Remember those tiny virtual pets we used to carry around in the 90s? If you’re ol-, I mean, veteran enough, you probably had an electronic pet fish, gorilla or alien. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, go look it up - you’re in for a surprise. In any case these digital creatures demanded constant attention. Feed them, clean up after them, play with them – neglect any of these tasks, and your virtual pet would suffer the consequences. And by “suffer the consequences” I mean they’d die. Or, you know, go up in their spaceship and leave you alone. Like I said - the 90’s were weird.
In my years of consulting with organizations on their data strategy, I've noticed a striking parallel: Your data reports and dashboards are just as demanding as those nostalgic digital pets. They require regular maintenance, updates, and care to remain valuable and relevant to your business.
Last year, I worked with a mid-sized e-commerce company that had invested heavily in their data infrastructure. They had beautiful dashboards, comprehensive reports, and even a dedicated BI team. Yet, when we conducted an audit, we discovered that:
This scenario isn't unique. In my experience, the root cause of these issues is consistently the same: treating data infra and products as a static asset rather than a living system, or as a product - just like the ones your friendly product manager next door is responsible for.
Early in my career, I learned a lesson I'll never forget about the gap between feedback and actual usage. We had just launched what we thought was a game-changing operational dashboard for managers overseeing global teams. Following what we believed was best practice, we sent detailed release notes to all stakeholders, explaining the features and requesting feedback.
The response was overwhelming - our inbox flooded with 'Reply All' emails praising the dashboard as revolutionary and life-changing. We were ecstatic. Finally, we'd created something truly valuable!
Or so we thought.
A few weeks later, we noticed usage declining. The mystery was only solved when some of these same managers visited our office. Sitting beside them and watching them work revealed the harsh truth: the dashboard wasn't actually meeting their needs. Features we thought were intuitive weren't. Critical functionalities were missing. Users were supplementing our "revolutionary" dashboard with manual work and other reports.
This moment was transformative for me. It showed that positive feedback - even enthusiastic praise - isn't enough. Real product management requires getting close to your users, observing how they actually work, and understanding their true needs.
This experience shaped my entire approach to data products.
Here's how we can apply proven product management methods to make our data work truly valuable:
Working with data teams across various organizations - from nimble startups to large enterprises - I've noticed a pattern: the most successful teams are those who treat their data assets with the same rigor and methodology as product teams treat their products. Here's how you can apply proven product management methods to your data work:
1. Usability Testing for Data Products
Just like product teams conduct user testing sessions, your data work needs regular user feedback:
Different reports are at different stages in their lifecycle, requiring different approaches:
Apply agile principles to your data work:
Use product management prioritization techniques:
The Results? This approach helps you:
And remember - just like a product manager regularly checks in with users and maintains their product, don't forget to regularly check in with your data products. Sometimes they just need a small update (or a cookie 🍪) to keep running smoothly.
Looking back at that early experience with the operational dashboard, I realize now that what we were missing wasn't just better testing - it was a whole product mindset. Just like you wouldn't launch a product without understanding your users, you can't launch a successful data product without truly understanding how it fits into your stakeholders' daily work.
Years after that eye-opening experience with the operational dashboard, I found myself staring at my kid's new Tamagotchi (that I got at a data conference!) while cleaning out a drawer. It hit me - those little virtual pets were actually teaching us something profound about responsibility and attention. They didn't need complicated care routines; they just needed consistent attention and someone to notice when something wasn't quite right. And also batteries, occasionally.
And just like a Tamagotchi, your data products will tell you when they need attention - through declining usage, user complaints, or manual workarounds. The key is to listen to these signals and respond with the right product management tools at the right time.
It's about developing that sixth sense for when your dashboards need attention, building genuine relationships with your users, and understanding that sometimes the simplest solution - like sitting next to someone for an hour - can provide the most valuable insights.
After all, at the heart of product thinking isn't fancy frameworks or methodologies - it's about caring enough to pay attention.
Want to share your data product stories or challenges? Let's connect!
.svg)
%201.svg)
