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