This assignment is to be treated as a simulation where you are dealing with some major issues on your Product Team. You were recently named the Product Manager on a Product Team that consists of three software engineers and two UX professionals. You came on board right as the team was tasked with launching a brand new app — BizBot — a career-oriented app designed to help people find and apply to open roles using artificial intelligence. This task came right from the CEO of the company as a “pet project” — although, that CEO left with the previous Product Manager (who you replaced) to start a new company. Your boss, the Chief Product Officer, is completely overwhelmed and has asked you to, for now, continue with the plan to launch BizBot… but empowered you to change course if need be.
Since joining the team just one week ago, you’ve already uncovered several issues — including:
- One of your key software engineers doesn’t seem very motivated. In your first 1:1 with them, you discovered that the software engineer was handed the roadmap by the last Product Manager with the only directive being to “just code.” In your 1:1, the software engineer clearly didn’t know much about the reasons why the app was being launched in the first place, and pointed out that he this “just code” mentality was nothing new. He said not to worry, though, as he always got the job done in the past.
- The User Experience team, despite just being assigned the task, already had a plan to get working. The lead UX designer told you to not expect to hear from them much, as their preference is to lock themselves in a room until the app is designed. As soon as they received specifications, they would stay heads-down and design until the product was “done.”
Your Assignment is write up a grade of the overall health of the team, as well as a plan to improve that. It should include:
Identifying why you think your key software engineer seems to have low morale, and what you can do to improve it.
2. Your sense of whether the UX team is on the right track with their plan — and what, if anything, should change.
3. Determine what, if anything, you can do in order to decide on whether or not to ultimately launch BizBot.The above plan should be no fewer than approximately 1,000 words.
