Engineering Market Research Strategies

Do you also feel your roadmap planning is a counterproductive waste of time? Change that to a productive exercise that will set your success 12 months ahead with the following 10 pieces of advice: 1) Start too early The earlier you start, the more time you have to align with stakeholders and refine priorities. October might feel early, but having a draft ready before the year ends allows for feedback and stressless adjustments. 2) Clarify goals and strategy A roadmap without a clear purpose is just a wish list. Tie it to business goals, customer needs, and your overarching strategy. This gives your roadmap direction and credibility. 3) Allow everyone to chip in Your roadmap will be stronger if it includes diverse perspectives. Devs will ask for essential technical investments, sales understand customer pain points, and support hears complaints daily. Use their input to ensure your roadmap addresses real needs. 4) Double-check with legal Don't overlook this! Legal compliance can make or break your plans, especially in industries like fintech, healthcare, or data-heavy products. A quick legal review now can save you from costly setbacks later. 5) Organize a brainstorming workshop Bring stakeholders together for a focused brainstorming session. Use sticky notes, whiteboards, or virtual tools to encourage creativity. Workshops help uncover ideas you might not have considered and build alignment early. 6) Put an effort estimate on the most promising items Prioritization isn't just about impact; effort matters too. Collaborate with your devs to estimate the time and resources needed for each initiative. This helps balance quick wins with high-impact projects and helps choose the actual roadmap items during prioritization. 7) Ask your designer to put some quick visuals for the selected initiatives A picture is worth a thousand words. Having simple visuals for key roadmap items can help stakeholders grasp the vision faster and ensure everyone is aligned on what success looks like. 8) Organize work by quarters, not months, and especially not sprints Quarterly planning gives enough flexibility to adapt while still maintaining structure. Monthly plans can feel too rigid, and sprint-level roadmaps are operational, not strategic. Keep your roadmap focused on the big picture. 9) Leave room to breathe Don't overload the roadmap. Unexpected challenges will arise, and new opportunities will pop up. Leaving 20-30% of capacity unplanned ensures you can adapt without derailing the entire roadmap. 10) Be careful with your comms Communicate clearly that the roadmap is a direction, not a commitment. You’re agile, not waterfall. Keep flexibility baked into your messaging to avoid frustration later. So, does your roadmap planning feel like it produces something meaningful? Let me know in the comments! #productmanagement #productmanager #roadmap P.S. If you liked this read, be sure to catch more with my free newsletter. Subscribe at: www. drbartpm. com :)

Set and forget is not a pricing strategy ! Price--> Design--> Build We know that's what everyone says, but thats an oversimplification of what the entire process should look like. The assumption your pricing was correct in the pre-design phase and doesn't need change is dangerous, dangerous, dangerous !! I have seen too many physical and software products change drastically between initial design to final delivery. Product owners will typically assume that pricing still holds. You have to change that philosophy. In the real world we need a lot more iteration in price: Step 1: Initial Price: This stage you quantify the value and set an initial target price. This is a combination of internal/external research, some value quantification and pricing knowledge. Step 2: Design: With that price info, the product team designs a product that hits product and profitability targets. This is also where you need to keep track of the product margins. Often product will go design a better product at the expense of higher cost, and margins suffer before launch. Step 3: Reprice: Now that we know the new design constraints that impact the profitability, this stage gives you the opportunity to reprice the product based on the design. If substantial value has been added, price should go up. Do not fall into the 'lets over deliver on value and keep price same' trap. Step 4: Build: Now with that new price info and product roadmap the product goes through the build stage. Step 5: Pre launch reprice : Now significant time may have passed since last price review. The market for the product, the economy etc may have changed. This stage can assist in making last changes before product goes out. Good time to also establish guardrails for price performance, discount strategy, or sales strategy. Step 6: Launch: Goes without saying the product is out in the real world. Great way to capture feedback. Also a stage where performance is measured against the price guardrails. Step 7: Reprice 3: Based on sales feedback, you start charting next steps. Selling too slow, you may need discount or reprice. Selling too fast, it may be overdelivering on price vs value. Pricing metric may need change. Fx may have changed. This is the price adjustment stage, should be annual or semi annual. You can incorporate these steps into new product introduction framework or annual or semi annual pricing strategy process, either ways it will help establish good pricing principles in the org. I know of many products that once designed were never repriced years into its life.. Surely things must have changed all those years... Think of Pricing as a lifecycle !! -------------------------- We are in #Pricingtribe.

