Episode 256: De-Risking Product Launches Effectively

In this episode, Melissa Perri discusses the common dilemma faced by product managers: whether to prioritize large, high-risk features or focus on delivering smaller, incremental updates. She delves into the considerations that should guide this decision, including the value to users, stakeholder goals, and the need for experimentation and risk management. Melissa shares insights on how to approach these decisions strategically to ensure both customer satisfaction and business success.

Are you grappling with how to balance big projects against smaller, faster releases in your product strategy? Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights from Melissa on making the right choices for your product and organization.

You’ll hear us talk about:

02:29 - The Value of Incremental ReleasesMelissa discusses the benefits of releasing smaller features incrementally, highlighting how they can provide immediate user value and inform future development decisions through feedback.

04:13 - Managing Risk in Long-Term ProjectsHere, Melissa emphasizes the importance of de-risking multi-month projects with phased releases and feature flags, ensuring that stakeholders and users are aligned and informed throughout the process.

05:01 - Balancing Stakeholder and User NeedsMelissa explores the tension between meeting stakeholder goals and delivering user value, offering strategies for product managers to align these often competing priorities effectively.

Episode resources:

Check the localization report: https://lokalise.com/library/data-reports/localization-revenue-report-2025/

Check our courses: https://productinstitute.com/