#Things to consider

  • Who has the budget for this project?
  • Who will be engineering the product?
  • Who is marketing it?
  • Who has ultimate veto power over the design?
  • Use a listening tour to get to know the priorities of your teammates and the objectives for the project. It’s perfect opportunity when you are onboarded on a new project.

#Questions to ask people on a listening tour

  • What’s your role in the organization, and how does it relate to the product?
  • What are your goals and objectives in your role? What are your top priorities? How do you know if you’re successful? How do you measure success?
  • How does your work impact customers? Who do you consider to be your primary customers? Can you describe them? What are their priorities and goals? Why do they use your products? What prevents them from using your products, if anything? What questions do you have about your users that you don’t currently have answers to?
  • Who are your competitors, and how well are you doing compared to them? What do you do well? What could be improved? What differentiates your company and your products in the market?