As a Product Manager, one of my core challenges was to streamline and optimize how our teams worked across Product, UX, and Development. The initial process was disorganized and siloed, with different teams working on their own dashboards, lacking coordination and transparency. This made it difficult to keep track of progress, estimate timelines, and ensure that projects were moving forward in sync. There was no standardized framework for managing workflows across different teams, and often we found ourselves reacting to issues rather than planning effectively.

My main goal was to introduce a comprehensive framework that aligned the workflows of the Product, UX, and Development teams while improving communication and accountability across the board. This required the creation of clear workflows, better estimation techniques, and implementing daily rituals that kept everyone aligned and focused.
Key initiatives I implemented included:

• Unified Dashboards: I consolidated all tasks into a main Product dashboard with specific swimlanes for different teams and periods. This allowed the entire organization to see how Epics connected to low-level tasks across UX and Development, improving transparency.

• Clear Identifiers and Filters: To avoid confusion, we introduced three layers of identifiers across all dashboards, helping teams easily distinguish between frontend, backend, UX, and research tasks. This filtering system ensured that tasks were always prioritized and aligned with larger objectives.

• Quartal-Based Estimation: I introduced high-level estimation for Epics using the S/M/L/XL framework to improve planning. This ensured that every Epic had an estimated scope and timeline, making it easier for us to plan quarterly sprints.

I worked to address team imbalances and ensure that all ongoing work was handled efficiently. Part of this strategy involved:

• Daily Rituals and Progress Checks: I established daily standups with the development team to track progress and discuss specific tasks in detail. These standups focused on keeping everyone on the same page while fostering a collaborative and transparent environment.

• Load Balancing Framework: To maintain project flow, I developed a load balancing framework that allocated team time between bugs, maintenance, and product features. By analyzing the last three weeks of work, we could balance tasks across teams, ensuring no aspect of the project fell behind.

• Research Tickets: I also implemented a practice where the team created research tickets to ensure features were fully scoped out before development. This provided a seamless transition from ideation to execution.

The introduction of these frameworks led to significant improvements:

• Unified Workflow Management: Teams across Product, UX, and Development were able to work more cohesively, with clear visibility into task progress and better cross-team communication.

• Improved Estimation Accuracy: With the S/M/L/XL framework, we improved our Epic estimations and quarterly planning, leading to fewer delays and more predictable project timelines.

• Efficient Task Load Distribution: The load balancing framework ensured a more even distribution of effort between new product features, bug fixes, and maintenance tasks, resulting in improved velocity and reduced bottlenecks.

By implementing a clear structure and fostering open communication across teams, we transformed what was once a chaotic and reactive workflow into a smooth and well-organized process. This structured approach not only made the team more efficient but also allowed us to better serve our clients with proactive planning and seamless execution.