PM 101 series: How to Keep Scope, Stories and Sanity in Check During the Build Phase
Build smart not just fast
From the Product People Desk
The back-to-school season is here: The backpacks are coming out, lunches are being packed, and calendars are suddenly filling up again. For us PMs, it’s the same energy. Summer is winding down, and Q4 isn't some distant roadmap item anymore. It’s knocking.
As the pace is picking up, it's tempting to rush into writing requirements and push something, anything, out the door. But here's the hard truth: Developers can only build what they truly understand. And unclear specs don't just slow teams down; they create rework, frustration, and features that miss the mark.
This month, in Part 4 of our PM 101 series, we’re talking about what happens after discovery, prioritization, and validation. It’s time to build. But not just build for the sake of it. Build with clarity.
That means writing proper user stories, defining what “done” looks like, and slicing work in a way that delivers real value without drowning in chaos.
Now, let’s go into Product Delivery, shall we?
Build Mode Activated 🔧
They call me Bob…Bob the Builder. (No, they don’t…)
You’ve done the hard work—discovered real problems, prioritized ruthlessly, and validated your assumptions like a PM boss. It’s finally time you can roll up your sleeves and build, but there’s so much to do!
But wait, before you dive headfirst into Figma files, Jira boards, and endless Slack threads, let’s talk about what build mode even means.
This isn’t just about shipping. It’s about shipping smart.
Sarah, Meet Sprint Planning
Remember Sarah? Her cable chaos and back pain are now validated problems. We know what not to build (fancy chairs that won’t help), and what might actually help (a quick-access charging setup, posture fixes, and proper ergonomic gear).
Now comes the big question:
How do we build the right solution in a way that’s actually... buildable?
Let’s break it down.
1. Break Down Big Ideas Into Small, Valuable Pieces
A common PM pitfall: jumping from a validated idea to a grand feature chimera. Resist that urge.
Instead, slice your solution like a cake, not by layer (backend, frontend, UI), but by value delivered. Each slice should do something useful.
Sarah’s example:
She needs a faster setup, not a fancy charging station with Bluetooth and ambient lighting.
💡 Instead of one mega-feature (“Ultra Smart Desk Hub v1.0”), break it into slices:
✅ USB extension taped under desk
✅ Test run of magnetic cable holders
✅ Daily feedback tracker, well, at least for a bit (did this reduce her setup time?)
Each piece is usable on its own and builds toward a full solution.
2. Write Real User Stories (Not Feature Descriptions)
Good user stories are your build team's compass. Bad ones are just… a wishlist that will end up confusing people more than helping them
Here’s the difference:
🚫 Bad: “Build cable management feature”
✅ Good: “As Sarah, I want to plug in my laptop without crawling under the table, so I can start working faster (and maybe not bump my head?).”
A solid user story includes:
Persona: Who’s using this?
Problem: What are they trying to solve?
Value: Why does it matter?
🎯 Bonus tip: Include Acceptance criteria that make the definition of “done” crystal clear. For example:
“The laptop can be plugged in without having to stand up.”
“There should be no loose cables on the floor.”
3. Avoid Scope Creep (Even the Sneaky Kind…Especially the Sneaky Kind)
Scope creep doesn’t always come as big and as dramatic as “Let’s add AI.” Sometimes it’s sneakier.
Like Sarah saying, “If we’re setting up a charging dock, maybe it should also hold my phone... and tablet… and a plant?”
Scope creep checklist:
✅ Did the extra idea come from new validation?
✅ Will it increase value now, or just add complexity?
✅ Does it belong in this sprint—or the backlog?
Remember: “We’ll get to that next” is a valid strategy.
4. Collaborate Early, Often, and Kindly
You’re not building in a vacuum. Involve your design, engineering, and QA friends from day one—not just when it’s time to “hand off.”
PM reality check:
The best way to prevent rework is to talk early and talk often.
Share user stories and validation insights in sprint planning.
Invite feedback on tradeoffs (“Does Sarah really need it wireless and wall-mounted?”).
Keep the team connected to the why, not just the what.
5. Manage Delivery with Agile
Collaboration sets the stage, but how do we get things done? How do we avoid thinking and delivering in a silo? Enter Agile, which is our playbook for building incrementally.
Think of working in bite-sized 2-week sprints with tonnes of touchpoints to collaborate. This way, we focus on delivering value piece by piece instead of drowning in one massive project. Better for Sarah, better for the team (which, honestly, is just Sarah and me).
During Sprint Planning, we pick the highest-priority slice to build first: taping the USB extension under the desk.
Every morning, we hold a quick Daily Stand-up to share updates and unblock any issues like, “The cable holders need stronger magnets”.
At the end of the “sprint”, in the Sprint Review, we gather feedback on the USB extension setup, after potentially having made improvements like using stronger tape!
Finally, we hold a Retrospective to reflect on what went well and what to improve for the next sprint.
This cadence keeps the team aligned (us), focused, and adaptable. It also helps prevent sneaky scope creep like adding phone docks or plant holders mid-sprint. Those extras can wait in the backlog until validated and prioritized.
6. Build. Ship. Learn. Repeat.
Once Sarah’s quick charging setup goes live, we won’t ghost her.
Instead, we might set metrics, ask follow-ups, and watch for new problems.
Building is a cycle, not a checkbox.
Sarah may love the cable setup… but now she’s working longer hours, and her lower back pain’s back with a vengeance. Hello, next iteration or next feature!
One Last Thing: Keep It Human
Building isn’t just execution. It’s empathy in action. You're not delivering features. You’re delivering relief, focus, delight, and, most importantly, utility!
Even if the task says “create a charging station,” your real job is:
👉 Help Sarah feel ready to write the next great piece of freelance content gold without getting tangled, distracted, or sore.
Coming up next: Go-To-Market Without Losing Your Mind
You’ve built the thing. Amazing. But now what?
In our final installment, we’ll walk through Go-To-Market: how to launch with clarity, get buy-in from the right people, and avoid the entire “we shipped it… but no one uses it” scenario.
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(Associate Product Management Consultant II)
As a kid, Maria’s constant “why?” drove her parents to the brink — now, it drives her work. Her curiosity means she can’t help but dig into what people need and what might be missing. With a knack for details and an intuitive read on people, bringing order to chaos is her idea of fun — whether it’s tidying up a Miro board, wrangling JIRA tickets, or polishing documentation. That mix lets her spot patterns, connect dots, and keep the human side in focus — because in product management, it’s not just about delivering features, it’s about working with all kinds of people and finding common ground to move things forward.
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