To thrive in today’s fast-moving digital world, product managers need more than just good instincts – they need an experimental mindset. According to Jahanger Hussain, Agility Portfolio Director at Decoded, the best product managers think like scientists: testing, iterating, and refining their approach based on real data. By embracing experimentation, they reduce risk, gain unexpected insights, and build products that truly resonate with users.
In this blog, Jahanger shares his top tips for adopting an experimental mindset and explains how leaders can apply this approach to drive continuous product innovation.
Great product managers move from a mindset of certainty to one of curiosity. Instead of assuming what users need, approach challenges with a hypothesis-driven mindset. Ask, “What do we need to learn?” and “How can we test this?” Curiosity fuels innovation.
Rather than making assumptions, treat decisions as testable hypotheses. Instead of saying, “Users want feature X,” reframe it as “We believe feature X will increase engagement by 10%, and we will test this through an A/B experiment.” This approach ensures that decisions are backed by data rather than guesswork.
Big, high-risk projects take time and resources. Instead, start small—use quick, low-risk tests to gain valuable insights early. A/B testing, feature flags, and usability testing allow you to validate ideas before full-scale development.
An experimental mindset values learning over getting everything right the first time. Foster a culture where failure isn’t seen as a setback but as an opportunity to refine ideas. The faster you learn, the quicker you can improve.
Balance quantitative data (metrics, analytics) with qualitative insights (user feedback, interviews). Regularly reviewing key performance indicators (KPIs) ensures your experiments lead to informed decisions rather than guesswork.
Encourage your entire team – engineers, designers, and marketers – to experiment. Create an environment where testing new ideas is celebrated, and failures are seen as valuable learning moments. The more your team embraces this mindset, the faster you’ll innovate.
An experiment isn’t complete until you’ve analysed and documented the results. Share learnings with stakeholders, refine your approach, and use insights to shape your future product strategy. Every test – whether successful or not – helps drive continuous improvement.
Consider a product leader overseeing the development of a new mobile app.
With a fixed project mindset, success is defined by meeting the launch deadline and budget. Once launched, the team disbands, and focus shifts elsewhere.
With an experimental mindset, the launch is just the beginning. The team continuously refines the app based on user feedback, testing new features and optimising performance. Success isn’t just about delivery – it’s about building a product that customers love and rely on.
This shift in approach fosters long-term success and ensures that products evolve with user needs.
At Decoded, we help leaders and teams embrace experimentation as a core business strategy. Our programmes focus on data-driven decision-making, AI adoption, and agile product development – ensuring that organisations can innovate faster and stay competitive.
Whether you’re looking to enhance your approach to product management or empower your teams with AI-driven experimentation, our expert-led training can guide you through the transition.
The best product managers aren’t just decision-makers – they’re experimenters. By shifting to an experimental mindset, you can innovate faster, reduce risk, and build products that truly meet user needs.
What’s one small experiment you can run today that might lead to a breakthrough tomorrow?
Want to take your product management skills to the next level? At Decoded, we help professionals embrace experimentation and data-driven decision-making.
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