Shared Philosophy
The foundation of effective PM-TL collaboration
"The product trio — PM, Tech Lead, and Designer — should work together from the start, solving real customer problems in ways that are valuable, usable, feasible, and viable."
Collaboration Benefits
- Early technical feedback reduces costly rework
- Better solutions emerge from diverse perspectives
- Shared ownership increases team satisfaction
- Faster time-to-market with fewer surprises
- Higher quality products that truly solve user problems
Critical Dimensions
- Valuable
- Solves real user problems and meets genuine needs
- Usable
- Intuitive and accessible for the target users
- Feasible
- Technically possible within constraints
- Viable
- Makes business sense and supports company goals
Common Pitfalls
- Late technical involvement leading to rework
- Prescriptive PRDs that dictate solutions
- Focusing on outputs (features) over outcomes
- Siloed work with minimal collaboration
- Unclear responsibilities and decision ownership
Key Principles
1. Early Collaboration
Tech Leads should be involved from day one of discovery, not just at handoff.
2. Problem-First Approach
Focus on clearly articulating the problem before jumping to solutions.
3. Shared Ownership
Both roles share responsibility for the product's success, not just their specific domains.
4. Continuous Learning
Regular retrospectives and feedback loops to improve the collaboration process.