There are eleventy million product management frameworks. OK, not a real number, but there are a bunch top of which are mentioned here - Top 11 Frameworks Every Product Manager Should Know. There are canvases and worksheets, formulas and flowcharts. All attempting to lay the groundwork to Ron Popeil your way to success. Just "set it and forget it," and you'll be on your way to a growing product.

There's an open secret that no framework or worksheet helps you with - don't be in love with your solution and test it. That's it. Be ready to throw it away or put your foot on the gas if users really love it.

How much risk are you comfortable with? No framework can answer that. It depends on your personality and business constraints. So, pick a level of risk that doesn't keep you up at night and go for it. 

Here's what that looks like for me...

Is this an *actual* problem? Ask [insert comfortable number of users] to see. If it passes, then move onto the next step.

With as little investment as possible (Eric Reis of The Lean Startup has lots of great ideas on this one - tl;dr if it remotely gets the job done, get it into customers hands to test IRL) get a workable prototype out there.

And keep listening. Listen to both user feedback and how your solution is being used. After the official testing period are users still Doing The Thing? Did they drop it like a stone? One test, one survey, one study, does not listening make. Those things again and again over time makes listening.

Take it from the top! Do it again, continuing to refine and make investment as you go.

Do you use a framework? Does this feel too risky or not regimented enough? What's worked for you?

Meghan

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