What's your mindset? Product or project?

Read each of the statements and mark the ones you agree with. Then count the total number and check your results.

1. The value of the software is more important than completing it on time.
2. I think it is important to receive feedback from customers and end users in order to make the software better.
3. I like to be creative in finding solutions for customer needs.
4. I like to take ownership of my work and for future plans.
5. I prefer to think of my work as meeting certain customer objectives, instead of completing a series of tasks.
6. It is more important for me to release “imperfect” software and receive feedback than to release “perfect” software.
7. I like working on software over the course of the life cycle, not just delivering, but being responsible for adapting it to the market over time.
8. I enjoy a lean way of working.
9. I want to work for a company where I can challenge ideas and assumptions.
10. Outcome is a better measure of success than output.
11. I enjoy using skills of intuition, observation, and critical thinking to guide the development of software.
12. I enjoy learning about the business domain of the client in order to understand the software better.
13. It is important to work in a team where I feel listened to and where I can propose ideas for how to improve the software.
14. I am comfortable with the uncertainty that comes from not having structured timelines and schedules.
15. I am fine working under the assumption that I do not know how to achieve the desired outcome.
16. I like working on software that allows me to learn and adapt as I go.
17. Mistakes, failure, and taking risks are encouraged as long as they help improve the software for the customer.
18. I like working in teams that are able to adapt to changes so that the outcome is achieved, rather than teams where conflict arises when plans and timelines are not perfect.
19. I am a long-term thinker, more than short-term.
20. Code quality is very important to me.
21. I believe that Agile and DevOps improve the quality, reliability, and speed of the software and how it is delivered.
22. I think it is important to have as many IT experts from different fields working on the project together, from the beginning.
23. I think that prioritizing features and fixes should tie back to customer metrics.
    
    

Check your results

0-7
You have more of a project mindset. You like delivering a specified set of requirements and knowing that there is an end date to the work you are doing. You enjoy thinking about the needs of client, delivering exactly what they want, when they need it. You work better when there are clear expectations and deadlines and do not need to know about the domain of the customer or suggest new ways of adapting the software. Overall, you might have more success working on short-term projects, rather than working on one product for a long time.

8-15

You have a mix of a product and a project mindset. In some instances, you might like working on projects and in others, on products. You may have mixed feelings about things like end user needs, creativity, timelines and plans, risk taking, failure, client requests, and long-term investment in the software and the domain. Overall, you might have success in working on both products and projects simultaneously, for some balance, or you may need to investigate more and self-reflect more about which direction is more engaging for you.

16-23
You have more of a product mindset. You like diving into a product and domain and want to be involved for a longer period of time. You enjoy thinking about the needs of end users, like being creative, and are comfortable working in a way that is more uncertain - relying less on meeting timelines and more on delivering value, even if that means failing and spending more time. Overall, you might have more success working on long-term products, rather than moving from one project to the next.

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