Give Me The Problem

As a software engineer, I don’t want a digested problem presented as “requirements.” I want the raw problem itself.

A common mistake I often observe in software companies is product managers taking on the role of managing teams and dictating requirements.

Software teams don’t need requirements; they need clear problem statements. The role of a product manager is to identify and articulate the right problems to solve.

The team will then collaborate to analyze each problem and design a solution.

Defining the solution may provide new insights that inform the product manager, who can then refine the problem definition as needed.

If a problem calls for a complex or lengthy solution, the team might discuss strategies to “divide and conquer.” In such cases, with the customer as an active participant, the product manager might negotiate scope adjustments.

The team will self-organize to implement the solution (and no, assigning JIRA tickets to individual team members is not the PM’s responsibility — busyness is not a virtue).

The customer will regularly review the solutions provided, give feedback, and raise new problems. These new problems will re-enter the product manager’s pipeline, continuing the iterative process.

The unit of work for a team is a problem.