Next Steps for Staff+ Product Sense
Explore how to demonstrate Staff level product sense by linking product requirements with user metrics, writing concise technical decision notes, and aligning stakeholders effectively. This lesson helps you develop skills to influence product direction early and build leadership presence within your team.
We'll cover the following...
You don’t need a Staff title to start shaping product direction. Here’s how you can show leverage today:
PRD ↔ Design doc bridge: Next time you’re given a vague ticket like “make onboarding faster,” write a one-paragraph note connecting it to a user impact metric (e.g., “time to first action” or “activation %”). That translation alone signals you’re thinking beyond code.
Mini docs: Don’t wait until you’re drafting 10-page RFCs. Start with lightweight decision notes in your PRs: “I chose option A over B because it reduces latency at scale.” It makes your reasoning visible and trains you to think like a tech lead.
Stakeholder alignment: You don’t have to wrangle execs. Start by pre-wiring decisions with your immediate teammates. Share a design before a meeting so the discussion is focused and productive.
These small moves are noticeable. They get you pulled into bigger conversations earlier and accelerate your path to Staff+.
Where to learn more
We’ve got a few powerful options for you to get more into product sense:
If you want to go deeper into discovery, prioritization, and metrics, check out:
To hone your writing skills:
Grokking the Technical Writing Process will help you write clearly and persuasively to drive change.
You can guide products—now let’s learn to guide people with “Multiplier Habits and Systems.”