The Power of Decoupling

With nearly a decade of experience in the digital product world, I've had the chance to work with all sorts of companies, from big established ones to fresh-faced startups and those in-between. And in my journey, I've noticed something that keeps cropping up, something worth talking about: the tricky dance between the "user-centered" way of making things and the real-world hurdles we face.

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The Discovery and Delivery Dilemma:

In the fast-paced world of digital product creation, teams often specialize in specific areas. Think of a finance app, where you've got squads dealing with payments, credit stuff, cryptocurrencies, lifestyle bits, and investments. These teams are fantastic at building and improving things quickly, but they often struggle to make choices that fit into the big picture. They're like pieces of a puzzle that sometimes don't quite fit together. What happens then? Well, compromises get made due to the daily chaos of business, and this can hurt the user experience. Users end up with a product that's not quite as refined as it could be because of all the confusion in the development process. Even worse, over time, teams tend to settle for the "good enough" solution instead of chasing that grand vision they started with.

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So, I've been thinking about something I like to call "The Power of Decoupling" - splitting the product development process into separate teams for discovery (constantly challenging the status quo and building a vision) and delivery (making those ideas real).

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The Challenge of Specialized Teams:

Here's where the issue lies: Specialized teams have a tough balancing act. They want to create something that matches the brand's vision and wows users with a great experience. But they're also under pressure to work fast and handle immediate user needs, sometimes sacrificing the long-term vision along the way.

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How Decoupling Helps:

To tackle these issues, we should split the process into three dedicated teams:

1. The Vision Team:

These folks focus solely on dreaming up the ideal version of the product. They ignore the current limitations, technical stuff, and all those hurdles. Their mission? Create a simpler, user-friendly version that perfectly fits the brand's vision and delivers an amazing user experience.

2. The Bridge Team:

This is a mix of designers, product managers, engineers, and department heads. They're like the glue that connects the dreamy vision with the practical reality. Their job? To turn the grand product vision into actual tasks and make sure it gets built.

3. The Reality Team:

These are the caretakers of the live product. They maintain it and make small improvements to get closer to the dream vision over time. (Could still have multiple squads)

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Why Decoupling is Awesome:

Splitting the product process has some great perks:

Clear Focus: Each team knows exactly what they're working on, reducing distractions and conflicts that often happen in mixed teams.

Amazing User Experience: The Vision Team can prioritize what users really want without being tied down by current constraints, giving them a product that they'll love.

Speed and Efficiency: The Reality Team can focus on making the live product better without constantly changing directions.

Fewer Hang-ups: By separating discovery and delivery, you cut down on the complications that arise when different teams need each other all the time.

Innovation: The Vision Team has the freedom to think outside the box and come up with fresh solutions.

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In a Nutshell:

In the realm of digital product development, the division of teams into those focused on discovery (generating ideas) and delivery (bringing those ideas to life) can be a game-changer. It effectively strikes the delicate balance between crafting a product that aligns with the brand's vision and swiftly meeting user needs. From my perspective, the concept of decoupling is not a revolutionary one; rather, it's about the realization, shared by all members of different teams, that having a clear understanding of each team's responsibilities within the creative process helps reduce stress, fosters personal satisfaction, and ultimately results in a product that provides the best possible customer experience.