According to the World Economic Forum, "technological change, geoeconomic fragmentation, economic uncertainty, demographic shifts and the green transition — individually and in combination — are among the major drivers that are expected to shape and transform the global labor market by 2030." [1] Tech changes: Broadening digital access is anticipated to be the most transformative trend, "with 60% of employers expecting it to transform their business by 2030". Advancements in technology (AI + information processing) are also expected to drive both the fastest-growing and fastest-declining roles, and fuel demand for technology-related skills. [2] Economic factors: Increasing cost of living is the second most transformative trend, with economic slowdown remaining top of mind. Slower job growth and mixed outlook for inflation will likely drive an increase in demand for creative thinking and resilience, flexibility, and agility skills. [3] Green transition: Climate-change mitigation is the third-most transformative trend overall, driving demand for roles such as renewable energy engineers, environmental engineers, and electric and autonomous vehicle specialists. [4] Demographic shifts: Perhaps the most interesting trend of all (for me, at least), is the one around demographic shifts. Aging and declining working age populations in higher-income economies and expanding working age populations in lower-income economies are reshaping the labor markets. Aging populations will likely drive growth in healthcare jobs while growing working-age populations will fuel demand for educators. [5] Geopolitical dynamics: Geoeconomic fragmentation and geopolitical tensions are expected to drive changes in the operations of businesses, including offsohring and reshoring. Also a few interesting items to note in the report: * Technology-related roles are the fastest growing jobs (in percentage terms), including "Big Data Specialists, Fintech Engineers, AI and Machine Learning Specialists". Meanwhile, Clerical and Secretarial Workers are expected to see the largest decline (in absolute numbers). ** Due to change in demand for skillsets, the need to upskill and reskill workforce is urgent. According to the WEF report, "if the world’s workforce was made up of 100 people, 59 would need training by 2030". This is significant. It is no wonder that 63% of employers identify skills gap as a major barrier to business transformation in the next five years. #AI #Fintech #FinancialServices #FutureOfWork #BankingOnAI

𝗘𝗔’𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲: 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗯 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿 Enterprise Architecture (EA) has evolved beyond governance and documentation. It's a 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲. Strategic EA 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆. To unlock EA’s full impact, organizations must 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗘𝗔 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿. This begs an 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹, 𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵. Delivering measurable value in stages, while reducing complexity and risk. Enter the 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿—a structured roadmap to realizing EA’s value. It establishes f𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿: 𝗔 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽-𝗯𝘆-𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 Your journey to EA maturity flows through three stages. Each unlocks layers of business value: 𝟭 | 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗔: 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 & 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 Here, EA’s primary role is to align teams, standardize governance, and create an enterprise-wide architecture view. Without this, system visibility remains siloed, and strategic alignment is impossible. 𝙆𝙚𝙮 𝙄𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨: ✔ Define governance and operating ✔ Central EA repository for decision support ✔ Map business capabilities to technology 📌 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩:  ✅ Reduces redundant investment ✅ Clarity on technology landscape ✅ Improves strategic decision-making 𝟮 | 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗔: 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 EA shifts from documentation to execution—agility, cost optimization, and time-to-market. 𝙆𝙚𝙮 𝙄𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨: ✔ Integrate EA into transformation ✔ Optimize processes and reduce debt ✔ Support integration and interoperability 📌 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩:  ✅ Accelerates time-to-value ✅ Reduces costs, increases efficiency ✅ Aligns IT with business 𝟯 | 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗔: 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 At highest maturity, EA is a core part of strategy, decisions and innovation. 𝙆𝙚𝙮 𝙄𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨: ✔ Embed EA into C-level discussions ✔ Identify strategic technology investments ✔ Drive business model innovation 📌 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩: ✅ EA contributes to revenue growth ✅ Rapid adaptation to markets ✅ Scale transformation initiatives 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗔 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 to 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗔 is not an overnighter. Disciplined teams that deliver tangible results gain executive buy-in and accelerate their path to value. ➕ Follow Kevin Donovan 🔔 👍 Like | ♻️ Repost 🚀 Join Architects' Hub 👉 https://lnkd.in/dgmQqfu2

