The Art of Identifying and Validating Ideas: Insights from a Seasoned Product Leader
Roger Wigenstam, a lifelong builder and innovator, has led product management and engineering teams at Oracle and OneSpan, earning numerous awards for his work in cybersecurity. In a recent conversation, Roger shared his approach to identifying and validating ideas and opportunities through diligent customer, competitor, and market research.
Award-Winning Products
Roger’s experience in launching award-winning products dates back to his time at Oracle, where he was nominated for the Oracle Innovator Award in 2010. He later went on to launch two SaaS offerings for protecting structured and unstructured data at a data security startup. These innovative solutions were the first of their kind, addressing the long sales and implementation cycles he had observed at Oracle. Inspired by Twilio’s pioneering work in product-led growth (PLG), Roger set out to simplify and automate the onboarding and configuration process, providing easy-to-follow quick-start guides and integrations into major platforms and ecosystems.
Measuring Success
To measure the success of these projects, Roger focused on metrics that went beyond vanity metrics like the number of users. Instead, he tracked the number of resources protected and authorization decisions served, ensuring that customers were deriving value from the solutions.
OneSpan: A Different Story
At OneSpan, Roger faced a different challenge. The company was transitioning from a hardware token vendor to a provider of SaaS, mobile, and hardware solutions. Roger’s vision was to offer a comprehensive suite of solutions that would enable financial services and regulated industries to provide easy-to-use, secure customer experiences while preventing fraud. To achieve this, he leveraged AI/ML and involved stakeholders from across the company to develop a clear vision and strategy.
Combining Instincts and Intuition with Data
Roger believes that combining instincts and intuition with data is crucial to identifying market opportunities. He emphasizes the importance of having a crisp and clear vision, involving stakeholders, and communicating the vision frequently to everyone in the company. To uncover ideas that support this vision, Roger recommends knowing your customers, staying ahead of market trends, and conducting competitive research.
Prioritizing and Validating Ideas
To prioritize and validate ideas, Roger suggests categorizing them into three buckets: defects and architectural improvements, tactical items, and strategic priorities. He also recommends using prioritization frameworks like RICE and validating ideas through iterative feedback from customers, prospects, and cross-functional teams.
Promoting a Culture of Innovation
Roger’s approach to promoting a culture of innovation involves creating an environment that encourages creativity and collaboration. He believes in giving people ownership and autonomy, providing opportunities for growth, and recognizing and rewarding innovative ideas.
Personal and Professional Transformations
Roger recently underwent a personal transformation after a serious mountain biking accident. Despite the challenges, he continued working and eventually started his own business, Quantum-Leap.ai, where he advises clients on strategy proposals, pricing, and new product capabilities. This experience has given him a new perspective on the importance of relationships and has reaffirmed his passion for the industry.
By following Roger’s approach to identifying and validating ideas, product leaders can create innovative solutions that meet customer needs and drive business success.