On a cold January day in 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 took off from LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Just minutes into the flight, a flock of geese struck the plane, causing both engines to fail. Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger faced an unimaginable crisis. In those critical moments, Sully’s focus wasn’t on informing air traffic control about every detail of the situation or discussing options with his co-pilot. His priority was clear: keep the plane in the air and find a safe place to land. Sully’s calm, decisive actions led to the miraculous landing on the Hudson River, saving all 155 souls on board.
This story highlights a fundamental principle in aviation known as “Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.” The first job is to keep the plane flying (aviate), then determine where it’s going (navigate), and only then, if time permits, communicate. This hierarchy ensures that pilots focus on what matters most in an emergency: the safety of the flight.
In the world of product development, we can draw a parallel to this aviation creed. Creating a successful product often feels like navigating through turbulent skies. There are countless decisions to make, problems to solve, and pressures to meet deadlines. Yet, one of the biggest challenges teams face is the overwhelming amount of communication that can bog down the process. Meetings, endless discussions, and constant updates can create noise that distracts from the core goals.
Too much communication can be demotivating and counterproductive. It often leads to teams spending more time in meetings, drafting documents, and debating details instead of pushing ideas forward. While communication is essential, especially in coordinating and ensuring everyone is on the same page, it shouldn’t come at the cost of action and progress.
To address this issue, I propose a new three-word rule for product development: Plan, Execute, Communicate.
- Plan: Just like pilots who have a clear flight plan, start with a solid strategy. Define your goals, outline your steps, and ensure everyone understands the mission.
- Execute: Focus on getting things done. Prioritize action over endless discussions. Work on building, testing, and refining your product.
- Communicate: Once you’ve made significant progress, share updates, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments. Ensure communication enhances the process rather than hinders it.
This rule helps maintain the balance between necessary communication and productive action. It ensures that teams stay focused on creating and delivering their product before getting caught up in the details of communication.
By adopting “Plan, Execute, Communicate,” product teams can streamline their workflow, reduce unnecessary meetings, and keep their focus on what truly matters. Just like Sully kept his focus on flying the plane first, we too can keep our projects on course by prioritizing planning and execution before diving into extensive communication.
Remember, the key to successful product development isn’t just about talking—it’s about doing.
Information Overload 