🚀 The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2025 has just been published 🌍 This essential read examines the major trends shaping the global labour market—technological change, economic uncertainty, demographic shifts, the green transition, &c —and what they mean for jobs, skills, and business transformation in the second half of this decade. Here's some key insights that struck me as important for those of us driving #digitaltransformation in organisations: 🔹 60% of employers expect broadening digital access to transform their businesses. We need to do more to integrate digital tools across processes and ensure equitable access for employees 🔹 Demand for AI, big data, cybersecurity, and technology literacy is skyrocketing 🔹 BUT we have to navigate the dual realities of job creation (eg, AI specialists) and displacement (eg clerical roles). Change isn't going to be good for everyone. 🔹 Two-fifths of skills and projected to become outdated by 2030 — a terrifying proportion for both employees and employers. Up-skilling and re-skilling are going to be critical 🔹 That doesn't mean everyone needs to become a techie. Arguably the opposite — it brings the human side of work to the fore, either in face-to-face occupations or shifting the focus to creativity, flexibility, and adaptability to complement technological skills 🔹 Upskilling 59% of the workforce by 2030 will require embedding training into day-to-day operations. Create systems that encourage continuous skill development, curiosity, and adaptability 🔹 Employee health and well-being will be increasingly important as a talent retention strategy. Similarly, while DEI's reputation is being trashed by tech bros, it's still vital to broaden talent pools and foster innovation 🔹 Climate change, economic uncertainty, and demographic shifts will redefine workforce priorities If you're shaping the #futureofwork, this report highlights a bunch of opportunities to align strategy with these transformative trends. Read the report here:

Every company says they listen to customers. But most just hear them. There's a difference. After spending years building feedback loops, here's what I've learned: Feedback isn't about collecting data. It's about creating change. Most companies fail at feedback because: - They send random surveys - They collect scattered feedback - They store insights in silos - They never close the loop The result? Frustrated customers. Missed opportunities. Lost revenue. Here's how to build real feedback loops: 1. Gather feedback intelligently - NPS isn't enough - CSAT tells half the story - One channel never works Instead: - Run targeted post-interaction surveys - Conduct deep-dive customer interviews - Analyze product usage patterns - Monitor support conversations - Build customer advisory boards - Track social mentions 2. Create a single source of truth - Consolidate feedback from everywhere - Tag and categorize insights - Track trends over time - Make it accessible to everyone 3. Turn feedback into action - Prioritize based on impact - Align with business goals - Create clear ownership - Set implementation timelines But here's the most important part: Close the loop. When customers give feedback: - Acknowledge it immediately - Update them on progress - Show them implemented changes - Demonstrate their impact The biggest mistakes I see: Feedback Overload: - Collecting too much data - No clear action plan - Analysis paralysis Biased Collection: - Listening to the loudest voices - Ignoring silent majority - Over-indexing on complaints Slow Response: - Taking months to act - No progress updates - Lost customer trust Remember: Good feedback loops aren't about tools. They're about trust. Every piece of feedback is a customer saying: "I care enough to help you improve." Don't waste that trust. The best companies don't just collect feedback. They turn it into visible change. They show customers their voice matters. They build trust through action. Start small: 1. Pick one feedback channel 2. Create a clear process 3. Act quickly on insights 4. Show results 5. Scale what works Your customers are talking. Are you really listening? More importantly, are you acting? What's your approach to customer feedback? How do you close the loop? ------------------ ▶️ Want to see more content like this and also connect with other CS & SaaS enthusiasts? You should join Tidbits. We do short round-ups a few times a week to help you learn what it takes to be a top-notch customer success professional. Join 1999+ community members! 💥 [link in the comments section]

10Rs in the Product Life Cycle 🌎 The transition to a circular economy requires a structured approach to rethinking how products are designed, used, and managed at end-of-life. The 10R framework offers a comprehensive set of strategies to guide this transformation across all phases of the product life cycle. Each of the 10Rs represents a specific action aimed at reducing resource use, extending product longevity, or recovering value. When applied systematically, these strategies support both environmental goals and operational efficiency. In the design and production phase, the focus is on preventing unnecessary resource consumption. This includes refusing materials or products that are not essential, redesigning systems to minimize waste, and reducing inputs through improved efficiency. The use phase is centered on maximizing the lifespan and performance of products and components. This involves strategies such as reusing existing products, repurposing them for different functions, repairing damage, refurbishing outdated models, and remanufacturing to restore functionality. In the after-use phase, the goal shifts toward recovering value from materials that can no longer be used as-is. Recycling enables the reprocessing of materials into new inputs, while regeneration supports the renewal of natural systems and resources. By aligning the 10Rs with the stages of the product life cycle, organizations can identify targeted opportunities to reduce environmental impact and strengthen supply chain resilience. This approach also enables more informed decisions at every stage—from product development to disposal—helping businesses align sustainability with performance and long-term value creation. Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg #climatechange #circulareconomy #circular

