By Marty Cagan · svpg.com · LinkedIn
Marty Cagan argues that enterprise software is in poor shape: products are often hard to use, don't work out of the box, and force customers into costly professional services. He contends that good product management can substantially improve the situation. He defines the scope as business-sold software, covering both infrastructure and applications, and lays out ten practices that matter most for enterprise vendors. The essay matters because it reframes enterprise quality problems as product-management failures rather than inevitable features of a mature market.
01Key takeaways
- Treat usability, interaction design, and usability testing as core requirements, not polish, for enterprise products.
- Refuse custom feature requests from big prospects so the product stays broadly useful to many customers.
- Form a customer advisory board of six or so motivated customers to inform real requirements and serve as references.
- Design for every user type and sales channel, not just the buyer who signs the check.
- Make installation, configuration, upgrades, and integration simple enough to reduce dependence on professional services.
02Key sections
- Defining enterprise software
- Cagan scopes the term to products sold to businesses, excluding small-office markets that behave more like consumer markets. He notes that infrastructure and application products share most of the same concerns, weighted differently.
- Usability and working products
- Cagan says enterprise tools are often awful to use because buyers aren't the daily users, and many ship with serious defects. He calls for interaction design, usability testing, and real quality assurance.
- Avoiding custom specials and listening well
- He warns against letting big prospects dictate features, which turns a product company into a custom shop. He recommends a customer advisory board of six or so enthusiastic customers for real requirements input.
- Channels, users, and the buyer
- Cagan stresses designing for the sales channel, such as integrators and VARs, and distinguishing the customer who buys from the many users who live with the product.
- Installation, upgrades, and the sales process
- He criticizes installs that depend on specialist administrators, painful upgrades, and sales driven by rep charisma. He notes that the internet has changed how buyers research and evaluate products.
03From the post
“A partnership dedicated to teaching best practices to product teams and product leaders”
04Frameworks mentioned
Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.