Project Managing Multiple Deadlines | My Prioritization Approach

Managing multiple deadlines, projects, and cross-functional partners are core aspects of product marketing.

At Instagram, I had to juggle core work, side projects, and community efforts, which required me to have effective prioritization skills. I was responsible for pre-GTM efforts for 4-5 products per half (6 months), which meant that I had to conduct customer and market research, lead alpha/beta tests, build product education materials, measure performance, and surface insights across engineering, sales, and marketing teams to ensure adoption and growth -- all at the same time, and in different product stages.

At Sellics, my project management skills were also put to the test. As a lean product marketing team supporting larger product management and sales functions, my team of three was stretched thin across six product lines with GTMs every three to four weeks and building adoption and retention campaigns every month.

Prioritization can be challenging, especially when facing competing demands and limited resources. Product marketers often have to juggle multiple projects at the same time, and it can be overwhelming to try and focus on everything, especially when all aspects seem important. To help with this, I consider the following factors when managing competing deadlines:

IMPACT

Since some tasks have a bigger impact on your product or company, focus on the greatest impact first; this way, you can make the most efficient use of your time and resources, leading to a higher return on investment. Examples include:

• Revenue impact: Does the task influence the company's revenue? Does it prevent revenue loss? Is it a proven method of revenue generation? If it unlocks immediate revenue impact, it is important to prioritize it.

• User impact: How many users will the task impact? To what extent is the user experience compromised if the problem remains unsolved? Projects that have a significant impact on a large number of users or that could compromise the user experience should also be given higher priority, as it may lead to business consequences.

EFFORT & RESOURCE

If you have limited resources, such as time, people or budget, be sure to prioritize those resources first.

• Cost (time and effort): If you have two priorities with similar levels of importance, tackle the one that requires less time and effort first; this frees up more time to focus on the more time-consuming one later.

  • It can also be helpful to break large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps and to set intermediate deadlines for each step. This can help you make steady progress and stay on track, while also allowing you to flexibly respond to any changes or unexpected challenges that may arise.

• Team bandwidth: Understanding your team's bandwidth is crucial when managing expectations. Aligning with the team ensures that prioritizing the task is feasible and efficient for the group workflow.

RISK

It is important to consider the risks associated with each decision in order to make informed choices about which work to focus on first. Some risks to consider when prioritizing between multiple projects include:

• Dependencies: If one task is dependent on the completion of another, it is important to prioritize the one that needs to be completed first. If a task requires input or feedback from other team members or stakeholders, it is important to prioritize it so that you can move forward with the project.

• Urgency: Understand the trade-offs when choosing to complete one work over another. Projects that have a higher level of urgency may have higher risks if they are not completed in a timely manner.

By considering impact, effort, and risks, product marketers can effectively prioritize competing deadlines and ensure that they are able to meet all of their commitments efficiently. This can help to minimize risk and maximize the success of projects, ultimately leading to a higher ROI.

​[BONUS] XFN Management Best Practices

• Over communicate: Writing weekly progress updates and ownership of each goal can help with accountability and transparency. Depending on the weight and urgency of the project, sharing EOD (end-of-day) bullets may also provide clearer trajectories.

• Build a tracker and share the link: There are multiple project management tools, but one simple option is to use Google Sheets to showcase project progress. Doing so provides transparency on progress and eases access across the team.

• Get buy-in ahead of time: Changes happen constantly when managing any project. If you're initiating a change, it's also important to get 1:1 buy-in before presenting to the group. This ensures that feedback is captured and implemented ahead of the group meeting, ultimately leading to a more seamless adjustment.

• Set boundaries: Be transparent about ongoing priorities to establish expectations amongst cross functional partners. Set designated no-meeting days or block chunks of time to allow greater focus for finishing your work.