Situation:
As a product owner, I was given the responsibility to lead a team of more than 15 members, including tech leads, developers, quality analysts, and UI developers. Our objective was to create a new feature application that would move away from a monolithic architecture to a microservice architecture. The CEO envisioned an independent functioning application that had a fresh UI with features that reduced the number of clicks required to access a particular function. Our goal was to complete this project within the timeline and budget allocated to us.
Task:
To achieve our goal, I initiated user interviews with clients who were most invested in this feature. Through these interviews, I gathered their requirements and pain points with our current parent product. I created user personas to represent our ideal users and worked on developing a detailed plan to meet all requirements while staying within the budget and timeline. I divided the project into smaller tasks and assigned them to the appropriate team members. I used Jira for user stories, Balsamiq for wireframing, Figma for UI design, and Draw.io for user flow diagrams. Daily standups meetings were conducted to discuss progress and address any roadblocks.
Action:
To meet the project requirements, I worked closely with the team to identify potential challenges and develop solutions. I tasked the technical lead to identify the existing technical debts in the parent application and develop a microservices architecture that would allow for a responsive and lean application. We implemented a feature-driven approach to the product cycle, which allowed us to quickly move new features for UAT through regular demos. I utilized Balsamiq to create wireframes and designs that were easy to navigate and UX friendly. I had the UI team focus on creating a fresh UI that reduced the number of clicks required to access a function. Throughout the project, I used Jira to track progress and ensure that the team met their targets.
Result:
The end result was a successful application that met all project requirements. The new microservices architecture allowed for faster and more responsive performance, while the feature-driven product cycle allowed us to quickly add new features to the application. The fresh UI with reduced clicks also made the application more user-friendly and easy to navigate. As a product owner, I worked closely with the team to ensure that the project was completed on time and within budget. I regularly communicated with the CEO, CTO, and other stakeholders to keep them updated on the progress and address any concerns. In the end, the CEO's vision of creating an independent functioning application was achieved, and the project was considered a success.
Measurable Metrics:
Our team successfully completed the project within the allocated timeline and budget. The new microservices architecture reduced the application's response time by 80%, improving its overall performance. The feature-driven approach allowed us to launch the new application with three new features, reducing the time to market by 20%. The fresh UI design received positive feedback from our users, with an overall user satisfaction score of 4.5/5. As a product owner, I successfully managed a team of 15+ members and ensured their productivity by assigning tasks that played to their strengths. I also ensured that the team was well-informed of the project's progress and goals, reducing miscommunications by 50%. Overall, our project was a success, and we exceeded our clients' expectations, as evidenced by a 90% client satisfaction score.