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Behind the Curtain: What Improv Taught Me About Product Launches

The secret to great improvisational theater isn't just raw talent and quick thinking. It's rehearsal. Lots of it. It may sound weird that unscripted theater requires rehearsing, but it is true. As a veteran improv theater owner and now as a product leader, I've watched this paradox play out in two different worlds. The more you prepare, the more natural your spontaneity becomes.


The Paradox of Practice

When I owned AdLib Theatre, people often asked why improv teams needed to rehearse. "Isn't the whole point that you're making it up?" Well, yes, and..... also no.



The truth is, we rehearsed extensively to make it look effortless. We weren't practicing specific scenes. Rehearsal was for building the muscle memory to handle whatever the audience threw at us.


From Stage Wings to Product Launches

These days, as I shepherd products from concept to launch, I'm struck by how similar the preparation process feels. Just like I never threw performers on stage without practice (except during open stage night, but that was their choice), I wouldn't dream of launching a product without proper rehearsal.


Here's how I see the parallels:


Split image: Left - Sketched theater scene with stage, curtains, and tech booth. Right - Technical blueprints showing data visualizations and system metrics.

Beta Testing is Your Dress Rehearsal

In theater, dress rehearsals aren’t just about ensuring the lights work. We provide performers with a safe space to experiment and fail before the stakes are high. Beta testing serves the same purpose. It's your chance to try risky moves, test assumptions, and, yes, occasionally bomb spectacularly.


Internal Feedback Loops as Coaching Sessions

Remember those post-scene notes where everyone huddled together, discussing what worked and what didn't? Your internal feedback cycles work the same way. Each round of review and iteration is like a coaching session, helping your product find its voice and timing.


Something I'm pretty adamant about is our feedback loops. I insist on a mix of stakeholders vs. a one-voice-at-the-top approach. The reason is you can catch issues early and mitigate bias. My team and I put a design out to our mix of stakeholders, and early on, they spotted a usability issue. What could have been a bad user experience was averted. Like a well-timed improv edit, sometimes the best moves are the ones that prevent the scene from going off the rails in the first place.


Clear Communication Channels as Stage Directions

Just as a stage manager coordinates the complex dance of scenes, lights, and sound cues, your communication channels orchestrate the intricate ballet of development, design, and deployment. When everyone knows their cues, the show runs smoothly.


Cross-Team Collaboration as Ensemble Work

The magic of improv happens when performers trust each other enough to take risks. That type of trust in product development enables teams to move fast and innovate. Your engineers, designers, and stakeholders are all part of the ensemble. They each play a crucial role in the overall performance.


The Duck Theory

Successful improv shows and product launches often resemble a duck gliding across a pond. Above the surface, everything appears smooth and effortless.


Below? There's a whole lot of furious paddling going on.



That paddling represents all the preparation, coordination, and, yes, rehearsal that goes into making something appear spontaneous and natural. The countless hours of practice make the team seem effortlessly responding to the unexpected.


The Takeaway

The real magic isn't being perfectly prepared for every scenario. It’s practice and hard work. Whether you're on stage or shipping code, success isn't about eliminating uncertainty. It's about building the muscles to dance with it gracefully.


So the next time someone questions why you need another round of testing or another team sync before launch, remember that the most spontaneous-looking performances are built on a practice foundation. The trick is making all that preparation invisible to your audience.

© 2025 by Lauren Morris

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