Welcome to the wild world of product management, where finding the right strategy can make or break your SaaS dreams. Buckle up as we embark on a journey through two different approaches: ‘Inside Out’ vs ‘Outside In’. Choose your product management strategy wisely, as they have very different objectives and will have a huge impact on the success of your product.
Inside Out – The Bold Innovator’s Gambit
Picture this: you’re leading a dynamic product team, brimming with innovative ideas. That’s the Inside Out approach, a strategy fueled by internal vision and expertise. Think of it as the “product push” method, where you create groundbreaking products based on your brilliant tech.
Why Inside Out Rocks for Disruption
Ready to shake up the market? Inside Out is your go-to. Clayton Christensen’s “Innovator’s Dilemma” nails it—look at Apple with the iPhone or Tesla with electric cars. They didn’t just ask what the market wanted; they built the future. Sure, some naysayers (looking at you, Steve Ballmer) doubted, but they proved them wrong.
However, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. Sometimes this approach is sarcastically named the ‘build it and they will come’ strategy, as it focuses on creating a product first and then finding a market for it. Geoffrey Moore’s marketing classic “Crossing the Chasm” is the industry textbook on how to go and create a market for a new technological innovation, yet it doesn’t offer a surefire path to success.
The risk of going ‘Inside Out’? Missing the mark on what customers actually need. Remember the Segway? Cool concept, but it didn’t quite land with users demands (see also our previous blog on falling in love with the problem). It’s like baking a cake in the dark—sometimes it turns out great, sometimes it’s a flop.
Outside In – The Customer Whisperer’s Guide
Flip the script with the Outside In approach, where you listen to customers and adapt. This method thrives on customer feedback and continuous improvement, ensuring your product evolves with user expectations.
Harnessing Customer Feedback
Agile and Lean methodologies shine here. By iterating based on user input, you keep your product relevant and user-friendly. Microsoft, for example, is a master of this, constantly tweaking its software to fit user needs.
But beware the trap of playing it too safe. Over-reliance on customer feedback can stifle innovation. Just ask Nokia—they had touchscreen phone prototypes way before the iPhone was launched but stuck to phones with keyboards because of feedback. Spoiler: it didn’t end well for Nokia.
Balancing the Scales – Your SaaS Product Strategy Mix
So, how do you choose? It’s all about balance.
When to Go Inside Out
Go ‘Inside Out’ for bold, market-defining innovations. If you’ve got a vision and the guts to pursue it, this approach can lead to groundbreaking products. Think Elon Musk with SpaceX and Tesla. Dream big but be ready for some bumps along the road.
When to Lean on Outside In
For steady growth and customer satisfaction, ‘Outside In’ is your friend. Regular feedback loops keep your product useful and relevant. Perfect for established products looking to maintain and grow their user base.
Epilogue: Crafting Your Unique Path
In the end, successful product management often blends both strategies. Take a leaf out of Apple’s playbook—they innovate boldly with new products (just one more thing …) and refine existing ones based on customer feedback.
So, ready to rethink your SaaS product management strategy? Balance visionary thinking with customer insights, and chart a path that aligns with your ambitions and risk-appetite. Happy SaaSifying!
