Why Engineers Should Be at the Product Strategy Table ?
Why engineer's input should be a must when influencing product decisions
This newsletter is a guest post with
. Wayne is a Principal Product Manager at Instacart. He has shared his learnings in this newsletter on how important it is for engineers to participate in product decisions and influence the way product is shaped.Before we start, Subscribe to Product Small Talk and follow Wayne on LinkedIN
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I’ll pass the mic 🎤 to
to enlighten us nowIf there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the best products come from teams that embrace early collaboration—especially between product managers and engineers. Yet, it still surprises me how often engineers are left out of key strategic discussions until it’s almost too late.
It might seem obvious that engineers should be involved from the start, but in many companies, they often get looped in after major decisions have already been made. This results in backtracking or, worse, products that aren’t scalable.
Look at companies like Google, Meta, and Apple. They get it right. Engineers there are plugged into strategy from day one. They’re not just problem solvers; they help shape the vision. Their technical insights ensure the product is set up for both short-term success and long-term scalability.
Why Engineers Should Be Involved Early
1. They Help Create Scalable Solutions
Involving engineers early can save you headaches later. They think long-term—spotting technical issues that could become bottlenecks before they even happen. By bringing them to the table, you get a clearer picture of what’s possible and set yourself up for success.
At Instacart, I own the loyalty and membership platform, which integrates with hundreds of retailer systems. Involving engineers from the start allowed us to design it in a scalable, low-maintenance way, ensuring the platform could grow with external partners without adding extra work for the team.
2. It Builds Ownership and Accountability
When engineers help shape the strategy, they feel a real sense of ownership. They’re not just building someone else’s vision—they’re building theirs, too. This leads to more engagement, accountability, and a stronger investment in the product’s success.
I’ve seen this firsthand at Instacart. Involving early or junior engineers completely changes the energy. They become more driven, proactive, and take pride in moving the project forward because they’ve helped define it. It’s no longer just my project—it’s ours.
3. They Bring a Fresh Perspective
PMs don’t always have all the answers. Engineers look at problems differently, and their perspectives often reveal solutions we might miss. While we focus on user needs and business value, they think about technical feasibility and sustainability. Their input strengthens the strategy by adding layers of consideration that might otherwise be overlooked.
I’m not particularly technical, so I’ve learned to trust my engineers 100%. I own the problem, and they own the solution. Over the years, I’ve been consistently impressed by their ability to come up with creative, scalable solutions I wouldn’t have thought of.
Why Don’t More Companies Do This?
Despite the clear benefits, many companies still don’t involve engineers early enough in strategic discussions. Here’s why:
1. Company Culture
Some companies treat engineers as “doers” rather than partners in the strategy process. They’re brought in to execute decisions, not influence them. This kind of culture misses out on the valuable insights engineers can offer.
2. Team Dynamics
Sometimes, teams don’t foster a culture of ownership. In these cases, engineers may feel decisions rest with the PM or EM, so they don’t need to be involved early—or worse, that they shouldn’t be.
3. Perceived Overhead
PMs sometimes worry that involving engineers early will slow things down. We think, “They don’t need the full context yet,” or “It’s going to be too much overhead.” But I’ve found that this mindset often leads to delays down the road when issues crop up that could have been addressed earlier.
I’ve learned this lesson the hard way. When I’ve involved engineers without a clear product vision, it’s slowed things down. But when I involve them at the right time—once the product vision is set but strategies still need refining—it always results in a smoother process.
4. Engineers Don’t Always Want To
Let’s be real—sometimes engineers don’t want to step outside of their usual responsibilities. They might see strategic involvement as just another meeting to attend. This is where we, as PMs, need to show them the value of being involved in these early conversations.
How to Get Engineers More Involved
So how do you ensure engineers are engaged early and actively contributing to strategic discussions?
1. Share the Big Picture
Help engineers see how their work fits into the broader vision. Once they understand the full impact of their contributions, they’ll be more invested in shaping that vision from the start.
2. Show What’s In It for Them
Engage engineers by showing the benefits. Early involvement means fewer surprises, last-minute changes, and less frustration down the road. Once they see that, they’ll be eager to join the conversation.
3. Lean on Your EMs
Your engineering managers can help identify when to involve engineers. I work closely with my EMs at Instacart, and they help me gauge the right time to loop engineers in. We focus on high-impact projects where their input can make the biggest difference.
4. Be Selective
You don’t need to involve engineers in every strategic decision. Be selective. For high-ROI projects, involve them early. For less critical projects, it might be fine to wait until later.
Involving engineers early in the strategic process can make all the difference. It leads to better products, more scalable solutions, and a stronger, more engaged team. If we want to create products that are technically sound and aligned with user needs, engineers should be part of the conversation from day one.
Happy Learning !
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