Journey of a Company that Chose to Evolve

Imagine you’re at a circus, watching a juggler. He’s got a dozen balls in the air, and somehow, against all odds, he’s keeping them all up there. It’s impressive at first, but as the act goes on, you notice something: he’s not actually going anywhere. He’s just standing in one place, frantically trying to keep everything from crashing down.That’s what it feels like for many companies caught in the project mindset. They’re constantly juggling multiple initiatives, scrambling to deliver on deadlines, but never really moving forward. It’s exhausting, unsustainable, and, frankly, a bit of a circus act.This is the story of how Human and Machine helped one such company drop the juggling act, take a breath, and embrace a new way of working—one that’s more strategic, more sustainable, and infinitely more rewarding. But, as you’ll see, the journey wasn’t without its twists and turns.

The Problem: Juggling Projects and Getting Nowhere

When we first met this company, they were stuck in a cycle of what I like to call “project frenzy.” Every few months, a new project would be launched with much fanfare—bright-eyed teams, shiny presentations, ambitious goals. But as the weeks turned into months, the excitement would fade. Teams would get bogged down in the minutiae, deadlines would slip, and by the time the project wrapped up, everyone was too tired to celebrate. And then? On to the next one.It was like watching someone sprint on a treadmill: lots of energy, zero progress. Sure, they were checking boxes and hitting milestones, but they weren’t building anything lasting. They were focused on deliverables, not outcomes. And that’s where we saw the opportunity for change.

The Lightbulb Moment: Stop Delivering, Start Building

Now, convincing a company to shift from a project mindset to a product mindset isn’t as easy as flicking a switch. It’s more like coaxing a cat into a bath—there’s a lot of resistance, and you might get scratched along the way.Our first step was to help them see the bigger picture. Instead of viewing each project as an end in itself, we encouraged them to think of each initiative as a piece of a larger puzzle—a product that would evolve, improve, and deliver value over time.One of my favorite moments came during a workshop with the leadership team. I asked them to think about their projects like a garden. “You can keep planting seeds and moving on, but what happens if you stop tending to the garden?” I asked. “Eventually, nothing grows. But if you take the time to water, weed, and care for what you’ve planted, you end up with something that feeds you for years.”That analogy clicked. Suddenly, they realized they weren’t just planting seeds; they were building a garden. And to make that garden thrive, they needed to shift their focus from quick wins to long-term growth.

The Unexpected Challenges: Old Habits Die Hard

Now, if you think this epiphany meant we could coast smoothly into a new product-first era, think again. Change, as it turns out, is messy, uncomfortable, and full of surprises.The first challenge was getting buy-in from the teams. The project-based approach had been so ingrained in the company’s DNA that asking people to think differently was like asking them to write with their non-dominant hand. There were concerns about roles changing, worries about new responsibilities, and, of course, the classic fear of the unknown.I remember one particularly heated meeting where a project manager, let’s call him Dave, voiced what many were thinking: “This all sounds great in theory, but we’ve got deadlines to meet and clients to satisfy. We can’t just drop everything and start from scratch.”Dave wasn’t wrong. But that’s the beauty of a product mindset—you don’t have to start from scratch. You build on what you have, iterating and improving as you go. It’s less about throwing out the old and more about evolving it.So, we took a different approach. Instead of mandating change, we piloted it. We started with one team, one product, and one small step at a time. We showed them how they could still meet deadlines, still satisfy clients, but do it in a way that built something lasting.And here’s the thing about change—it’s contagious. Once that first team saw success, others were eager to try. It wasn’t long before the entire company was embracing the product mindset, and the transformation took on a life of its own.

The Plot Twist: Technology as the Enabler, Not the Solution

Just when things were starting to click, we hit another snag—technology. You see, shifting to a product mindset is great, but without the right infrastructure, it’s like trying to build a skyscraper on a foundation of Jenga blocks.The company’s existing tech stack was designed for projects—short-term, isolated efforts. What they needed was a platform that supported continuous delivery, data-driven decision-making, and real-time feedback loops.But here’s where the plot thickens. Instead of just upgrading the tech stack and calling it a day, we took a different approach. We worked with the teams to understand what they really needed—not just today, but five years from now. We helped them design a technology and data infrastructure that was future-proof, scalable, and, most importantly, aligned with their new product strategy.One of the CTO’s favorite quotes became our mantra: “Build it like you’re going to live in it.” And so we did.

The Payoff: From Surviving to Thriving

After months of hard work, setbacks, and a few sleepless nights, the transformation was complete. The company that had once been frantically juggling projects was now strategically building products. They had moved from a mindset of “deliver and move on” to one of “build, improve, and grow.”The results were beyond what anyone had expected. Not only did their products become more successful, but the entire company culture shifted. Teams were more engaged, more innovative, and more excited about the future. They weren’t just surviving anymore—they were thriving.And the best part? This wasn’t just a one-time transformation. The product mindset had become part of the company’s DNA, ensuring that they would continue to evolve, innovate, and lead for years to come.

Ready for Your Plot Twist?

At Human and Machine, we know that shifting from project to product isn’t easy—but it’s worth every challenge. If your company is ready to stop juggling and start building, we’re here to guide you through the transformation.Because in the end, it’s not about how many projects you can complete. It’s about how many products you can create that stand the test of time. And that’s a story worth telling.