We build software to solve problems and ultimately generate value. As we do that, we create something new we need to reason about. It’s a system tha

Thoughts on the Liability of the Product Surface

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2025-01-14 12:30:37

We build software to solve problems and ultimately generate value. As we do that, we create something new we need to reason about. It’s a system that evolves and becomes more complex. Managing and changing it requires understanding it: as it grows in capabilities, it will require more knowledge to be reasoned about.

Often, as the team delivers useful software for their customers, they discover additional problems to invest in solving. More problems are an opportunity to deliver more value to the customer and ultimately generate more value for the organization.

Conversely, as the organization aims to provide greater value, it must intentionally manage its product surface to ensure it remains an asset, rather than becoming a liability. This means putting in deliberate efforts to maintain the sustainability of the product organization by valuing the right signals and incentivizing the right behaviors.

I used the term product surface, so let me clarify what I mean. I borrowed this concept from cybersecurity where it’s common to talk about attack surface to refer to the full set of entry points an attacker might use to its advantage to gain unauthorized access to a system. Just as security teams must carefully manage their attack surface, product teams must manage their product surface.