The Art of Saying No

Product managers practise the art of saying no every day. Shipping some things means not shipping others, and while that is a big part of the job, it is never fun and can take its toll. In this talk from Mind the Product 2015, Mina Radhakrishnan looks at how to move away from simply saying no.

Prioritization is the main reason product managers say no. If resources were infinite, teams could do it all, but whether you are a startup or a large enterprise, they never are. Radhakrishnan argues that prioritization is necessary and good: articulating priorities forces you to prove value and ask the tough questions, so you have answers for others.

She outlines four things prioritization should consider: goals, success metrics, timeframes and potential solutions. Knowing why something matters and how you will measure success aligns priorities much better with company goals. She shares examples of the process, separating small feature requests from large strategic decisions, and offers a number of alternatives to a flat no.