Balancing the 3 constraints
Product managers operate within a triangle of constraints:
- User needs: Users want intuitive, powerful features delivered instantly, whether free or clearly worth paying for.
- Business requirements: The business needs profitable growth, competitive differentiation, and manageable costs.
- Technical feasibility: Engineering faces technical debt, resource limitations, and platform constraints.
PMs can't satisfy all 3 completely. The art lies in finding optimal trade-offs. This might mean launching a simpler feature that's technically feasible and meets core user needs while setting up future iterations. Or it could involve prioritizing technical infrastructure that enables future user value despite short-term business pressure. Successful PMs transparently communicate these trade-offs, helping stakeholders understand why perfect solutions rarely exist. They show how constraints can spark creative solutions rather than just limit possibilities.[1]
