In a recent LinkedIn post, product management expert Melissa Perri argues that the core function of Product Operations (Product Ops) is often misunderstood, leading to misplaced expectations about its immediate strategic impact. Perri emphasizes that a significant portion of Product Ops’ time should be dedicated to addressing operational friction, a task she terms ‘pain-killing’.
Perri highlights a common misconception she encounters from Chief Product Officers (CPOs) who question why their Product Ops teams aren’t driving more strategic transformation. She asserts that this perspective misses the fundamental purpose of the function.
Most product ops work is about removing friction. Fixing broken processes, cleaning up tooling messes, and clearing roadblocks so product managers can actually focus on strategy instead of chasing spreadsheets.
The Strategic Value of Operational Support
Perri explains that Product Ops is crucial for enabling product managers to concentrate on high-level strategy by handling the necessary, but often tedious, operational tasks. Without this support, product teams can become mired in administrative duties, hindering their ability to innovate and deliver value.
She warns against the premature dismantling of Product Ops functions, a mistake she has observed in companies expecting immediate strategic returns. According to Perri, this approach overlooks the foundational role Product Ops plays.
I’ve seen companies eliminate entire product ops functions because leadership expected immediate strategic impact. They learn the hard way that without someone handling the operational pain points, product teams get bogged down in administrative tasks and tool management instead of building great products.
Defining the Right Balance: Pain-Killing vs. Uplevel Work
Referencing a conversation with John Cutler, Perri suggests a healthy operational ratio for Product Ops teams. She advocates for dedicating the majority of their time to foundational, problem-solving tasks.
The 60-80% ‘Pain-Killing’ Benchmark
As Melissa Perri notes:
In my podcast conversation with John Cutler, he mentioned that the healthy ratio is 60-80% pain-killing to 20-30% uplevel work. That’s not a bug, it’s a feature.
This framing, Perri argues, positions ‘pain-killing’ not as a secondary concern but as an essential, built-in characteristic of an effective Product Ops team. The analogy she uses is that a team constantly battling operational fires cannot effectively build strategic capability.
Enabling Strategic Focus
Ultimately, Perri’s message underscores the symbiotic relationship between operational efficiency and strategic success. By clearing the operational path, Product Ops empowers product managers to focus on their core responsibility: solving customer problems and driving business outcomes. She concludes by emphasizing the need for both skilled individuals and well-defined processes.
In her post, Perri prompts readers to consider their own Product Ops functions:
What’s the pain-killing to transformation ratio looking like in your product ops function?
This question encourages a self-assessment of how effectively Product Ops teams are supporting the broader product development lifecycle.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Melissa Perri on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on January 25, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →