I spent 4 years fixing critical infrastructure no exec cared about....
George from 🕹prodmgmt.world@nurijanian
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May 08, 2025
~2 min read
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I spent 4 years fixing critical infrastructure no exec cared about.
We eliminated major tech debt. Prevented disasters. Rebuilt core systems.
All invisible work until I changed how I communicated.
If you're a technical PM tired of being ignored, this is for you. 🧵
We eliminated major tech debt. Prevented disasters. Rebuilt core systems.
All invisible work until I changed how I communicated.
If you're a technical PM tired of being ignored, this is for you. 🧵
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1. Stop talking about the work. Start talking about the business pain.
If you say "We refactored the authentication system," then executives hear blah blah technical jargon.
If you say "We eliminated the #1 cause of customer support calls," then executives pay attention.
Your work is the same. The framing is different.
If you say "We refactored the authentication system," then executives hear blah blah technical jargon.
If you say "We eliminated the #1 cause of customer support calls," then executives pay attention.
Your work is the same. The framing is different.
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2. Create a "disaster that didn't happen" scoreboard
If you wait for executives to notice disasters that didn't happen, then you'll wait forever.
If you track near-misses and translate them into business terms, then suddenly your work becomes visible.
Example: "Our platform work prevented 4 potential outages this quarter that would have cost approximately $250,000 in lost revenue."
If you wait for executives to notice disasters that didn't happen, then you'll wait forever.
If you track near-misses and translate them into business terms, then suddenly your work becomes visible.
Example: "Our platform work prevented 4 potential outages this quarter that would have cost approximately $250,000 in lost revenue."
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3. Show the before and after
If you only talk about the current state, then no one sees improvement.
If you document the painful "before" state alongside the improved "after" state, then the value becomes obvious.
I started taking screenshots of slow-loading screens before we fixed them, then showed side-by-side comparisons with timestamps. Executives suddenly "got it."
If you only talk about the current state, then no one sees improvement.
If you document the painful "before" state alongside the improved "after" state, then the value becomes obvious.
I started taking screenshots of slow-loading screens before we fixed them, then showed side-by-side comparisons with timestamps. Executives suddenly "got it."
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4. Connect to what executives already care about
If you use your own metrics, then you speak a language only you understand.
If you connect your work to existing KPIs, then you speak their language.
For every infrastructure project, I identified which executive dashboard metrics it would improve. Even small connections created visibility.
If you use your own metrics, then you speak a language only you understand.
If you connect your work to existing KPIs, then you speak their language.
For every infrastructure project, I identified which executive dashboard metrics it would improve. Even small connections created visibility.
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5. Create an infrastructure tax receipt
Hiding platform costs masks their value. Showing a "tax receipt" of technical debt highlights investing in infrastructure as logical.
Example: "Our team spends 30% of development time fighting with our outdated payment system. That's $240,000 in salary spent annually on work that produces no customer value."
Hiding platform costs masks their value. Showing a "tax receipt" of technical debt highlights investing in infrastructure as logical.
Example: "Our team spends 30% of development time fighting with our outdated payment system. That's $240,000 in salary spent annually on work that produces no customer value."
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6. Build a warning system, not just solutions
Fixing problems after they occur is reactive; creating early warning systems is strategic.
I made simple dashboards for executives to easily see system health and spot brewing problems.
Fixing problems after they occur is reactive; creating early warning systems is strategic.
I made simple dashboards for executives to easily see system health and spot brewing problems.
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7. Find your translators
Explaining technical concepts to executives can be challenging.
If you find people who speak both languages and can translate your work, then your message gets through.
I briefed tech-savvy product leaders who then relayed my message up the chain.
Explaining technical concepts to executives can be challenging.
If you find people who speak both languages and can translate your work, then your message gets through.
I briefed tech-savvy product leaders who then relayed my message up the chain.
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Remember: The value of your work doesn't change. Only the way you communicate it.
I've collected frameworks for making technical work visible in prodmgmt.world - built from real-world experience, not theory.
What invisible work are you struggling to get recognized?
I've collected frameworks for making technical work visible in prodmgmt.world - built from real-world experience, not theory.
What invisible work are you struggling to get recognized?
