A product team's effectiveness is not just about skills (competencies). It's equally dependent on the right behaviors (mindsets) and the supportive environment, culture, and leadership backing (resources). A full assessment must cover all three areas.
Being product-led is not about specific tactics, but about prioritizing customer outcomes. This focus on creating happy customers naturally drives revenue and growth, making the approach universally beneficial for any business seeking long-term success.
Don't evaluate your team's AI readiness as a standalone capability. True AI strategy requires a deep understanding of customer problems and unique value. Without strong core product competencies, AI adoption is merely tactical, not strategic.
A true diagnostic for product maturity requires a 360-degree view. By surveying product leaders, their teams, cross-functional partners (like sales and engineering), and senior leadership, you can uncover critical perception gaps about your team's effectiveness.
A significant maturity gap in large organizations is that internal platform PMs don't treat their users (e.g., developers, finance) as customers. Applying customer-centric practices like problem framing and journey mapping to these stakeholders can dramatically improve outcomes.
Don't wait for a specific growth stage to assess your product team. Instead, use signals of friction as your trigger. These include internal signs like overwhelmed PMs and exploding backlogs, or external ones like unhappy customers despite on-time delivery.