Start with a decision, not a document
Imagine customers abandoning an onboarding flow. Sales asks for a guided tour. Support wants better help articles. Engineering suggests fixing a slow screen. The PM’s job is to help the team decide which problem matters, what evidence would change the decision, and what outcome to pursue. A roadmap or PRD is a way to communicate that work.
Understand what is happening
Begin with the observed behavior. Define “abandonment,” check the analytics, and look at where users stop. Speak to relevant customers and colleagues. Separate evidence from interpretation: “seven interviewees could not find the next step” is different from “everyone needs a guided tour.” Consider the sample and what it cannot tell you.
Make the alternatives visible
A PM works with design, engineering, data, and commercial partners to compare possible responses. The options might include changing the interface, improving performance, explaining the next step, or doing nothing until the evidence is clearer. Identify the assumptions and cost of each. The most requested feature does not automatically deserve priority.
Help the team learn and decide
Agree on a useful measure, such as completing the first meaningful task. Build the smallest experiment that addresses the important uncertainty. After the test, explain what happened, what remains unknown, and what you recommend. The PM does not personally own every discipline; the work depends on collaboration and clear accountability.
Where AI fits
AI can help organize approved research, challenge a brief, compare alternatives, and create an early prototype. Give it the evidence and ask it to identify gaps. Verify its synthesis. The responsibility for understanding the customer, aligning the team, and making the decision stays with the people doing the work.
Try it this week
Choose one feature request. Write a one-page decision memo: the user problem, available evidence, three options, the riskiest assumption, and the next test. Ask a colleague whether they can understand the decision without attending a meeting.
Source / further reading: Further reading: Product School ↗