This article is based on Amy’s appearance at the Product Operations Summit in New York, 2024.

Designing a customer-centric product strategy is fundamental to driving business success. 

I'm Amy Bither, Senior Director of Product Operations and Insights at Fullstory, and my diverse career—from content developer to product manager—has given me a unique perspective on how essential customer feedback is throughout the product development lifecycle. 

I've seen firsthand how listening to customers, prioritizing their needs, and fostering strong relationships can transform a product from good to great. 

In this article, I'll explore the strategies and actionable steps for designing and implementing a customer-centric product strategy that not only meets customer expectations but drives sustainable business growth.

Framing the product development lifecycle

To dive in, I’ve chosen to frame it around the product development lifecycle. 

While different organizations may use various terminologies and define varying numbers of stages, I believe the process boils down to four key stages:

  1. Observe/Discover

This is the initial stage where you’re gathering ideas, insights, and feedback. It’s about observing the market, your customers, and your internal teams to identify opportunities and determine what you want to focus on next.

  1. Define/Validate

After gathering ideas, the next step is to define and validate them. This is where you begin shaping your product strategy. You evaluate the ideas, determine their feasibility, and assess how they will fit into the market. Validating these concepts with real customer feedback at this stage is crucial for ensuring you’re on the right path.

  1. Build/Develop

Once the strategy is set, you move into the actual building and development phase. This is where the product comes to life. It's important to keep customer input in mind as you develop the product to ensure it meets the expectations you’ve already validated.

  1. Launch/Release

Finally, after all the hard work, you reach the launch and release stage, where you introduce the product to your users. Customer feedback is just as important at this stage as in the earlier ones, as it helps you refine the product post-launch and address any areas for improvement.

A strategic feedback program should involve customers at every stage of this lifecycle. From the initial observation and idea generation to the final product launch, customer input is vital for ensuring that your product aligns with their needs and expectations.