Product Operating Model
Ways of Working—The Top Driver of Business Outcomes
Is your product team equipped with a clear, documented, and repeatable way of working? Companies with established ways of working deliver higher returns.
At Brainmates, we partner with you to develop a customised Product Operating Model that truly embodies product thinking within your organisation. Instead of merely modifying a generic Operating Model to fit your needs, we ensure that your Product Operating Model is intricately tailored to align with your company’s unique context, as well as your team’s specific practices, rhythms, and workflows. This customised approach empowers your team to consistently deliver value.
Our methodology emphasises providing your product teams with the necessary guardrails and tools to achieve high-impact outcomes. We align the model with your industry context, organizational maturity, and team dynamics, establishing clear, repeatable, and effective workflows. From ideation and discovery to delivery and lifecycle management, we guide your teams to confidently navigate every phase of product management.
The Result? Seamless collaboration, streamlined operations, and the dependable delivery of products and services that drive meaningful results for your business.
Trusted by Australia's leading organisations
How Does The Program Work?
We're with you every step of the way. We don't work in isolation, and we never leave you to figure it out on your own. You'll have a dedicated Account Manager to ensure the project stays on track, along with a team of experienced Product Consultants who will craft a tailored Product Operating Model designed specifically for your organisation.
Here's a general outline of the process and the steps we take to deliver a customised Product Operating Model.
Client Onboarding
Est 1 Week
- ›Introductions
- ›Project Planning
Discovery
Est 2 Weeks
- ›Interviews
- ›Product Document Evaluation
- ›Process Analysis
- ›Operating Model Review
Co-Design
Est 4 Weeks
- ›Workshops
- ›Iterative Design
- ›Calibration Sessions
Pilot (optional)
Est 6 Weeks
- ›Utilise Key Framework
- ›Phases
- ›Framework Amendments
Deliver
Est 2 Weeks
- ›Leadership Presentations
- ›Team Presentations
- ›Handover Playbook
Implementation
Est 3–12 Months
- ›Coaching
- ›Facilitation
- ›Co-ordination
The Benefits Of Implementing The Product Operating Model
Organisational Benefits
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01
Improved Consistency and Efficiency
With clear, repeatable steps in place, your teams can minimise inefficiencies and maintain a high standard of work, driving consistency across all projects.
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02
Streamlined Cross-Functional Collaboration
The model defines roles, responsibilities, and workflows, reducing miscommunication and fostering stronger alignment between product, design, technology, and delivery team.
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03
Scalable Processes for Growth
As the organisation scales, the model provides a strong foundation that allows new team members to quickly align with established processes, ensuring stability and continuity.
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04
Accelerated Time-to-Market
A structured approach to each phase of development enables faster, data-driven decisions, reducing bottlenecks and helping your teams bring new products to market more quickly.
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05
A Long-Term Strategic Focus
With standardised processes, your teams are free to focus more on strategic priorities and innovation, setting the stage for sustainable growth.
Leader Benefits
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01
Enhanced Visibility and Control
Full insight into team workflows allows you to make faster, data-driven decisions and monitor progress effectively, for short-term wins and strategic goals.
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02
Reduced Operational Overhead
With defined and documented processes in place, you can focus on high-level initiatives while your teams stay aligned and on track, minimising the need for constant oversight.
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03
Confidence in Consistent Delivery
Knowing your teams have a reliable model gives you peace of mind that they'll deliver quality outcomes, time and time again, with minimal intervention.
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04
Driving Organisational Excellence
By implementing a customised way of working, you establish a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement, positioning you as a strategic leader.
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05
Predictable, Measurable Outcomes
The model's structured approach ensures faster, more consistent outcomes across projects, so you can achieve measurable results with confidence.
A Customised Model For Your Teams
We support the implementation of your tailored Product Operating Model by delivering a comprehensive Product Model—a practical guide designed to empower your teams. This model distils the outcomes of our collaboration into actionable frameworks and processes, offering a clear roadmap for managing every phase of the product lifecycle, from ideation and discovery to delivery and ongoing management.
More than just a document, our model is a dynamic tool that reflects your organization's unique context. It typically includes both a Product Framework and an Operating Cadence, providing repeatable, easy-to-follow guidelines that drive consistency and efficiency. By fostering alignment, enhancing collaboration, and embedding streamlined workflows, the model helps your teams confidently adopt and sustain the new ways of working we develop together, setting the foundation for long-term product success.
See this in action: read the Government Department case study.
01. The Product Framework
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Product Team Principles
Core values and practices tailored to your team's unique dynamics.
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Lifecycle Model with Detailed Stages
Information and instruction of key stages, phases steps, and activities across the product lifecycle.
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Roles and Responsibilities
Clearly defined roles for the Product team and their collaboration with Design, Technology, and Delivery teams.
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Glossary of Product Terms
Customised to your organisation's language, creating a shared understanding across teams.
