Measuring Value

You are an employee that goes beyond the "craft to execution" and "problem-solving to initiative". You bring strategic impact along with your market vision that directly influences that company's bottom line. But your rank and net pay in the hands of your employer does not change. Not because you are not valuable to them but because they can not afford your services at the market rate nor can they re-design the upper echelon to accommodate your growth and talents without causing "waves". If you give far too much for the same old, you are the majority of the talent stuck within dormant companies that have no systems of recognition of talent based on merit.

How do you measure talent?

Depends on the occupation.

Ask most product managers what makes them valuable, and they'll list deliverables: wireframes completed, features shipped, user stories written. But after analyzing hundreds of product professionals across different companies and stages, one truth emerges: your real value isn't measured in what you produce - it's measured in the problems you solve.

The most impactful product professionals understand a fundamental distinction. Success isn't about executing tasks efficiently or following frameworks perfectly. It's about two core competencies: identifying the right problems to solve and actually solving them. These skills separate high-performing product teams from those stuck in endless cycles of busy work.

This shift in perspective changes everything about how we evaluate product talent and, more importantly, how product professionals can maximize their impact within organizations.

Identifying the Right Problems

The foundation of product value lies in problem identification. Too many product professionals fall into the trap of becoming feature factories - efficiently building solutions without questioning whether they're solving meaningful problems.

Strong problem identification starts with understanding the difference between symptoms and root causes. When users complain about a confusing checkout flow, the symptom is obvious. But the underlying problem might be unclear product positioning, misaligned user expectations, or technical constraints that force poor design decisions.

Product professionals who excel at problem identification develop several key practices. They spend time with users beyond formal research sessions. They understand business metrics deeply enough to spot anomalies and trends. They cultivate relationships with customer support, sales, and other user-facing teams to gather intelligence about real pain points.

The most valuable insight often comes from problems nobody is talking about yet. These professionals notice when user behavior doesn't match stated preferences, when business metrics show troubling trends before they become crises, or when market shifts create new opportunities.

Problem identification also requires understanding priority and timing. Not every problem deserves immediate attention. The best product professionals can differentiate between urgent problems, important problems, and problems that will become critical later. This skill directly impacts resource allocation and team focus.

Solving Problems Effectively

Identifying problems is only half the equation. Actually solving them - especially complex, ambiguous problems - separates good product professionals from exceptional ones.

Effective problem-solving in product roles rarely happens in isolation. The highest-value product professionals excel at cross-functional collaboration, bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise to tackle challenges. They understand that engineering constraints, design principles, business requirements, and user needs must all factor into viable solutions.

This means developing strong facilitation skills. Leading discovery sessions where different stakeholders can surface assumptions and concerns. Creating alignment around problem definitions before jumping to solutions. Managing trade-offs between competing priorities and requirements.

Problem-solving also requires comfort with ambiguity and iteration. The most complex problems don't have obvious solutions, and the first attempt at solving them is rarely the best one. Valuable product professionals build solutions incrementally, test assumptions quickly, and pivot based on evidence rather than opinion.

Technical fluency plays a crucial role here too. You don't need to be an engineer, but understanding technical possibilities and constraints allows product professionals to work more effectively with development teams and make better decisions about solution approaches.

The most effective problem-solvers also think systemically. They consider how solutions will interact with existing features, affect different user segments, and scale over time. This prevents solutions that fix immediate problems while creating larger ones downstream.

Measuring Value

Traditional metrics for evaluating product professionals often miss the mark. Counting features shipped or story points completed tells us nothing about whether those efforts moved the business forward or improved user experiences.

Better measurement focuses on problem-solving outcomes. Did the product professional correctly identify high-impact problems? Were their solutions effective at addressing those problems? How well did they navigate trade-offs and constraints?

Leading indicators of problem-solving ability include the quality of problem statements, depth of user understanding, and ability to generate multiple solution approaches. These can be assessed through problem discovery artifacts, user research quality, and solution design processes.

Outcome metrics should tie directly to the problems being solved. If the problem was user activation, measure activation rates. If the problem was operational efficiency, measure relevant efficiency metrics. The key is establishing clear connections between problems identified, solutions implemented, and business results achieved.

Collaboration effectiveness also deserves measurement. How well does the product professional work across functions? Do they facilitate productive discussions and build consensus around difficult decisions? Can they translate between different stakeholder perspectives and requirements?

Long-term thinking provides another valuable measurement dimension. Are solutions built for scalability and future needs? Does the product professional anticipate downstream effects and plan accordingly? This forward-thinking approach often distinguishes senior product professionals from their junior counterparts.

Strategic Alignment and Growth

The most valuable product professionals don't just solve problems - they solve the right problems at the right time for maximum business impact. This requires deep understanding of company strategy, market dynamics, and competitive positioning.

Strategic alignment means connecting individual product decisions to broader business objectives. When a product professional can articulate how their problem-solving efforts support revenue goals, user growth, or market expansion, they demonstrate clear business value.

This also involves understanding resource constraints and opportunity costs. Every problem solved means other problems remain unaddressed. The best product professionals make these trade-offs consciously and can defend their prioritization decisions based on strategic impact.

Growth mindset separates good problem-solvers from great ones. The product landscape evolves constantly, introducing new user expectations, technical capabilities, and business models. Valuable product professionals stay curious, experiment with new approaches, and adapt their problem-solving methods as contexts change.

Building Problem-Solving Excellence

For product professionals looking to increase their value, the focus should shift from task completion to problem mastery. Develop deep empathy for users and their contexts. Build strong relationships across functions to understand different perspectives on problems and solutions.

Invest in learning problem-solving frameworks, but don't become dependent on them. The most complex problems require customized approaches that combine multiple methodologies and adapt to specific constraints.

Practice articulating problems clearly and completely. If you can't explain a problem concisely, you probably don't understand it well enough to solve it effectively. Work on translating technical problems into business language and business problems into technical requirements.

Seek feedback on problem-solving approaches, not just solutions. Understanding why certain approaches work better than others accelerates learning and improves future problem-solving ability.

The product profession will continue evolving, but the fundamental value proposition remains constant: identifying and solving important problems that drive user and business outcomes. Product professionals who master these core competencies will find themselves indispensable regardless of changing tools, frameworks, or market conditions.

Success in product roles ultimately comes down to making a meaningful difference through thoughtful problem-solving. When you can consistently identify problems worth solving and develop effective solutions for them, your value becomes clear to everyone around you.

Truly Yours,

Narghiza Ergashova

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Narghiza Ergashova is a highly skilled finance executive based in Australia with extensive experience across industries like property, mining, chemicals, and infrastructure. She is recognized for her expertise in managing complex portfolios, building strong stakeholder relationships, and driving exceptional business performance.

As a thought leader, Narghiza regularly shares valuable insights on leadership, innovation, and personal growth. Through her Medium articles, she covers key topics such as employee engagement, effective leadership strategies, and overcoming business challenges. Her work resonates with professionals looking for actionable advice and inspiration to succeed in both their careers and personal lives.

To learn more about Narghiza Ergashova, you can explore her work on the Blogger, STCK.com or visit her Medium.com profile. Discover her expert insights and strategies for leadership, business growth, and navigating challenges in today’s fast-paced industries.

In May 2025 Narghiza Ergashova released her debut autobiography called Curly Clix Convictions . The book delves into Narghiza's journey as a professional, entrepreneur, and wife and a mother. You can visit her biography by clicking the link below.