What we’re about
Discussions, experience sharing and structured training about:
• Organizational Design. Scrum Scaling by organizational Descaling
• System Optimization and Organizational Agility. Waste Management. Lean Thinking
• Technical Excellence. Continuous Improvement.
• Product Management & Ownership.
Upcoming events (4)
See all- Understanding Product Management Through Its Many InterpretationsLink visible for attendees
Session Description: This session reviews the four distinct schools of thought that have emerged in product management and their impact on the role of the product manager.
Takeaway: Gain an understanding of how organizational context shapes the definition and execution of product management. Identify four distinct schools of thought and assess their influence on the structure, responsibilities, and strategic position of the product manager role.
Speaker's Bio:
Gabriel Steinhardt is Blackblot's founder and a recognized international technology product management expert.
Gabriel is the author of three books on product management, product pricing, and data-driven-decision-making, all published by Springer-Verlag.
Gabriel is the developer of the Blackblot Product Manager's Toolkit® (PMTK) product management methodology, a globally adopted best practice.
LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blackblot/ - Oct 09-10: 10th GLOBAL LESS CONFERENCE - 2025 (AMSTERDAM, NL)Needs location
REGISTER: for 10th Global LeSS Conference - 2025 (AMSTERDAM, NL).
We are thrilled to announce the 10th Global LeSS Conference, which will take place on October 9th and 10th, 2025, in the vibrant city of Amsterdam! As we celebrate a decade of sharing and growing the LeSS community, this year’s event promises to be our best yet, continuing the tradition of bringing together thought leaders, practitioners, and innovators in large-scale product development.
Read more and register... - OKR Summit: LeSS Layers Between "O" and "KR" Make OKRs More MeaningfulNeeds location
This is even is cross-posted here for additional visibility. REGISTRATION FROM HERE.
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In many traditional organizations, OKRs lose their potency as they cascade down through layers of hierarchy. Objectives often drift into abstract statements at the top, while Key Results become distorted metrics at the bottom—sometimes even manipulated for “success.” This widening gap between vision (“O”) and execution (“KR”) is a natural byproduct of organizational silos, role fragmentation, and the “us vs. them” mentality that grows out of traditional structures.
By contrast, the Large Scale Scrum (LeSS) product group design eliminates much of this distortion and produces OKRs that are significantly more meaningful and value-driven. Why?- Simplified, Flatter Structure
- With fewer layers, OKRs remain tightly connected to customer outcomes. Requests from clients flow directly to cross-functional teams, shortening the cycle time, accelerating time-to-market, and making the organization more competitive.
- One Product, One Backlog
- Multiple teams collaborate on the same backlog under a single Product Owner, ensuring that OKRs align with the organization’s true strategic mission, rather than splintering into local or departmental goals.
- Fewer Roles, More Responsibility
- With less bureaucracy and fewer managerial hand-offs, teams take real ownership of Key Results. Workers are multi-skilled generalists rather than siloed specialists, reducing system gaming, local optimization, and internal rivalry.
- Better Culture by Design
- The structural simplicity of LeSS fosters cultural improvements: healthier HR norms, role security instead of title-chasing, fairer recognition and compensation, and a genuine reduction in “us vs. them” politics. This not only enhances accountability but also increases employee satisfaction and retention.
The Result
In LeSS, OKRs become authentic reflections of customer value and strategic intent. Instead of being watered down or distorted through hierarchy, they connect directly to the work of empowered teams. The organizational design itself acts as the safeguard, narrowing (and in many cases closing) the gap between ambition (O) and execution (KR), making OKRs in LeSS not only more meaningful, but also more impactful.