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Supporting Artefacts and Tools
Practical resources to guide and support your team's work at every stage of the lifecycle.
02. The Product Operating Cadence
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Structured Meetings and Rituals
A repeatable schedule of key sessions, including quarterly planning, strategy alignment, and progress check-ins.
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Session Timing and Formats
Clear guidance on when and how each meeting should occur.
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Defined Roles of Participants and Contributors
Roles and expectations are set for each session to ensure purpose-driven, productive collaboration.
“While we create a recipe book for your team, our real focus is on achieving the right product outcomes. The model is simply a tool to help you get there.”
Implementing The Product Operating Model
Creating your Product Operating Model is just the beginning. To ensure its successful adoption, our consultants can support your teams through one complete cycle of the framework. During this phase, we'll help establish and monitor the setup of the key meetings and rituals that form part of your product operating cadence. We will coach individuals and teams to operate within the model. Additionally, we'll conduct workshops to kick off the product planning cycle and ensure the framework activities are consistently completed.
You have the flexibility to engage our services for a duration of 3 months, or extend it up to 12 months, to thoroughly integrate your new Product Operating Model.
At the end of the implementation phase, we will work towards:
- Clear product vision, strategy, and roadmap created and communicated for each product
- Product Managers demonstrating alignment between products and business goals
- Effective product discovery with captured insights
- Successful quarterly planning completion
- Structured team meetings with actionable outcomes
Client Outcomes & Testimonials
Partnering with Brainmates was a game-changer for us. Their Capability Assessment provided a clear, actionable view of our strengths and areas for growth in product management. They didn't just highlight gaps. They helped us understand how to close them, equipping our teams with the tools and direction we needed to elevate our product delivery. The insights we gained have been invaluable in aligning our team and strategy for better outcomes.
Sam Askin
CEO, One Stop
Woolworths has been partnering with Brainmates for a few years to help build product capability and product standards. They helped us build our product capability matrix and career ladder and therefore understand the needs we have in our business but also understand the challenges in market to find top product talent. They also have great talent in their business to help build out a program such as this and were very excited to partner with us on a program that is customised to Woolworths.
Petra Gross
GM, Product, Woolworths
Frequently Asked Questions
Adopting a Product Operating Model offers significant advantages for organisations. This model shifts the focus towards aligning the entire business around delivering products that truly solve customer problems. At its core, it emphasises developing a deep understanding of customer challenges and continuously iterating to deliver differentiated solutions. A key strength of this approach lies in its ability to prioritise what matters most. Through continuous discovery, led by Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers, decisions are guided by data and customer insights—not by the loudest voices or executive demands. With continuous release cycles, teams can maximise value delivery while remaining responsive to customer needs.
Adopting a Product Operating Model requires strong endorsement and support from the top. While grassroots efforts can spark change, Executive and CEO backing is essential, as it often demands a shift in leadership behaviours. For this transition to succeed, Product people must also be equipped with the right capabilities to excel in their roles. This builds trust in their expertise, enabling Executives to confidently step back and empower their teams. To ensure successful adoption, design a tailored framework that aligns with your organisation’s unique context, product lifecycle, and core product principles. This framework should serve as the foundation for embedding the Product Operating Model across the business.
No, product management isn’t in charge of the organisation. A Product Operating Model ensures that product management has the structure and support to do their job effectively—solving problems that are aligned with the product strategy and delivering real value to customers and the business. It’s about creating clarity and collaboration, not hierarchy.
For the design and implementation to succeed, your teams need to be actively involved in shaping the model to fit your organisation. During implementation, we’ll establish a clear cadence, and your teams will play a key role in carrying out product activities, reviewing results, and providing feedback. Their participation is essential to ensure the model is both practical and impactful.
When you adopt the Product Operating Model, you’ll see a shift towards continuous discovery that brings real insights to the table, fuelling a more effective and customer-centric product design process. With faster solution testing, you’ll be able to quickly validate whether your product is truly solving the customer’s problem, ensuring you’re always on the right track. Ultimately, you’ll have a product that customers are eager to exchange value for, which leads to tangible business growth. Beyond that, you can also expect: Stronger collaboration across teams as product, design, and engineering work together seamlessly. Improved product-market fit through ongoing iteration and refinement. Faster time to market, focusing on high-value initiatives that drive impact. Clear alignment with your business goals, ensuring every product decision supports your strategy. Increased customer loyalty, as you’re able to rapidly adapt and deliver exactly what your customers need.
This isn’t a set-and-forget activity. The model should be continuously reviewed—think of it like a product with a lifecycle. Regularly inspect how it’s working, and make scheduled adjustments to ensure it’s helping your teams consistently deliver valuable products. Adapt it as needed to stay aligned with changes in your organisation.
We Support Our Clients In Many Ways
The Product Operating Model can be paired with:
How Can We Help?
One of our consultants will get back to you the next business day.
