The Anti-Pattern Playbook.
Breaking free from the cycle of building things nobody wants.
Ever found yourself trapped in the relentless cycle of building features that sound brilliant in planning meetings but somehow miss the mark in the real world?
Welcome to what I call "anti-pattern purgatory" – that peculiar place where good product intentions go to die.
The data paints a sobering picture: 52% of product managers admit their strategy is primarily shaped by executive requests or direct customer feedback rather than strategic planning.
We're not leading the product journey; we're frantically responding to the loudest voices in the room.
Let me share some thoughts on breaking free from these destructive anti-patterns – particularly the "feature factory syndrome," where we celebrate shipping features while forgetting to ask if anyone actually wants them.
The Strategy-Feature Disconnect
Recently, we faced a seemingly straightforward challenge: improve data collection from our sales team via our CRM. Simple enough, right?
What followed was a masterclass in anti-pattern behavior.
We spent five – yes, FIVE – meetings with the most senior sales leaders debating the perfect options for just two dropdown menus in the CRM.
Hours of executive time scrutinizing field labels and potential values, all in the name of hypothetically better customer insights.
The grand finale? Once we rolled it out, team members showed precisely zero interest in using these meticulously crafted dropdowns.
There wasn't even a good way to validate the data that did trickle in.
All that executive brain power, all those meetings, resulted in absolutely nothing of value.
That experience taught me a painful lesson about the disconnect between features and strategy.
Without a clear "why" that resonates beyond the meeting room, we risk creating digital ghost towns – technically impressive but practically useless.
This disconnect happens when we fail to establish and communicate a clear vision. Without this north star, we end up chasing tactical wins without building toward something meaningful.
The Confirmation Bias Trap
Perhaps the most insidious anti-pattern is confirmation bias, the tendency to search for evidence that supports our existing beliefs while conveniently ignoring contradictory information.
I fell into this trap with a lead generation feature I was convinced would outperform our company's existing lead gen tool.
I became emotionally attached to the idea, cherry-picking the positive signals while downplaying the concerning ones.
However, the numbers weren't showing the dramatic improvement I'd promised. They weren't terrible, but they weren't a slam dunk either.
Instead of recognizing these signals early, I kept pushing, trying to get buy-in from increasingly skeptical stakeholders.
I should have walked away much earlier, but my emotional investment in the project clouded my judgment.
I've written about this experience in my post "Recognizing When It's Time to Pivot" – a hard-learned lesson about knowing when to let go.
Here’s that post if you want to check it out:
Recognizing When It’s Time to Pivot.
Have you ever devoted your blood, sweat, and tears to a project only to have to walk away from it because it was a failure?
Outcomes Over Output
Many organizations still measure product teams primarily by their output – features shipped, tickets closed – rather than outcomes like impact on user behavior or business metrics.
I've found the simplest way to break this pattern is by shifting the conversation from "What are we building?" to "What problem are we solving, and how will we know if we've succeeded?"
Here's a practical framework I use:
Define the problem clearly
Identify the metrics that would show the problem is solved
Outline the smallest solution that could impact those metrics
Set a timeline to measure results before expanding
But here's what's critical – and where many teams falter: If something is successful, you must plan to iterate and improve it.
Too often, companies push a feature, mark delivery as a "win," and then immediately move on to the next shiny object.
This "ship it and forget it" mentality is a guaranteed way to leave value on the table.
Real success usually requires a few post-launch tweaks based on real user feedback.
Those refinements often make the difference between a feature that languishes and one that truly delivers on its promise.
The Project Management Confusion
A particularly common trap, especially for new product managers, is confusing project management with product management.
If you find yourself primarily focused on timelines, status updates, and keeping everyone "on the same page," you've likely slipped into project management mode.
According to the data, "Unfinished Tasks" ranks as the most prevalent anti-pattern in Scrum implementation, scoring 70.24% on this Scrum related white paper.
We're often so focused on delivery mechanics that we lose sight of the bigger picture.
While project management skills are valuable, product management requires a broader focus on user needs, market opportunities, and business outcomes.
The best PMs I know have strong project management capabilities but keep their primary focus on strategic product decisions.
Breaking Free: Practical Steps Forward
So how do we escape these anti-patterns? Here are some approaches that have worked for me:
1. Start with the "Why"
For every feature request, ask "What problem are we solving?" at least three times to get to the root issue. The first answer is rarely the real one.
2. Set Clear Success Metrics
Define what success looks like before you build. If you can't measure it, you shouldn't build it.
3. Challenge Your Assumptions
Actively seek evidence that contradicts your feature ideas. The most valuable feedback often comes from users who disagree with you.
4. Build Smaller, Learn Faster
Break large initiatives into the smallest testable pieces. This allows you to validate assumptions before investing too deeply.
5. Establish Partnerships with Stakeholders
Over 50% of large product teams cite "keeping roadmaps and processes consistent" as their top growing pain. The solution lies in establishing partnerships with stakeholders rather than just trying to please them.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Not all organizations operate in the product management promised land we read about in Medium articles.
Sometimes, we're stuck in the desert of disconnected stakeholders, with only a CRM dropdown oasis that nobody visits.
The truth is that adapting to these less-than-ideal environments is part of our professional growth.
If you're dealing with overwhelming stakeholders who seem allergic to strategy, you might need to improve how you manage those relationships before demonstrating your impact.
Think of it as product management for your product management career – sometimes, the MVP is simply building enough trust to get a seat at the table.
I've learned (the hard way) that not everyone and everything can change.
After you've given your absolute best effort to shift beliefs and practices, you need to make a clear-eyed assessment: Is this organizational inertia something I can work with, or is it time to update my LinkedIn profile?
I'd love to hear about your experiences navigating these product anti-patterns:
Which of these challenges has been your personal nemesis?
What creative workarounds have you discovered when faced with the feature factory mindset?
Have you successfully transformed an organization's approach to product, or did you eventually seek greener (and more strategic) pastures?
After all, we're in this together – trying to build things people want while simultaneously trying not to lose our minds in five-meeting debates about dropdown options.
Until next week,
Mike @
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Thanks for sharing. I was stuck in the "feature factory" for a long time before I started learning Product Management because, as you said, I only had a Project Management mindset. And much of my current situation aligns with your post. It's hard work, but building good relationships with stakeholders is key to successfully changing the current foundations related to a Product Team's ultimate goal, which is not to deliver features, but to deliver value.