Policy & Practice | Fall 2025

What Is Product Management, and Why Does it Matter? If you haven’t worked with a product manager before, you’re not alone. The role is common in tech companies, but it’s still emerging in public service. At its core, a product manager is someone who makes sure we’re solving the right problems, in the right way, for the right people. Think of product management as a practice, a culture, a mindset, that brings together user research, data vision, refined scope, and delivery. Product managers work across disci plines to understand what people truly need (not just what systems assume), and guide teams to deliver real-world, measurable improvements. In government agencies, this mindset is transformative. It means our teams aren’t just launching programs, we’re asking deeper questions like: n Are we truly designing our experi ences in an accessible way, or are we just checking the boxes? n Are we collecting data because it helps the user? Or are we collecting data because a legacy process requires it? n Can we test and learn before we scale, instead of locking ourselves into multiyear systems that don’t meet our needs?

This is product thinking. It’s empathy in action. It’s account

work, it reflects a collective commit ment across the agency to better serve Colorado families. This is product thinking in action: n Define user need n Start small n Learn quickly n Build responsibly Rewriting the Rules: Procurement as a Tool for Innovation None of this would have been possible under traditional procurement approaches. Lengthy and cumbersome procurement processes often hinder innovative technical solutions with rigid bureaucratic procedures that do not align with the fast-paced nature of technological developments. There is a fundamental mismatch between procurement timelines and innovation cycles supporting agile solution devel opment. We need to be able to resolve evolving challenges quickly. That’s why CDEC has embraced a modular and agile procurement process. Often we work with smaller and more nimble teams who align with our values. Instead of locking into one large vendor contract for years, we break work into smaller pieces. We encourage vendors to learn with us, not just deliver. We foster a culture of agility and thought partnerships with our vendors. We follow the rules, and innovate by structuring procurement tactics and allowing flexibility as needs evolve. This shift has made our procurement faster and more effective. In short, procurement became a lever for inno vation instead of a barrier. Culture in Government This work didn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of intentional invest ments in capacity building across our agency. We’ve built a team and culture that values learning over perfection. In a sector where failure can feel high stakes, we’ve created safe spaces to pilot ideas, ask hard questions, admit when something isn’t working, and pivot with transparency. That is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength. Building Capacity: Creating Product

ability aligned with outcomes. And it’s reshaping how we serve Colorado families every day. Designing for Families, Not Programs Very often, government services are organized based on how agencies are structured around funding or legislation. Government leaders have complex requirements and pressures to avoid risk and implement solutions driven by rules and policies. It is less common to see government services being organized based on how people live. Families don’t experience live events in silos. Their needs are inter connected, dynamic, and shaped by moments that don’t neatly map to program boundaries. At CDEC, that recognition has led to a fundamental shift in how services are designed and delivered. Instead of building digital tools that serve one program at a time, the department is focused on a holistic, cross-program approach. A new approach that centers our digital services around family needs. This shift is embodied in the depart ment’s work, which laid the foundation to Raising Colorado Kids—a new front door for families seeking support across multiple early childhood programs. While a significant amount of work lies ahead of us, the vision is already clear: to reduce friction, increase access, and ensure that families don’t bear the responsibility of navigating government complexity. At CDEC we are not rushing to a monolithic solution. Instead, the team is intentionally “de-risking” the work by breaking it down into smaller, modular components. Each of these components is designed to answer critical questions, test assumptions, and build technical feasibility before scaling. We are flexible in solutions, knowing that pivots will be frequent and will be welcomed. By taking this iterative approach, the department ensures that each step delivers value, builds shared understanding, and creates space for feedback and learning. Because a single program does not own this

Sabina Andersson is the Chief Product Officer at the Colorado Department of Early Childhood.

Stephanie Beasley is the Deputy Executive Director at the Colorado Department of Early Childhood.

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