The ROI of Saying No: Making the Case Not To Build

Barry Closser
Product teams are often handed ideas from executives, board members, or influential stakeholders with the expectation to deliver. But just because an idea comes from the top doesn’t mean it’s the best move. So how can you make a strong, evidence-based case not to move forward without losing trust?
Join us for Lean BYTES on May 6th where Product Design Consultant Barry Closser will share how leaders and teams can use user-centered evidence to challenge assumptions, weigh business impact, and clearly make the case for not moving forward. You’ll get practical ways to assess user needs, connect the dots to broader business goals, and have the kinds of conversations that keep your organization focused on building what really matters for customers.
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What the heck is Lean BYTES?
Lean BYTES is a short, 16-minute (get it? two bytes equal 16 bits... #nerdjokes), presentation designed to provide you with the tools you need to take your teams to the next level in an easily consumable, shareable format.
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June 3, 2025 - 11:45am — 12:01pm CT
Early Cloud Habits Creating Chaos at Scale

Brian PapaBear Gerhards
Cloud was supposed to make everything easier — and in many ways, it does. But as your environment grows into mission-critical infrastructure, it can also start to feel like the wild wild west. Teams move fast, flexibility fuels innovation, but without the right guardrails? Costs spiral. Security gaps emerge. Performance takes a hit. And often, organizations don’t realize the full impact until it’s too late.