Give-and-Take: 6 Ways Engineers and Product Managers Can Help Each Other

Forget everything you've heard about rivalry between engineers and product managers—it's a paradigm that needs to die. Today's tech world moves too fast, and the only way forward is through give-and-take collaboration. This article uncovers six ways engineers and PMs can avoid butting heads and stay focused on the mission.

1. PMs: Share the Big Picture; Engineers: Share Technical Constraints

Give: PMs can help engineers by providing a clear understanding of the business goals and customer needs behind a project. This helps engineers understand why a particular feature or deadline is important. Sharing context early allows engineers to align their work with broader goals.

Take: Engineers, in return, should openly communicate the technical constraints and complexities involved in a project. If a seemingly small feature will require major backend changes, explaining this upfront helps PMs make better decisions about prioritization and timelines.

Example: A PM explains that a feature is key to winning a major client or meeting a competitive threat, which helps engineers prioritize it. Similarly, when an engineer shares that a feature will take extra time because of scalability issues, a PM can adjust expectations.

Resource

For PMs: "Product Management in Practice" by Matt LeMay – A comprehensive guide to understanding and communicating product goals.

For Engineers: "The Pragmatic Programmer" by Andrew Hunt and David Thomas – A book that emphasizes communication and technical decision-making in the development process.

2. PMs: Avoid Micromanagement; Engineers: Involve Yourself in the Ideation Process

Give: Product managers should resist the urge to control every detail of the product's execution. Trust the engineers to handle the technical aspects and give them space to solve problems their way. Overly prescriptive management can stifle creativity and lead to disengagement.

Take: Engineers should take initiative in the ideation process. Don't wait to be asked—offer suggestions and ideas on how to improve the product. Many engineers have valuable insights that can enhance the product's functionality, performance, or design. Being proactive shows you're invested in the product's success beyond just writing code.

Example: A PM outlines business objectives and asks for input instead of telling engineers how to implement a feature. Meanwhile, engineers offer technical solutions proactively and contribute to brainstorming sessions.

Resource

For PMs: "Empowered" by Marty Cagan and Chris Jones – This book explores how to empower teams to take ownership of product execution.

For Engineers: "Creative Confidence" by Tom Kelley and David Kelley – A great resource for engineers looking to contribute creatively to product ideation.

3. PMs: Give Credit Generously; Engineers: Support Product Decisions Publicly

Give: One common complaint from engineers is that PMs take credit for project success since they're often the ones presenting it to leadership. PMs can help build trust by sharing credit with the engineering team and giving engineers opportunities to present their work.

Take: Engineers, in return, can support PMs' decisions when presenting to other teams or stakeholders. Even if you disagree with some aspects, publicly backing the product decisions shows unity and fosters a collaborative culture.

Example: After a successful launch, a PM invites engineers to present the technical achievements. Engineers, in return, publicly support PMs' product decisions in stakeholder meetings.

Resource

For PMs: "Radical Candor" by Kim Scott – A book that provides insights on building strong relationships and giving credit where it's due.

For Engineers: "Crucial Conversations" by Al Switzler, Joseph Grenny, and Ron McMillan – Learn how to have effective, supportive conversations with colleagues and leadership.

4. PMs: Be Open to Technical Debt Discussions; Engineers: Be Realistic About Timelines

Give: PMs can help engineers by being open to conversations about technical debt and maintenance. It's tempting to prioritize new features, but neglecting the technical foundation can lead to bigger problems. Allowing time for necessary code refactoring or infrastructure improvements demonstrates an understanding of long-term product health.

Take: Engineers should also be realistic about how long things will take. If you give overly conservative estimates, PMs may feel pressured to push back on timelines. Providing accurate timelines and communicating delays early helps PMs plan effectively.

Example: Engineers communicate the risks of technical debt and PMs allow time for refactoring, while engineers provide realistic time estimates to manage expectations.

Resource

For PMs: "Technical Debt 101" by ThoughtWorks – A great primer on understanding technical debt and how to manage it.

For Engineers: "The Phoenix Project" by Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford – A novel that illustrates the impact of balancing technical debt and business priorities.

5. PMs: Include Engineers in Customer Feedback; Engineers: Respect Business Priorities

Give: PMs can help engineers by sharing customer feedback directly. Engineers often feel more connected to the product when they hear how customers are using it, what problems they're facing, and what features they love.

Take: Engineers, in turn, should respect the business priorities that PMs are balancing. While it may be frustrating to launch a less-than-perfect feature, doing so can sometimes be crucial to maintaining competitiveness.

Example: A PM invites engineers to participate in customer feedback sessions, and engineers understand the importance of certain feature launches, even when they feel some aspects need more refinement.

Resource:

For PMs: "The Lean Product Playbook" by Dan Olsen – A practical guide for understanding customer feedback and translating it into actionable product development strategies.

For Engineers: "The Mythical Man-Month" by Frederick P. Brooks – This classic book addresses the challenges of software development timelines and business expectations.

6. PMs: Set Clear, Achievable Goals; Engineers: Be Solution-Oriented

Give: One of the most valuable things a PM can do for engineers is set clear and achievable goals. Vague requirements or constantly changing priorities can cause frustration. By defining what success looks like and sticking to those parameters, PMs can help engineers focus and work efficiently.

Take: Engineers should approach problems with a solution-oriented mindset. Instead of listing reasons why something can't be done, offer alternatives or workarounds. Being constructive helps the PM and the team move forward without getting bogged down by technical roadblocks.

Example: A PM provides clear success metrics for a project, while engineers offer practical solutions when technical constraints arise.

Resource

For PMs: "Measure What Matters" by John Doerr – Learn how to set clear objectives and measurable key results (OKRs) that align with your team's efforts.

For Engineers: "Designing Data-Intensive Applications" by Martin Kleppmann – A technical resource that helps engineers think about building scalable, reliable systems while balancing product requirements.

Real-World Example: Elon Musk's 5-Step Algorithm to Cut Internal Bureaucracy

Elon Musk is well-known for his bold management style at Tesla and SpaceX. In his quest to cut through internal bureaucracy, Musk has developed a five-step algorithm, detailed in his recent biography by Walter Isaacson, which provides an actionable framework for streamlining processes.

1. Question Every Requirement: Musk advises challenging every requirement, even if it comes from a "smart person." Attach a name to each requirement, and continually ask if it's necessary. If not, eliminate it.
2. Delete Any Part of the Process You Can: Musk emphasizes that simplicity is key. Delete unnecessary steps—go further than you think you should. If you don't have to add at least 10% back, you haven't deleted enough.
3. Simplify and Optimize: Only after eliminating unnecessary steps should you simplify and optimize what remains. Avoid the mistake of streamlining processes that shouldn't exist in the first place.
4. Accelerate Cycle Time: Once the process is streamlined, focus on speeding it up. Musk warns against wasting time accelerating parts of processes that are redundant or unnecessary.
5. Automate Last: Musk's final step is automation, but only after thoroughly questioning, deleting, and simplifying the process. Automating too early can lead to unnecessary complexity.

Musk's method can be a powerful example of how PMs and engineers can work together to challenge inefficiencies, streamline workflows, and optimize productivity. By continually questioning assumptions and simplifying processes, product development teams can dramatically reduce internal roadblocks and enhance collaboration.

Less Stress, More Passion

As Simon Sinek wisely said, "Working hard for something we don't care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion." The same applies to the relationship between engineers and PMs. When they work together with mutual respect and passion, great things happen. Let this give-and-take spirit drive your team's next big product release.