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The MAP Framework: A New Direction for Product Development

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Not all who wander are lost... but teams without a MAP definitely are.

In traditional product development, we see a familiar sequence: product managers identify requirements, designers make them usable, and engineers build them. This approach has served us for decades, but increasingly leads to fragmented experiences, costly pivots, and organizational friction. This proposal is my attempt to share what Iā€™ve seen work best in both large and small organizations.

The MAP Framework: Rethinking Role Sequencing

Imagine your product team as explorers charting new territory. Your customers stand at various points on the landscape, each with distinct needs. Your challenge isnā€™t just to deliver solutionsā€”itā€™s to anticipate where those customers will be when your offerings reach them, and provide exactly what theyā€™ll need when they arrive there.

In this framework, we follow a three-stage process that reorders traditional roles:

M - Mapping (Designers Lead)

Designers scout ahead, researching and mapping what's on the horizon. They create multiple solution options within established business objectives, working alongside technical advisors to ensure feasibility. Instead of reacting to pre-defined requirements, they identify holistic opportunities and explore comprehensive solutions.

A - Assessing (Product Managers Lead)

Product Managers evaluate design options against business metrics and technical complexity. They determine what gets built when, transforming comprehensive visions into strategic deliverables. Instead of defining requirements upfront, they curate and segment designer-led explorations into viable roadmap components.

P - Producing (Engineers Lead)

Engineers collaborate throughout, providing technical guidance during exploration and ultimately implementing solutions that deliver reliable value. Their expertise shapes the feasibility of design concepts before commitment, rather than being constrained to implement pre-decided features.

While Iā€™ve described these responsibilities aligned with traditional roles, I recognize that in practice, capabilities often cross role boundaries. Many product managers are skilled at design thinking, designers often have strong business acumen, and engineers frequently contribute innovative solutions. The key is ensuring these perspectives are present, regardless of job titles

This sequencing ensures we understand the complete solution space before committing to implementation paths. The critical shift is moving from ā€œhereā€™s what weā€™ll build, now make it usableā€ to ā€œhere are comprehensive user needs and potential solutions, now letā€™s determine what to build.ā€

Why MAP

The traditional approach often results in:

By placing design exploration before roadmap definition, the MAP Framework creates:

Addressing Common Objections

The MAP Framework isnā€™t without challenges:

Implementation Considerations

The MAP Framework requires thoughtful implementation:

Charting Your Organizationā€™s Path

The MAP Framework represents a fundamental rethinking of how we create digital products. By positioning exploratory work at the beginning of the process, we enable teams to develop more thoughtful solutions rather than isolated features. This isnā€™t merely about changing responsibilitiesā€”itā€™s about transforming how we navigate from customer needs to delivered value.

Implementation requires honest assessment of your organizationā€™s readiness. There will likely be resistance from those comfortable with traditional processes, and the transition period may temporarily reduce velocity before improving it. Start with a targeted pilot project where the stakes are meaningful but manageableā€”perhaps a feature overhaul or new product extension. Document both the process differences and outcomes compared to your traditional approach. Share these insights widely, celebrating successes while acknowledging challenges transparently.

What makes this approach promising is that it doesnā€™t necessarily require organizational restructuring to beginā€”it primarily demands a sequencing change and mindset shift. Product teams can adopt the MAP Framework within existing structures while building evidence for broader change.

The companies that thrive in complex markets are increasingly those that anticipate customer needs rather than just responding to them. By elevating design exploration as the first step in your product development journey, you position your team to see further, understand deeper, and build products that have a better chance of truly resonating with users.

In my next post, Iā€™ll explore how the MAP Framework can be reinforced through organizational structures that break down traditional silos and create more durable collaboration patterns between design, product, and engineering teams.

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Thomas Walichiewicz

Designer, researcher, and relentless problem solver. Leading design at startups and established companies. Building thoughtful digital experiences.