Who This Helps
This is for product managers who have a list of experiments but no clear way to pick the next one. You want to stop guessing and start deciding. The Product Portfolio Strategy course gives you a simple framework to size bets and sequence work.
Mini Case
Imagine you manage a team that ships three features per quarter. Last quarter, you ran an experiment that took 12% of your team's capacity but only moved the needle by 0.5%. Meanwhile, a smaller test on onboarding took 3 days and improved activation by 7%. The difference? The second experiment had a clear bet size and a kill criterion. You could have saved weeks by prioritizing it first.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- List every product question you're trying to answer this month. Keep it to one sentence per question.
- For each question, write down the smallest test that would give you a clear yes or no. Think hours, not weeks.
- Estimate the potential impact. Use a simple scale: low, medium, high. No complex math needed.
- Rank the experiments by impact divided by effort. The highest ratio wins.
- Pick the top experiment and set a deadline. Tell your team: "We run this test by Friday."
Avoid These Traps
- Don't fall in love with a big experiment. Bigger is not better. Faster learning is better.
- Don't skip the kill criterion. Define what "stop" looks like before you start.
- Don't let stakeholders push for a feature without a test. Turn their request into a measurable question.
- Don't run more than one experiment per team per week. Focus beats multitasking.
- Don't forget to write down what you learned. Even a failed test is data.
Your Win by Friday
By the end of the week, you'll have one experiment running that directly answers your biggest product question. You'll know exactly why you picked it and what success looks like. That's one less guess and one more data point for your next portfolio review. And honestly, it feels great to stop spinning and start moving.