I’m thrilled to sit down with Anand Naidu, our resident development expert who brings a wealth of knowledge in both frontend and backend technologies. With his deep insights into various coding languages and a passion for transforming how tech teams deliver value, Anand is the perfect person to dive into the critical themes from the recent blog “Feature Factories or Value Creators?” In this conversation, we’ll explore the challenges of technology delivery, the limitations of Agile practices, the impact of generative AI, the shift to a product-centric mindset, and the pivotal role of product managers in driving outcomes over outputs. Let’s get started.
What do you see as the primary reasons technology organizations often face delays and budget overruns in their projects?
I think it often comes down to a mismatch in expectations and priorities. Many tech organizations are still stuck in a mindset of just fulfilling requests rather than solving real problems. This leads to scope creep, unclear goals, and a lack of focus on what truly matters. In my experience, I’ve seen teams get bogged down by endless feature lists without a clear understanding of the business impact, which inevitably causes delays and costs to spiral. It’s not just about working harder or faster; it’s about working smarter with a shared vision.
How have you witnessed the disconnect between business expectations and technology delivery in your own career?
Early in my career, I worked on a project where the business team wanted a flashy new application with tons of features, but the tech team was focused on meeting deadlines and just getting things out the door. There was little conversation about what success looked like beyond launch. The result? We delivered on time, but the app didn’t meet user needs and had to be reworked, costing more time and money. It taught me that without alignment on value and outcomes, even a “successful” delivery can feel like a failure to stakeholders.
The perception of tech teams as service providers rather than value creators seems to be a common issue. How does this mindset affect the way teams function?
When tech teams are seen as order-takers, it strips away their ability to innovate or push back on ideas that don’t make sense. They become reactive, focusing on ticking boxes rather than solving problems. I’ve seen this create a culture of complacency where teams don’t feel ownership over the product. Morale drops, and you end up with a cycle of frustration—both for the team and the business. Shifting that perception to see tech as a partner in value creation changes everything; it fosters collaboration and a sense of purpose.
Agile practices are widely adopted, yet they don’t always lead to value delivery. What’s your perspective on this limitation?
Agile is a fantastic framework for flexibility and iteration, but it’s not a silver bullet. The issue arises when teams treat Agile as a checklist—sprints, stand-ups, backlogs—without focusing on why they’re doing the work. If the goal is just to ship features, you’re missing the point. Agile should be about continuous feedback and delivering what matters most to users, not just cranking out more stuff. Without that focus, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture.
Can you share an experience where an Agile team became more of a ‘feature factory’ focused on outputs rather than outcomes?
Absolutely. I was part of a team that prided itself on high velocity—pumping out features every sprint. We hit all our targets, but after a few months, we realized user engagement was flat. Stakeholders were frustrated because, despite all the updates, the product wasn’t solving key pain points. It was a wake-up call. We had to step back, talk to users, and reprioritize based on impact. That experience showed me how easy it is to get caught up in output metrics and lose sight of real value.
How can Agile teams shift their focus toward measurable outcomes instead of just delivering features?
It starts with defining what success looks like upfront—whether it’s user adoption, revenue growth, or operational efficiency. Teams need to work with stakeholders to set clear, measurable goals for every initiative. Then, during sprints, constantly ask, ‘Does this move the needle on our outcome?’ It’s also about empowering the team to say no to low-impact work. Regular retrospectives with data on outcomes, not just outputs, can help keep everyone aligned on delivering real value.
Generative AI tools are said to accelerate software development. Do you believe speeding up delivery through AI can address the deeper issues in tech organizations?
Not on its own. Tools like AI can definitely make coding faster and automate repetitive tasks, which is great for efficiency. But if the underlying problems—like unclear goals or misaligned priorities—aren’t fixed, you’re just failing faster. I’ve seen teams adopt cutting-edge tools only to churn out irrelevant features at lightning speed. AI can be a powerful enabler, but it’s not a substitute for strategy and alignment. Without addressing the root causes, you’re just putting a bandage on a broken system.
What risks do you see in introducing generative AI tools if the fundamental delivery challenges aren’t resolved first?
The biggest risk is amplifying existing flaws. If your process lacks clarity on value or customer needs, AI will just scale up the production of misguided features or solutions. It can also create a false sense of progress—teams might think they’re doing great because they’re delivering more, but they’re still not hitting the mark. Plus, over-reliance on AI without human oversight can lead to quality issues or ethical concerns. It’s critical to fix the foundation before leaning on tech to speed things up.
Based on the idea of moving from outputs to outcomes, how would you describe a product-centric approach in your own words?
To me, a product-centric approach is all about obsession with the end user’s experience and the value they get from your work. It’s not about how many features you ship or how many tickets you close; it’s about whether you’re solving real problems and making a measurable difference. It means thinking of your work as a product with a lifecycle—constantly evolving based on feedback and needs—rather than a one-off project with a start and end. It’s a mindset of ownership and impact over mere delivery.
How might shifting to a product-centric mindset change the dynamic between tech teams and business stakeholders?
It transforms the relationship from transactional to collaborative. Instead of tech teams just taking orders, they become active partners in defining what success looks like. I’ve seen this shift lead to more open dialogue—business stakeholders start trusting tech to bring ideas to the table, and tech gains a deeper understanding of business goals. It breaks down silos and creates a shared sense of accountability. Everyone’s focused on the same endgame: delivering value to the customer, whether internal or external.
In a product-centric model, value is key for both internal and external customers. Can you share an example of how this might look for an internal team like a Cloud Platform team?
Sure. For a Cloud Platform team, their customers are often other development teams within the organization. A product-centric approach would mean focusing on outcomes like making deployments faster, reducing downtime, or cutting costs for those teams. For instance, instead of just rolling out a new cloud feature because it’s trendy, they’d prioritize based on feedback—like automating a process that saves developers hours each week. Success would be measured by how much easier they’ve made life for their internal users, not just by the feature itself.
The role of product managers as value drivers is crucial in this shift. How do you see their role evolving in a product-centric organization?
Product managers become the glue that holds everything together. They’re not just task coordinators; they’re strategic thinkers who deeply understand the product’s purpose and the customer’s needs. In my view, their role evolves to focus on bridging the gap between tech and business—translating complex needs into actionable priorities and ensuring every effort ties back to value. They also become advocates for outcomes, pushing teams to measure success by impact, not volume, and guiding tough decisions on what to build next.
What is your forecast for the future of product-centric approaches in technology organizations over the next few years?
I’m optimistic that we’ll see a broader adoption of product-centric models as organizations realize that speed and tools alone aren’t enough. With the rise of AI and data-driven insights, there’s going to be even more emphasis on outcomes—because data will make it clearer when value isn’t being delivered. I think we’ll see more companies empowering cross-functional teams and product managers to take ownership of end-to-end value creation. It won’t happen overnight, but those who embrace this shift will stand out as true innovators in a crowded tech landscape.
