Products, not permission slips: A new way to pay for digital value

Each product team goes into annual planning as a “project” — because that’s the language finance still speaks. Tactically, the project is called by the capability or product name: “improve customer acquisition,” as opposed to the “integrate third-party data for personalization project.” That detail may be one opportunity on your roadmap, but it is a means to an end and subject to change. This gets you the full year’s funding in one go. No mid-year scrambling. No fits and starts. Your teams can flex scope as needed and prioritize outcomes, not just output. 

Governance becomes much simpler. The 80% of work that lives in product teams gets approved up front and measured by results. The 20% continues through traditional review. Remember, the up-front funding of product teams is a privilege. It can be revoked if, for example, the benefits do not justify the TCO for multiple quarters. 

You can stop here. This is a huge win. You’ve modernized the way product teams are funded, made life easier for finance and created a more coherent conversation about value. But if you want the full unlock — if you want end-to-end clarity — there’s one more step.