Part 2: Scrum, product updates and the STAR framework

Module 6 · Sun 16 Aug

The PM owns the research synthesis in a PRD, even when others help gather evidence. Match the document to the stakeholder and the decision they need to make.

• Waterfall = rigid phases. Scrum = short sprints (~2 weeks), daily stand-up (15-20 min), sprint review and retro.
• Get cross-functional buy-in through clarity before you ask for approval - don't just point people to a doc.
• Delay, launch and incident updates must be specific enough for people to act on. Delay communication usually lands on the PM. Critical flows need explicit UAT and regression plans.

STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) turns your experience into a clear, credible story - end with a measurable result. Leadership writing is about clarity, compression and story. Use AI as a thinking partner, not a replacement for thinking.

Class case - live-stream watch time dropped: ask which segment dropped, when, new vs repeat users, and what changed outside. The answer was a change in audience mix and/or a market crash, not stream quality. Users also left for YouTube for full screen and PiP, so the app added its own full-screen and zoom. Always check where users go next.