By Lenny Rachitsky · lennysnewsletter.com · @lennysan on X · YouTube · LinkedIn
Lenny Rachitsky's newsletter answers two reader questions. The first, with guest Lex Roman, argues that a PM can keep designers and engineers motivated around metrics by involving them in the whole measurement cycle: defining goals, reviewing metrics, prioritizing against outcomes, and reflecting on releases together. The second addresses a data scientist moving into product management, arguing that an internal transfer is the safest route, that a one-level drop in leveling is normal, and that the candidate should build the soft skills where they are weakest. The advice is practical and grounded in shared accountability and deliberate skill-building.
01Key takeaways
- Involve designers and engineers in goal setting, since it is the most valuable time to align on outcomes.
- Show the team the dashboards you use and how they tie to quarterly goals, and invite questions.
- Ask teammates to make evidence-based cases for their priorities, holding everyone, including PMs, to the same standard.
- Document success criteria before each release, then review results together and learn from them.
- Pursue an internal transfer into PM when available, and ask the decision-maker what evidence you need to show.
- Leverage your existing strengths while deliberately developing soft skills like influence and product taste.
02Key sections
- Define metrics together
- Involving designers and engineers in quarterly goal setting makes them more engaged, and a sample working-session agenda walks through reviewing the last quarter, company goals, and next-quarter focus. Checking whether teammates are excited helps reveal what motivates them.
- Review metrics together
- Teammates often lack access to or understanding of the metrics they are measured on. Regularly showing dashboards and connecting releases and experiments to outcomes helps the whole team see its impact.
- Prioritize together
- Starting prioritization by reviewing goals keeps low-impact work out. Team members should be challenged to justify their ideas with evidence and success measures, and the same standard applies to PMs.
- Reflect on releases together
- Defining success criteria before a release and reviewing results afterward helps the team learn what to do differently. Letting teammates ship the work they care about, then judging it together, builds trust.
- Transitioning from data science to PM
- An internal transfer program is the least risky route into PM. A one-level step down is normal, but larger drops warrant questions, and a data scientist should close soft-skill gaps such as influence and product taste while modeling effective PMs.
03From the post
“Hello and welcome to my humble newsletter where I attempt to answer your questions about building product, driving growth, working with other humans, and anything else that’s stressing you out at the office. Send me your questions and in return, I’ll give you candid real-talk advice 🤝 If you’re returning from last week, thank you! If you’re new to this newsletter, nice to have you! 🤜🤛 This week (just two questions, an experiment): 1. Keeping designers and engineers excited about growth (with special guest @calexity!) 🤩 2. Transitioning from Data Science to Product Management 🧟‍♂️ On to this week’s questions… [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s!POGJ!,fauto,qauto:good,flprogressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F57d7e70e-3b88-43e3-bfcf-4fee2fdbbd3d4272x2848.jpeg) Q: I’m finding it difficult to keep the designers and engineers on my team excited about driving metrics. We debate timelines, quality, and priorities and it’s never easy to get everyone on the same page. Any advice for getting everyone aligned around outcomes? When I think about growth and design, I immediately think of Lex Roman. She has consistently put out some of the best content about design and growth, design and data, and design and experiments. I asked…”
04Frameworks mentioned
Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.