The CIRCLES Method is a product management framework for problem-solving that enables product managers and design teams to come up with deliberate, comprehensive, and full responses to a variety of design challenges. These design questions are common to all types of products or services being developed, whether it’s a car or a new mobile phone app. The CIRCLES framework can assist answer some of these concerns, such as what the product is, who it is created for, why they need it, when and where it will be offered, and how it operates.
Product management using the CIRCLES approach consists of seven linear processes that establish a product framework that covers all important components of product design.
Key Concepts of the CIRCLES Method
The CIRCLES method’s sequential structure allows PMs to proceed through key questions to fully grasp what needs to be designed and why. Some see the CIRCLES technique as a checklist for asking the proper questions while developing a comprehensive and structured solution to a design topic.
1- Defining the aim (e.g., increase revenue, market share, or engagement).
2- Recognize your problem’s limits from the start (e.g., how much time do you have, how many engineer resources are available, etc.).
3- Understanding the situation’s context, which provides basic information (i.e., don’t assume or make assumptions; instead, ask questions that assist you comprehend, such as “What is it?” and “Who is it for?”).
Here are the seven steps to the CIRCLES method:
- Comprehend the situation (What? Why? Who? How?)
- Identify the customer
- Report customer’s needs
- Cut, through prioritization
- List solutions
- Evaluate tradeoffs
- Summarize your recommendation
Why Is the CIRCLES Method Important to Product Management?
The CIRCLES approach is important in product management since it does the following:
1- Maintains the focus on consumers by distilling for whom PMs are developing the product or feature. Explains why they are creating it.
2- Assists project managers in prioritising topics like product features, execution, user input, and the product roadmap.
3- Allows project managers to ask proper questions during the key first phase (comprehend the problem) to collect adequate information before rushing to a decision.
4- Encourages PMs to have an open mind as they go through the framework’s sequential processes rather than leaping to conclusions or solutions.
Why is the CIRCLES Method popular?
For a variety of reasons, the CIRCLES Method is particularly popular among product managers. For starters, it ensures that the emphasis of product design efforts is focused toward the product’s consumers, preventing a gap between the business or organisation and the customers. Second, it enables product managers to cover all necessary areas of consideration while also breaking down the tough work of product development and design into easy and thorough phases that allow for more research and decrease risks.
The CIRCLES Method may therefore be utilised by any person or corporation looking to develop or design a product or service to answer a perceived need. The CIRCLES Method offers a wide variety of applications and uses, whether it is a tiny firm looking to rethink food delivery systems or a global corporation looking to develop the next line of mobile phones.