🚢 What’s Shaping Supply Chains Right Now? The past 60 days have brought big shifts in supply chain conversations. Companies aren’t just reacting to disruption anymore—they’re talking about reinvention, exploring new strategies, and figuring out what’s actually feasible. Here are the key themes emerging: 🔹 AI & Automation – The buzz is turning into real-world applications in forecasting, risk management, and decision-making—but many are still in the early stages of understanding how to implement it effectively. 🔹 Resilience & Agility – It’s a priority, but the path isn’t always clear. Companies are testing scenario modeling and AI-driven insights to build flexibility into their operations. 🔹 Visibility & Transparency – Whether through IoT, blockchain, or digital twins, businesses are pushing for better end-to-end visibility—especially in maritime logistics, where tracking remains a challenge. 🔹 Geopolitical Risks & Trade Complexity – Uncertainty in regulations and trade policies is forcing companies to reassess sourcing and compliance strategies—often with no easy answers. 📖 Read the full article below for deeper insights The direction is clear—companies want to be more agile, data-driven, and resilient—but the reality is that execution takes time. What trends are you seeing in your supply chain? Let’s discuss. #SupplyChain #AI #Resilience #Logistics #TradeCompliance #DigitalTransformation

Recently, I had the opportunity to share my learnings and insights from "Launching Products Globally" with an amazing audience at Plug and Play Tech Center with the presence of global audience including entrepreneurs from HKSTP - Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation. Here are a few learnings and insights from the evening: 1) You need to "localize" your product & go-to-market strategy: This doesn't only mean just translating or localizing your product. It's a lot more than that. You need to localize your "go-to-market" motion as well. You may have product-market-fit (PMF) locally, in the first country/region you launched, but that doesn't mean you can take the same product and go-to-market strategy to launch in a new country/region. As an example at Fitbit, we learned how the French think about fitness (they count walking to a restaurant to get a glass of wine as their "fitness") is very different than how Americans define workout and fitness. So all our marketing and go-to-market strategies had to align with the way locals will see benefits in our products. 2) Having boots on the ground is essential for successful global expansion: You need to have boots on the ground who truly understand the nuances of how to go-to-market, how to sell, and how to deliver your value proposition to customers in different regions. There are a lot of nuances of how to do business locally that will take outsiders to any market a long time to learn. At Cleo, where we had global customers like Salesforce, Redbull, Pepsi, and Uber, we had to have local health Guides to deliver our services with an intimate understanding of customers needs and approaches in that region. 3) Understanding local, cultural, and social aspects is critical to a global expansion success: Even though at the surface things may seem similar in each region, there are a lot of nuances that make your go-to-market strategy and the way you deliver your services resonate with the local customers or not. At Teladoc, we've learned that people in different countries think about their mental health and how to get support for that "very differently" than each other. Huge thank you to my hosts Rahim Amidi, Dr. Yahya Tabesh, Amir Amidi, Ahmadreza Masrour, and Akvile Gustaite, and HKSTP leaders, Albert Wong & Pheona Kan, who are interested in continuing these conversations. It was awesome to meet great entrepreneurs and see old friends: Reza Moghtaderi Esfahani, Daniel Lo, Houman Homayoun, Wayne Chang, Golnaz (Naz) Moeini. #product #gotomarket #globallaunch #globalbusiness

Hiring top engineers is hard. Keeping them is harder. ⚠️ In 2025, salaries and remote work are just baseline. The real edge is culture, clarity, and career momentum, and SignalFire’s new report shows why. TOP companies don’t just hire engineers; they keep them. Google, Microsoft, Apple, Netflix, and Amazon lead on retention. Meta, OpenAI, and Anthropic are scaling fastest, while Tesla, Walmart, and Bloomberg are losing talent. Engineers follow “brand gravity.” They’re drawn to places where they can grow, have autonomy, and make an impact without burning out. That’s why some firms thrive even in turmoil. 🤔 Degrees? Optional. 🤔 Talent? NON-NEGOTIABLE. 👉 More than 15% of engineers at Microsoft, Adobe, and Walmart have no formal degree, and Apple, The Walt Disney Company, and Netflix are close behind at ~13%. Org structures are shifting too: engineer-to-manager ratios have increased by ~30% over the past decade. Managers focus on mentorship, while ICs gain more autonomy and visibility. The result: a new elite—M²A³GNUS—Microsoft, Meta, Apple, Amazon, Adobe, Google, Netflix, Uber, Stripe. Companies where engineers want to stay. 👉 If you’re scaling an engineering org this year: • Hire for ability, not pedigree. • Keep managers close to the code. • Build strong IC career paths. • Treat retention like your strongest moat. Because the real war for engineering talent isn’t about who can hire the fastest, it’s about who can build a place where top engineers choose to stay, grow, and create the next generation of products. (Full SignalFire report linked in the first comment.) #EngineeringLeadership #TechTalent #FutureOfWork