Have you ever said “no” to a customer?
Have you ever said “no” to your CEO?
And survived to tell the tale?
It’s always hard to say “no” to someone who apparently has power over you. However it can be made easier, at least for product manager s.
All good product managers use a prioritization scheme to decide what goes into the product.
Schemes like P1, P2 or High, Medium, Low are often used.
Arguably, the better ones use a ranked priority order that leaves little room for confusion.
To come up with a ranked priority order for every release requires a lot of discipline.
You also need a clearly articulated product strategy and a well-defined prioritization framework.
When you have all the upcoming scope clearly ranked and categorized, with the drivers and justification, it is a lot easier to say “no” to customers or your higher ups.
When asked to add a feature to your product that is not in line with your strategy:
Do you ever say “no” to a customer?
Or your boss?
How do you justify that?