Has the Proliferation of Frameworks
Broken Product Management?
I recently posed the question whether Agile is broken because teams are so focused on the process rather than the goals. I think it is fair for a similar introspective look at how teams are doing product management.
Over the past decade, we have seen an explosion of frameworks promising to simplify the complexities of product management. From OKRs to RICE scoring, from Lean Canvas to Story Mapping, there is a framework for nearly every challenge we face. While these tools can be valuable, I am increasingly hearing from teams who feel more constrained than empowered by them.
Frameworks are meant to serve us, not the other way around. Yet, it's easy to fall into the trap of prioritizing the framework over the problem it is meant to solve. Product teams spend hours debating the perfect OKR wording or calculating exact RICE scores, only to lose sight of the real goal: delivering value to customers and the business.
Worse still, I have seen teams paralyzed by the sheer number of frameworks available. The process of choosing which tool to use often becomes a blocker in itself. Endless debates over prioritizing outcomes with OKRs, decisions with RICE, or innovation with Lean Canvas can sap a team’s energy before any actual work begins. When the focus shifts from solving customer problems to solving internal process dilemmas, progress grinds to a halt.
Another common pitfall is the misconception that frameworks provide a precise, objective answer—if only you plug in the data or inputs. This is rarely the case. Frameworks are tools for structured thinking, not black boxes that produce perfect decisions. Relying on them too heavily can create a false sense of certainty, masking the messy reality of product work. The true value lies in how they spark discussion, guide prioritization, and help teams align, not in delivering a “correct” answer.
The best product teams I’ve worked with use frameworks sparingly. They know these tools are starting points, not solutions. They adapt, experiment, and evolve their processes to fit their context instead of forcing their work into a rigid template. Most importantly, they never lose sight of the real goals and don't let the tools become a substitute for thinking.
So, here’s my question for you: Are frameworks helping your team solve real problems, or have they become another layer of bureaucracy? How do you strike the balance between structure and creativity in your product process?
I’d love to hear how your team navigates this challenge.