Definition of Product Operations
That oh-so difficult question
Note: This resource was originally created by Graham Reed, and posted on ProductOpsProfessional.org, before that site was merged into this newsletter.
The Definition
Product Operations is a multifaceted role that focuses on optimising the end-to-end lifecycle of a product, driving cross-functional collaboration, and enabling product teams focus on what they do best: build great products. It involves the orchestration of various activities and resources to deliver a seamless experience from product inception to delivery, support, and continuous improvement. It is a role that is a mixture of strategic and tactical outcomes.
Product Operations is about supporting others - whether that be one individual, one team or one whole business to work better, smarter, more efficiently. This is done with a balance of experience and expertise, and collaborating with the professionals in the business to uncover their unique strengths and weaknesses, and applying solutions that fit those boundaries.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ for applying Product Operations to any/all businesses - but there is a scope of the types of responsibilities product Operations teams are expected to take on (See Pillars of Product Ops), often in a flexible, sometimes imaginative way to meets the needs of the overall business.
In short, Product Operations is an enabling, often problem-solving specialist role for product teams that focuses on iterating solutions and processes quickly to help professionals in their everyday lives.
Overall, Product Operations looks to:
Align
Bring teams together in how they work, and more widely align the company on how product teams operate.
Enable
Provide the means for product teams to complete routine and strategy tasks themselves, as efficiently as possible (not taking on their tasks for them).
Improve
Work continuously and iteratively to improve how teams work, removing barriers and bottlenecks, reducing time spent on processes or tasks, and providing everything teams need to do the best job they can.
Grateful acknowledgement to Dave Soetanto, Elicia Potter, Nick Potok & Paulo Garcia for their review and critique of this resource