Unlocking Team Potential: The Power of Feature Ownership
As a product manager, your plate is always full. You’re responsible for overseeing current initiatives, conducting discovery for upcoming projects, managing stakeholders, and more. But what if you could free up some mental capacity to focus on high-level strategic tasks? Enter the concept of feature ownership.
The Ownership Trap
In product development, there’s often a lack of clear ownership. When everyone is responsible, no one is responsible. This leads to product managers taking on too much mental ownership, which can be taxing and doesn’t empower the rest of the team.
What is a Feature Owner?
A feature owner is someone who takes mental ownership of a specific initiative within the team. They’re responsible for ensuring that the project goes smoothly and resolving any blockers or issues that arise. This role is not limited to product managers; anyone on the team can be a feature owner.
Benefits of Feature Ownership
Establishing feature owners can have a significant impact on team growth, ownership, and independence. By giving individuals more accountability, you’re forcing them to go out of their comfort zone and learn new skills. This leads to:
- Team Growth: Feature owners gain a deeper understanding of the product development process and develop new skills.
- Higher Sense of Ownership and Independence: When individuals have mental ownership of a project, they’re more invested in its success.
- Increased Bandwidth for Product Managers: By offloading mental ownership, product managers can focus on high-level strategic tasks.
How to Implement Feature Ownership
Implementing feature ownership requires careful planning. Here are some tips to get you started:
- Don’t Do It Too Early: Wait until the team has a solid foundation and understands the basics of product development.
- Rotate Among the Whole Team: Give everyone a chance to be a feature owner, regardless of seniority or expertise.
- Experiment on the Go: Start with basic accountabilities and expand the role over time.
- Provide Coaching: Offer guidance and support to help feature owners succeed.
Conclusion
Building ownership in product teams is hard, but it’s a crucial investment for product managers. By implementing feature ownership, you can boost team growth, ownership, and independence. While it’s not perfect, it’s a powerful tactic to free up mental capacity and focus on high-level strategic tasks. Give it a try and see the impact it can have on your team.