Product Operations (Product Ops) is one of the fastest-growing functions in product organizations. When it works, it brings clarity, scales insights, and frees up product managers to focus on delivering outcomes—not wrestling with process debt.
But here’s the catch: Product Ops isn’t a quick fix. Without the right foundations, it risks being seen as extra overhead instead of a strategic enabler. Here are six preconditions before you should initiate a Product Operations function in your org:
1. Executive Alignment
Leaders need a shared understanding of why Product Ops exists.
- Define a clear charter.
- Agree on success measures.
- Prevent scope creep by clarifying what’s in and out of scope.
💡 Ask your sponsors to articulate—in one sentence—what they believe Product Ops is there to do. If their answers don’t align, you’ve found your first gap.
2. Baseline Product Maturity
Product Ops can’t replace the fundamentals. If roadmaps don’t exist or discovery is absent, Ops has little to scale.
- Established delivery cadence.
- Clear ownership of product areas.
- Ensure key product artifacts and processes exist. (Even if inconsistent).
3. Data Infrastructure
Ops is only as strong as the data it can use. Without accessible systems, you’ll spend more time untangling than enabling.
- Customer feedback system of record.
- Product analytics tools.
- Product scope, context respositories.
- Delivery/project tracking system.
4. Openness to Standardization
Teams need to see value in shared frameworks. Without buy-in, Ops looks like policing instead of enabling.
- Planning cycles aligned.
- Shared reporting or roadmap format.
- Balance between autonomy and consistency.
5. Feedback Loops
Product Ops is never “done.” Processes should evolve with the org.
- Structured feedback channel for PMs.
- Iterative changes over rigid rollouts.
- Willingness to retire processes that don’t work.
6. Right-Sized Resourcing
One “Ops person” can’t fix systemic challenges.
- Match resourcing to ambition.
- Fund the right tooling and integrations.
- Provide sponsorship beyond headcount.
Wrapping Up
When these preconditions are in place, Product Ops becomes a true force multiplier. Without them, it risks being a thankless exercise.
In my next post, I’ll share practical templates and frameworks—from a Product Ops charter to sponsor commitments and metrics worksheets—that you can adapt directly into your own playbook.