Pet adoption is often a high point for many people when creating memories. Do you remember the excitement of bringing home your first pet? The joy of a new furry family member, however, comes with responsibility and preparation. You likely spent hours researching breeds, finding veterinarians, debating names, and preparing your home.
Well, adopting an internal product management approach also requires careful planning, commitment, and a readiness to embrace change. Just as you’d prepare your home for a new pet, it’s time to prep your business for a strategy that nurtures growth and innovation.
But what exactly is internal product management, and how can you determine if it’s suitable for your organization?
What Is Internal Product Management, And Why Might You Need It?
Internal product management is a forward-thinking strategy to move away from traditional tactical project execution toward a more flexible, value-aligned, and customer-centric methodology. It focuses on treating internal stakeholders and teams as customers, and it requires a unique set of skills and a customer value-based approach, distinguishing it from traditional IT roles.
Signs That Your Organization Is Ready To Adopt An Internal Product Team Approach
Adopting an internal product team approach can come with advantages, including more flexible planning, greater business alignment, and more flexibility and adaptability. While the approach can benefit most organizations, several factors will impact its effectiveness:
- Rapid industry changes. This model thrives on adaptability and is well suited to environments where staying ahead of the curve is crucial. If innovation is a key determinant of success in your industry, it’s time to consider an internal product team approach.
- Current IT approaches are lagging. If existing IT organization methodologies can’t keep up with the demands of your customers and internal teams, internal product management gives a more agile and flexible development approach.
- The product model fits your needs. If you’ve seen benefits from treating internal teams as customers, the internal product team approach could be a game-changer.
- Defending the value of internal products/platforms. It’s crucial for team members to understand the value of the internal platform and that they are able to defend its worth to executive leadership. If your team is ready to showcase the business value of the internal product, this approach could flourish in your organization.
If any of these factors look familiar, it might be time to investigate the role of the internal product manager and how it is helping Forrester clients transform their operating models. By doing so, you could be positioning your team to drive greater value for your team and the business.
Forrester clients can read the full report, The Rise Of Internal Product Management, to learn more details of these dimensions. Forrester clients can also schedule a guidance session or inquiry to discuss this in the context of your product organization.
