Don't Chase the Shiny Objects

February 26, 2024

Happy Monday everyone! There is lots going on in the Cleveland Product scene, so let’s get to it!

Article of the Week

Those of us that are in Product roles love to build new products and features for our customers and our companies. What could happen as we do that though, is that we look for the latest tech trend and try to implement that as a solution. But there is a fallacy that customers will be attracted to your product just because of that new thing, a.k.a. the shiny object.

Don’t chase the shiny objects.

As Product people we must stay focused on what is most important for both our customers and our companies, which many times doesn’t involve a shiny object. I recently read an article on Everhour that shows why chasing shiny objects is bad and how we can stay focused. My three favorite takeaways:

  1. Wasting time - Chasing shiny objects requires runway to learn the technology, ways to implement it, and how to effectively use it within your existing product or tech stack. As you are doing that, the technology evolves, customer behavior changes, or your competition catches up, all of which could lead you to fall farther behind, leading to...

  2. Stressing out your team - Learning new stuff is great, but constantly learning new stuff can be exhausting. While teams like to learn new stuff, yes, they also like to deliver features and capabilities and see their products used. Strike a balance for the benefit of your team, which means you must...

  3. Set better goals - Goals should be aligned around organizational mission and product strategy, which be centered on the value your product or service brings to the customers and the market. And while that might include using new technology, the goal shouldn’t be simply to “implement bleeding-edge technology X”.

Stay focused in 2024 on what your customers need and the value your product brings to the market, while also using new technology when appropriate. Don’t just chase the shiny objects!

Recent Events

🛣️ I love the energy at our in-person Product Lean Coffees, and last week was no different! This time we focused on Roadmapping, and I really enjoyed hearing the perspectives of my Cleveland Product, Design, and Engineering friends.

Product Jobs of the Week

The Product roles at Cleveland companies keep rolling in!

Upcoming Events

  • March 13th - Product Roadmaps that Suck Wayyy Less

  • March 20th - Product Lean Coffee - Product Discovery @ Van Aken Market Hall

  • April 10th - AMA with Lisa Schneider - Go To Market

About the Author

My name is Shawn Leitner. I started the Cleveland Product networking group in 2017, which helps to connect Product professionals around Cleveland, providing them with a forum to network, learn, and share stories. For my day job, I'm a Product Consultant & Coach for Pathfinder Product and help clients implement strong Product practices so they can create products that their teams love building and their customers love using. Connect with me on LinkedIn or feel free to attend one of my events either virtually or in-person. Always up for meeting for a cup of coffee also!2