenever possible, back up customer feedback with data. If users are asking for a new feature, check if your usage metrics support that need. Validate anecdotal feedback with quantitative insights.
Balance customer input with vision: While customer feedback is important, it’s equally critical to stay aligned with your product vision. Don’t let one-off requests derail your long-term goals.
While the bespoke nature of product management does come with challenges, these challenges can be overcome and in fact they can become the guard rails for everything you’re doing, and why you’re doing it — moving you towards a successful product, not just one that’s been designed-by-textbook.
Remember, the hardest part of product management is also the most fulfilling. The fact that every situation is unique means that every solution you create is custom-made for the problem at hand — and that’s what makes great products.