Coaching: Assess · Core
Assess how mature product practice is
Use a simple framework to see where product practice is strong and where it is weak. It gives you a baseline to measure progress against.
About 3-5 daysEvergreenLast reviewed 5 November 2026
Who this applies to
- Skills it builds
- Leadership and coaching
- PM types
- All
- Product types
- All
- Starting points
- All
- Ways of working
- All
- Experience
- All
- Size of organisation
- All
Steps, by experience
Beginner (under 1 year)
- Choose a simple framework of product skills and practices.
- Score current practice for each area, using your interview themes.
- Ask a few PMs to self-assess against the same framework.
- Compare the two views.
- Pick the two or three areas that matter most.
Intermediate (1 to 4 years)
- Use a recognised role framework to describe skills by level.
- Look at how teams work, not just individual skills.
- Record the baseline so you can measure change later.
Experienced (5+ years)
- Assess maturity across many teams and spot patterns.
- Separate skill gaps from problems in the operating model.
- Share the baseline with leaders honestly.
Who can do this
Owner: Product manager
Can be delegated to
- People / HR partner: Run the self-assessment survey
Tool examples
- Google Docs
- Score each practice area in a shared sheet.
- Miro
- Show the baseline as a simple heat map.
Definition of done
- Framework chosen
- Baseline scored
- Priority areas picked
Common pitfalls
- A framework so detailed nobody uses it
- Scoring without evidence
- Blaming individuals for system problems