product-operations

SKILL.md

Frameworks for building and scaling product operations functions across growing teams.

Bridges product and operations by creating systems that enable PMs to focus on strategy rather than operational overhead like release management, enablement, and cross-functional coordination

Standardizes processes, tooling, and insights across product teams while preserving PM decision-making authority; product ops informs, not decides

Addresses common scaling challenges: surfacing user research and data insights, coordinating between product and other functions, and reducing operational friction as teams grow

Helps determine organizational readiness for a dedicated product ops function and clarify scope boundaries between product ops and product management roles

Product Operations

Help the user build and scale product operations functions using frameworks from 5 product leaders.

How to Help

When the user asks for help with product operations:

Understand the pain points - Ask what's breaking down in their current product processes

Assess organizational scale - Determine if they're at the stage where dedicated product ops makes sense

Define the scope - Help them clarify what product ops should own vs. what PMs should retain

Design the systems - Create processes that enable product teams without creating bureaucracy

Core Principles

Product ops bridges product and operations

Brian Tolkin: "One solution to that problem, our solution at the time was to start up a new function called product operations who had accountability and reported into operations but physically sat with and operated much like a member of the product team." Product ops originated as a bridge between centralized product teams and distributed operations, ensuring product decisions account for operational reality.