When faced with an existential threat to the future of Earth, Doctor Strange was able to see only a single positive outcome out of 14,000,605 futures. (If you haven’t watched the movie, SPOILER ALERT!). Even for the Avengers, who had literal gods on their side and an ability to peer into the future, this was a daunting prospect.

As mere mortal product managers, what hope do we have of choosing the right future for our teams?

Dive into the unknown

What do you think Doctor Strange does all day to fulfill his mission of protecting earth from mystical threats? He looks at the facts at his disposal (his spellbooks), observes problems out in the real world (via teleportation), and tests out his ideas (just don’t risk destroying the fabric of the universe). If he didn’t take the time to learn, formulate theories, and put his theories to the test, no amount of Time Stone divination could have yielded a positive future.

Similarly, it is all too easy (especially in software) to build features based on personal biases and hope it applies to everyone else (remember Ultron?). Remember, you are not your customers. If you want to create and deliver sustainable benefits, find out what your customer needs (not necessarily by asking them)!

Here are some research tools you can leverage at VTS:

• Quantitative — Looker, Pendo, Mixpanel
• Qualitative — FullStory, Pendo surveys, Customer observation/interview, Prototype testing

Borrow some superpowers

Why didn’t Doctor Strange choose a future where he alone magic-spelled Thanos away into the void? Because he had some very overpowered help! Tell the Avengers that Thanos wants to wipe out half of everyone they care about and you’ll be presented with a wealth of solutions:

• Ironman — “I will outsmart Thanos.”
• Captain America — “Let’s outmaneuver Thanos.”
• Captain Marvel — “I will overpower Thanos.”
• Thor — “HE TOOK MY EYE! And Loki.”
• Hulk — “SMASH!”

Joking aside, leverage your team and show them what’s wrong with the world (teleport to the real world with them!). Including different superpowers upfront will not only reduce various product risks, but also save you a ton of time sharing context later.

Here are some superpowers you can leverage at VTS:

• Product managers— “I’m trying to drive the same outcome, let’s partner.”
• Engineers — “Your idea takes a long time to build, here are some elegant solutions that accomplish the same outcome.”
• Designers — “I noticed the customer… here’s how we might solve it…”
• QA — “How might this feature affect…”
• Data — “Here are some patterns I’ve observed…”
• Product Marketing — “What you’re REALLY trying to say is…”
• Sales — “Customers are excited about…”
• Solutions — “Customers would love to…”
• Support — “Customers are struggling with…”
• Implementations — “Customers are using this for…”
• Client Advisory — “Customers are trying to…”
• Finance — “Here’s where you can make an impact…”
• Legal — “You’re welcome, I just saved your product from disaster.”

As Endgame approaches, ship

We all want a Time Stone, but perfection is the enemy of progress. Doctor Strange could’ve spent more time gazing into the future, but that time spent could’ve erased the one chance at success. You might not win immediately (half of the universe disappeared), but you will certainly be learning how to win. Always discover with your team, but don’t wait to deliver — the future of the world is at stake.

Questions and feedback are always appreciated at VTS. Feel free to share your thoughts below!