Design Brief | Reinventing Product Development: People First, Technology Second 

Some media outlets and even outspoken senior executives seem intent on whipping up soul-crushing angst regarding today’s rapidly advancing technologies. “White collar” workers are doomed, they say. This is especially true of any form of AI, and they certainly include us in product and process development. Their best advice seems to be to “run for the hills.” And surely there will be fallout, and it will be painful for some. 

Technology is not an end … I continue to caution against focusing too much on tools and not enough on people 

But whether you are a company or an individual, hand wringing and pearl clutching is not going to help. In fact, to me, this feels like an unprecedented opportunity, and successful participants will attack it head-on. As always, we need to focus on what we can control and stop worrying about what we can’t. These technologies allow us to up our game in development and think more strategically about our work.   

For individuals, now is an opportunity to: 

• Think about the purpose of what your company is creating and connect your work with it  

• Consider your customer and their context 

• Imagine how this product (or your portion of the product) creates value for that customer  

• Act as a chief engineer for your area of responsibility  

• Experiment: be thoughtful and intentional about trade-off decisions 

• And, of course, aim to master new tools as these are tools that can enable you to better master your craft, as artisans have done throughout the centuries 

For organizations, now is a chance to: 

• Think about your entire development system and the way people, processes, and technology fit together to create value  

• Double down on your investment in people  

• Ensure people have access and training in the best technologies 

• Clearly communicate your strategy and intent 

• Employ LPPD principles and practices in concert with these new technologies to completely re-invent your development capability   

• Design thoughtful experiments, focusing first on improving wasteful micro and administrative tasks to enable developers to do what they are best at   

But technology is not an end; it is not the purpose of this work. We use technology to help us create successful new value streams … to make the world just a little better. I continue to caution against focusing too much on tools and not enough on people.   

Think about your entire development system and the way people, processes, and technology fit together to create value.

As you navigate these times, here are some guidelines I think can help: 

1. Don’t let technology get in between you and the gemba (the place where the real value-creating work gets done in your organization). Whether it’s in manufacturing or design, be clear about your strategy for implementing the new technology. How does using it tie into your larger business strategy? Be clear about people’s roles when it comes to leveraging the new technology, too. 

2. Use technology to enable people and processes as opposed to vice versa. When there’s too much focus on a new technology, it becomes disruptive, not supportive. The key thing to strive for is interdependence between people and systems. You want to think about larger system implications and then design work accordingly. 

3. Ask yourself, what are the skillsets that we need going forward? Whether it’s 3D printing or vibe coding or anything else, make sure that you have the right skill sets on your team and that your process for growing your team’s capabilities allows individuals to develop the right skill sets.  

4. Remember that organizational learning requires human beings. Leaders get excited about using new technologies to support continuous improvement, of course. Leaders always want to talk about the tool that will capture their lessons and make change easier. But people make change possible. Whatever technologies you’re using, ask yourself, is this a people-centric organization that’s investing in and developing people? All of this must come first.  

5. Collaboration is key. As I’ve said, all software is not created equal. These are huge expenditures that the business is taking on. Doing your due diligence by having a pilot-focused implementation plan is crucial. The wrong technology can distract your team, create new issues and errors, and potentially disrupt your whole operation. 

6. Get clear on the problem you’re trying to solve. Whether it’s a technology or a process application, you need to be clear about the real problem you’re trying to solve so that you get the right people engaged. You must develop an overall strategy that goes beyond just implementing new technology for its own sake. 

 
In an increasingly digital world, our technologies will continue to evolve. This is a good thing. I urge you to master the right tools for your work. But never forget that people are both the most important and the most capable part of any development system. It takes people to understand how to create real value for other people.