Free download
Make the product operating model stick in 2026
A practical guide to avoiding common pitfalls, choosing the right first steps, and making your transformation last
Executive summary
Most transformations to the Product Operating Model stall, not because teams lack ambition, but because organizations change the language while leaving the operating system untouched. Projects become “products,” delivery teams become “squads,” and roadmaps get new names. Funding, decision rights, and success metrics stay the same.
This ebook shows how to move beyond product theatre and make adoption real. Drawing on insights from Atlassian’s Axel Sooriah and product coach Marcus Castenfors, alongside cases including Capital One, it explains how to align teams around outcomes, fund durable cross-functional teams, make discovery continuous, balance investments, and keep evidence and decisions open.
You’ll learn how to diagnose where your transformation is stuck, start with practical changes that build momentum, and bring leaders and Finance into the work so the new model lasts.
Key takeaways
How to spot the warning signs that your Product Operating Model transformation is stalling and move beyond product theatre
A practical sequence from outcomes and continuous discovery to open decisions, empowered teams, and team-based funding
How to bring leaders and Finance into the change, remove structural blockers, and stop teams sliding back into project mode
New team rituals to start running this week