Product Principles is most useful when it helps you make one real decision.
Make the decision visible, show what it depends on, and test the risky part first.
Try saying
“Here are the options and evidence. What should we learn before we commit?”
Name the choice
Write down the decision in plain English.
Compare evidence
See what supports or weakens each option.
Choose a test
Turn uncertainty into a small next step.
Product Principles
What this is for
Help the team make consistent trade-offs when the answer is not in a roadmap ticket.
When this helps
- Teams revisit the same philosophical debates.
- Different functions optimize for different definitions of quality.
- Decision rationale disappears after the meeting.
How it works
Principles are short decision rules linked to the evidence and decisions that shaped them. A principle is useful when it changes behaviour, not when it merely sounds inspiring.
Before you start
- A recurring decision tension.
- The team’s chosen rule.
- Examples and evidence showing when the rule applies.
What you should see
- A small set of actionable principles.
- Consistent criteria for design, research, and delivery choices.
- A linkable explanation for future decisions.
Try it now
- Open Product Principles and name the recurring trade-off.
- Write the principle as a clear rule with an observable consequence.
- Add one example and one counter-example.
- Link the principle to the decisions and documents where the team applies it.
A real example
“Show the evidence before increasing scope” means a request without a customer signal may be explored, but it cannot become a committed roadmap item until the team records what it learned.
Your next move
Use Decision Log to record the choices made under each principle.
Ready to apply this?
Start with your own product and keep the first read grounded. You can create an account after you see the result.