What Happens When a Software Company Hires an Outsourced CPO?

This post is a bit different from what I usually publish out here. I always aim to try and create content that would allow people to understand what the product people actually go through on a daily basis and how they empower the software development However, I thought that today I should publish something different. This one is my personal experience with one of my clients and what we achieved over the past few years.

When a software company struggles with a stalled project, unclear progress, and lack of direction, the road to success can seem impossible. This is the story of how hiring an outsourced Chief Product Officer (CPO) transformed a software project from years of uncertainty to a fully operational product—and the lessons learnt along the way.

The Starting Point: A Stalled Project and a Small Team

When I joined the company as an outsourced CPO, the project had already been in development for two years but had no clear progress. The project had been restarted twice, and there were only three people actively working on it. The team lacked structure, direction, and confidence.

Key challenges included:

• No visibility into the project’s status or timeline.
• Frequent interruptions and shifts in focus due to stakeholder input.
• Minimal team size with no scaling strategy.

It was clear that without immediate intervention, the project would never reach production.

Step 1: Introducing Structure and Understanding the Development Landscape

My first action was to bring structure to the chaos. I introduced properly organised projects in project management system, allowing the team to gain visibility into what was happening. This gave us a baseline for understanding the progress and identifying gaps.

Next, I spent time with the development team, diving deep into the technical implementation. By understanding the codebase, their approach, and the challenges they faced, I was able to map out what was easy to achieve and what required significant effort. This collaboration built trust and gave us a realistic foundation for planning.

Step 2: Rallying the Team and Creating an Achievable Plan

With a clear understanding of the situation, I gathered the team to develop a realistic action plan. We worked together to set achievable goals and timelines that were ambitious yet manageable.

What made this plan different?

• It was created collaboratively, ensuring team buy-in.
• It focused on sustainability, avoiding rushed, short-term fixes.
• It included clear milestones, so we could celebrate progress along the way.

The team and I committed to this plan, and I made it my responsibility to shield them from distractions, including stakeholder demands for new features or ideas. This allowed us to focus on our goals without constantly changing direction.

Step 3: Scaling the Team and Protecting the Progress

Over six months, I scaled the team from 3 to 12 people, bringing in talent to fill gaps and support the growing workload. Some of these talents were from my own network, while others we chose by doing interviews and following more of a standard approach to recruitment. While the development team focused on building the solution, I introduced and evolved processes to streamline our workflow and protect our progress.

Some of these processes included:

• Prioritisation frameworks: To evaluate new ideas and ensure they aligned with our roadmap.
• Clear communication channels: To prevent confusion and keep the team aligned.
• Regular check-ins and retrospectives: To reflect on progress and adapt as needed.

Step 4: Managing Stakeholders and Maintaining Focus

One of the biggest challenges was managing the shareholders. Their enthusiasm and ideas, while valuable, often risked derailing the team’s focus. Each time a new idea was proposed, I evaluated its impact and timing. If it didn’t align with our commitments, I either pushed it back in the pipeline, provided a rationale for why it couldn’t be prioritised immediately, or I suggested an alternative solution, something similar to the requested feature/idea that aligns better with our goals.

This role as a buffer between the team and stakeholders was critical in maintaining our momentum and ensuring the team wasn’t overwhelmed.

Step 5: Teaching and Evolving for Continuous Improvement

As we progressed, I focused on teaching the team why our processes were essential. This day-to-day coaching reinforced the importance of sticking to our commitments and following through on our plans.

At the same time, I continued researching best practices and gathering feedback to refine our processes. This iterative approach ensured that the team was always improving and adapting to new challenges.

The Results: From Uncertainty to Success

Two years after I joined the company, the project made it to production. This milestone wasn’t just about launching the product—it was about transforming the way the team worked together and approached challenges.

Key outcomes included:

• Scaling the team from 3 to 12 members.
• Introducing structure and visibility into the project’s progress.
• Creating a collaborative, achievable plan that the entire team committed to.
• Shielding the team from distractions and keeping stakeholders aligned.
• Establishing processes that supported long-term success.

The Power of an Outsourced CPO

This case study highlights the value of bringing in an outsourced CPO. With a fresh perspective, strategic leadership, and a focus on collaboration, an outsourced CPO can turn a struggling project into a success story.

Why outsourcing works:

• Objective perspective: An outsourced CPO isn’t tied to internal politics and can make decisions objectively.
• Cost-effective expertise: You gain top-tier leadership without the expense of a full-time hire.
• Proven processes: An outsourced CPO brings experience and frameworks to structure and guide the team.

If your company is facing similar challenges, hiring an outsourced CPO might just be the strategic move you need to transform your product development process and achieve your goals. So if you are in the same situation, don't hesitate to get in touch!