One time I failed as a product manager was when I was unable to convince our Portfolio Manager to choose an alternative tool over Pendo for user guidance and tooltips. This experience taught me valuable lessons about influencing stakeholders, aligning on goals, and proactively addressing user pain points.
The situation arose when: The Portfolio Manager proposed adopting Pendo, a tool that provides in-app guidance and tooltips, as he had seen it successfully implemented by peers in other industries. However, Pendo came with a hefty price tag of $15,000 annually for just 2,200 users. I conducted thorough research and identified several alternative tools that were equally robust, significantly more cost-effective, and offered higher user counts. For example, one tool was priced at $6,000 annually for 5,000 users and had strong endorsements from well-known companies in our domain.
My thought process and actions:
Problem Identification: I saw this as a critical decision that impacted both our budget and our ability to deliver user-centric solutions. I also recognized the potential risk of over-relying on a third-party tool for core user experience elements.
Evaluation of Alternatives: I created a comparative analysis, outlining the features, pricing, and user capacity of Pendo and the alternatives. I also included testimonials and case studies to validate the credibility of these alternatives.
Presentation to Stakeholders: I shared my findings with the Portfolio Manager, explaining how we could achieve the same outcomes at a lower cost, allocate savings to other product priorities, and maintain scalability.
Outcome: Despite my efforts, the Portfolio Manager remained firm in his preference for Pendo, and we proceeded with his choice.
What I learned and how I adapted:
Though I failed to influence this decision, I used this experience to improve our processes and reduce dependency on external tools for user experience.
I analyzed user feedback and workflow data to identify areas where users struggled.
I collaborated with the design team to incorporate tooltips and guidance directly into our product’s UI during feature development, ensuring seamless user assistance without relying on third-party tools.
I also refined my stakeholder management skills, learning to better understand and align with the underlying motivations behind their preferences. For instance, in this case, I could have emphasized how an alternative tool could still meet the desired outcomes while addressing budget concerns.
Result: The proactive changes we implemented led to an improved user experience, as validated by a reduction in support tickets for complex workflows. Additionally, incorporating in-house solutions positioned us to maintain greater control over our product’s usability.
This experience taught me the importance of combining data-driven decision-making with a deeper understanding of stakeholder perspectives, ultimately shaping my ability to influence and align with diverse viewpoints in future scenarios.
