Roleplay Scenario
Scenario Overview
You've spotted some technical debt that's starting to slow down your team and lead to more bugs. You think it's time for a refactor, but you'll need to convince leadership. Your task is to pitch this idea, making sure it connects with our business goals and shows long-term value.
Roles & Setup
Role A – Engineer (You)
You’ve noticed the need for a refactor and are ready to make your case.
Your goal: Get leadership on board by showing how this will benefit the business.
Role B – CTO
You oversee tech strategy and have to be careful about where resources go.
Your goal: Evaluate the refactor's worth and see if it fits with our priorities.
Role C – Product Manager (Optional)
You manage the product roadmap and worry about delays.
Your goal: Make sure the refactor won’t mess up the schedule and aligns with what customers want.
Suggested Openers
Engineer:
- “I’d like to chat about a refactor that could really boost our development speed and make our product more reliable.”
- “I’ve been digging into our codebase and found some areas we could clean up to cut down on bugs and speed up our work.”
CTO:
- “Let’s hear what you’ve got. We need to make sure this fits with our current projects.”
- “I’m open to hearing more—how will this refactor help us in the long run?”
Product Manager:
- “I’m curious about how this will impact our schedule and what we’ve promised our customers.”
- “Let’s make sure this aligns with the product goals we’ve set.”
Sample Roleplay in Action
Engineer:
“Thanks for taking the time to hear me out. I’ve found a part of our code that’s causing us to slow down and adding more bugs than we’d like. I think a refactor could help us move faster and make the product more reliable. It would take about two weeks, but after that, we could see our development speed up by 20%, and bugs drop by 15%.”
CTO:
“I get that clean code is important, but we’re on tight schedules. How does this fit with what we’re trying to achieve as a business?”
Engineer:
“Great question. By simplifying this code, we can roll out features faster, which ties directly into our goal of getting to market quickly. Plus, fewer bugs mean happier customers and less support needed, which could cut our support costs by about 10%.”
Product Manager:
“That sounds good, but what about our current plans? How will this affect our timelines?”
Engineer:
“We’d face a small delay of about two weeks, but the refactor pays off quickly. After that, we’ll move faster with fewer issues, helping us catch up and even get ahead within a few months.”
CTO:
“That’s promising. Can you break down the steps so we can see how it’ll all fit together without too much disruption?”
Engineer:
“Sure thing. I’ve got a phased plan where we tackle the most critical parts first. We can check in weekly to see how it's going and adjust if necessary.”
CTO:
“Alright, let’s get a detailed plan together and see if it all adds up. If it does, we can look at allocating the resources.”
Product Manager:
“Keep me posted on any changes to the roadmap. Let’s keep everyone in the loop.”
Post-Scenario Tools
Curveball Mode (Optional)
Introduce these challenges mid-roleplay to test adaptability:
- CTO questions the ROI of the refactor.
- Product Manager raises a last-minute customer feature request.
- Engineer is asked for technical details beyond preparation.
Reflection Checklist
As the Engineer:
- Did you align the refactor’s benefits with business goals?
- Did you address potential concerns about timelines and resources?
- Did you present a clear, phased approach with risk mitigation?
As the CTO:
- Did you critically evaluate the proposal’s alignment with strategy?
- Did you ensure resource allocation was justified?
- Did you facilitate a constructive discussion?
As the Product Manager:
- Did you balance roadmap concerns with technical benefits?
- Did you ensure customer needs were considered?
- Did you help keep the conversation focused on strategic goals?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing too much on technical details without linking to business value.
- Overlooking the impact on existing schedules and deliverables.
- Failing to propose a clear, phased approach to manage risks.
Pro Tip
When pitching technical improvements, always frame them in terms of business impact and strategic alignment. This ensures leadership sees the bigger picture and understands the value proposition.