"Trust the process" is a phrase we've all heard before. Any cricket fan knows it well — it's synonymous with the advice of the great MS Dhoni. It's sound advice, whether in sports, life, or business.

This concept is especially critical in product management. The process also includes feedback — measuring impact and learning what works and what doesn't. However, the feedback layer is often plagued with issues. Here are 3 common pitfalls:

The Three Pitfalls

  1. 1.Don't trust the data — Understand the data collection methodology. Question whether it truly captures the essence of what you're building. Be open to redefining metrics that align closely with your specific needs. Don't blindly follow generic "10 KPIs all product managers should use."
  2. 2.Don't trust the outcomes — Just because a metric is trending as expected doesn't mean your assumptions are correct. Without deeper analysis, you may miss key insights about what's driving or hindering progress. Focus on validating the assumptions that guided your decisions. Never forget to mix qualitative insights with quantitative data.
  3. 3.Don't trust the roadmap — Now that you understand the data and the insights — be bold. Don't assume the roadmap set at the start of the year accounted for all future learnings. Based on new insights, don't hesitate to adjust your roadmap. If you don't raise these changes, no one else will.