Learning #3 in the Cognite scale-up series highlights the delicate balance between optimizing for immediate velocity and long-term scalability. Iterative learning underpinned by structured processes is key to managing constant change. As startups grow, roles become more defined, requiring a fine balance to avoid stifling innovation with excessive structure. Customer value, managed dependencies, and a blend of thoroughness with agility ensure sustainable growth. Organizational velocity is as much about alignment and planning as it is about empowerment and adapting to trade-offs between team independence and overarching strategies.
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Learnings From Scaling a Product Engineering Organisation to 280 People – Part 3
Learning #2: Build Processes and Culture for Continuous Change In the previous article in this series, I covered learning #1- Always Be On Your Way. I wrote about how easy it is to get stuck in “how things should be done” instead of focusing on the unique challenges you have here and now. In my […]
Are Product Decisions Too Important to Leave to Product Managers?
I was almost ready with the third article in the series on learnings from the last two years at Cognite, when Brian Chesky and Marty Cagan made me pause and instead write this post. Marty Cagan is one of a handful of thought leaders that have had a profound impact on my thinking and practice. […]
Learnings From Scaling a Product Engineering Organisation to 280 People – Part 2
Cognite has experienced significant growth and learned valuable lessons about product organization. Key insights include the importance of journeying towards an ideal organization, balancing velocity and scale, and requiring a unified operating model. The company stresses solving current problems rather than debate ideal methods. Their experience highlights that successful product organization adapts to its specific circumstances, pulling from diverse methods and personnel strengths. Premature structure and process implementation can limit productivity. Instead, a problem-focused, action-oriented approach is advised for handling continuous change.
Learnings From Scaling a Product Engineering Organisation to 280 People – Part 1
Follow me on Twitter/X @GregerWedel Back two years ago, I wrote a blog post on the principles and biggest pitfalls of scaling a product organization charged to build a unified and complex product. Naturally, being employed at Cognite, what I had in mind was the Cognite Data Fusion platform product and its ~280 people product […]
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