Product Nightmare Terrors: How to Avoid 6 Product Horrors

There are nightmares, and there are product nightmares. Both can jolt you awake by 2 a.m., but while your typical nightmare may reflect the horror movie you binge-watched, product nightmares are real.

These product horrors can break down all your effort or at least make you place your phone on airplane mode. No product manager should go through this, certainly not you.

Fortunately, there are solutions. Let's look at the six common product nightmares and the way out so you won't be terrorized.

6 Product Nightmares That Should Not Terrorize You

Without further ado, here are the six product horrors every product manager should avoid:

Horror 1: The Feature from the Backlog Lagoon

Every product manager recognizes that not all feature requests can become a reality. However, to avoid offending users and other stakeholders, some product managers become “yes men.” They agree to every feature request, even those that cannot work. These requests then pile into the backlog like dirty laundry.

The nightmare has two aspects. First, too many requests lead to a backlog overload that is more overwhelming than helpful. Second, many users expect an outcome when you accept their feature request. When you don’t deliver, imagine what happens to their trust.

The solution is also two-fold: Learn to decline some feature requests and explain your reasons politely. Then, keep your backlog in order. Categorize your features based on priorities. Also, you should consider using a feature prioritization matrix.

Horror 2: Escape from the Feature Factory

You know your team has become a feature factory when it is more concerned with output than quality. That is, it churns out more and more features, even at the expense of excellence. The feature factory blinds the team to whatever impact it may be making.

What takes you to the feature factory? It could be a need for a clearer vision, pressure from sales, a short-term focus, or placing priorities on new features.

To escape from the feature factory, check your priority. Are you more focused on the finished product or user needs? Your focus should be less on the output (how many features will be released) and more on the outcome (user needs and satisfaction). This channels the productive drive to more quality.

Horror 3: Night of the Living Bugs

Few people are fans of bugs, from real stinging insects to development faults. The Night of the Living Bugs occurs when a product manager inherits a backlog filled with unresolved issues from an outgoing manager.

These technical debts can confuse the product manager and derail any progress made. The team will spend additional hours fixing the bugs and sideline new features.

Several factors can cause this nightmare. These include inadequate testing from the outgoing manager, the pressure to launch on time, lack of maintenance, and no proper documentation.

To combat this horror, keep it simple. That is, use uncomplicated solutions to fix the bugs. With simplicity as your aim, evaluate your existing material and note the critical issues. These are your first target.

After that, create a new backlog for these issues and include regular maintenance in your strategy.

Horror 4: Scrumzilla

Scrumzilla raises its scrummy head when the manager and team focus more on the Scrum process than on getting value from the product. Scrumzilla affects the product in many ways. To begin with, it reduces the quality, with teammates rushing more towards completing the project than crafting an excellent product. It also disrupts your roadmap, causing a more scattered approach.

Factors like poor product vision, an exaggerated emphasis on process, and rigidity in operations cause the Scrumzilla nightmare. To wake up from this nightmare, place scrum where it belongs.

Scrum is a helpful tool, but it is not your main goal. That privileged seat is for customer value and user satisfaction.

Horror 5: The Dangerous Animals of Product Management

Product management can sometimes morph into a jungle, with dangerous animals ready to pounce. As a product manager, these wild animals must not tear you apart. They include the CoBRAs, HiPPOs, WoLFs, and seagulls:

• The CoBRA (Cognitive Bias-Related Assertions) is the stakeholder that acts as the superhero of the entire project. The CoBRA tries to pressure you to accept their requests, even when you have good reason not to.

• HiPPOs (Highest Paid Person’s Opinion) are senior leaders whose motto is “Might is right.” They tend to overshadow other opinions, including valuable ones.

• WoLFs (Works on Latest Fire) are more interested in quick, urgent issues, sometimes neglecting more important, long-term goals.

• Seagulls are product managers who come in, make a mess, and leave the team members to clean up the debris. In this case, the product manager becomes the dangerous animal.

Fortunately, these dangerous animals can be handled. Equip yourself with a clear product vision, make sure the focus remains on user satisfaction, and set good boundaries. You might find our piece steps in the product management process useful.

Horror 6: Frankensoft

Remember the scary Frankenstein monster? In product management, its twin can besiege you. The Frankensoft monster is created when products and features are combined without the user's strategy or consideration.

Frakensoft is lethal to user experience, and strangles trust, too. While there is a positive aspect to Frankensoft (innovations and all), it is far better to combat this horror. Frankensoft’s weak spot is strategy, and you can overcome it by maintaining a tight link between your product/feature and your larger strategies and objectives.

In addition, stay tight with your product roadmap and keep an eye on the outcome. Read our guide on templates for product roadmaps for more.

Wrap-Up: Turn Nightmares into Dreams

Clearly, product management has its challenges, and being a product manager can be an uphill task. However, no product problem is without a solution, and all nightmares can become dreams.

Regardless of which horror tries to impede your progress, you can overcome it with the right strategy and the proper focus on user satisfaction.