Before the product and engineering teams at Closinglock start a project, they hold what they call a “commitment ceremony.”
What Does Closinglock Do?
Closinglock’s home-closing protection platform is designed to give title and settlement teams a secure place to handle and insure payments, perform daily tasks and maintain alignment.
While this may sound like a marriage, it’s more like a melding of minds, according to Product Manager Chris Lajara. He said that the two teams convene to review project milestones to reduce risk, confirm rough timelines, address final concerns and verbally commit to the plan.
“I sometimes feel like a flight attendant asking someone in an exit row for a verbal ‘yes,’ but it works,” Lajara said. “Everyone leaves aligned, bought in and ready to hit the ground running.”
Cross-functional collaboration is key to Closinglock’s product development process, upheld by a common mission to “put others first.” Whether they’re celebrating their peers during their weekly “rise and recognize” ritual, or checking in with leaders on project status, a culture of teamwork shapes how both teams operate.
Read on to see what else Lajara had to say about how Closinglock’s product and engineering teams collaborate effectively, measure success and recognize people for their hard work.
Chris Lajara’s Role at Closinglock
I’m a product manager at Closinglock. I’m responsible for turning our product roadmap into solutions that positively impact our customers and the business. I’ve been with Closinglock for two and a half years.
How Closinglock’s Teams Build a Culture of Collaboration
“Put others first.” This is not a solo game. Prioritize bringing everyone along for the ride, and you’ll have a team that is motivated and feels safe so they can do their best work.
“Prioritize bringing everyone along for the ride, and you’ll have a team that is motivated and feels safe to the point that they do their best work.”
How Commitment Ceremonies Keep Product and Engineering Aligned
We hold a “commitment ceremony” at the start of each project, right before development begins. Yes, it sounds dorky or like product and engineering are getting married, but together, we review the project milestones we’ve created to reduce risk, confirm rough timelines, address any final concerns and verbally commit to the plan. I sometimes feel like a flight attendant asking someone in an exit row for a verbal “yes,” but it works. Everyone leaves aligned, bought in and ready to hit the ground running.
How Closinglock Measures Successful Collaboration
In R&D, we care about metrics like release timelines and review cycles, but the clearest sign is seeing something we built reach customers and generate revenue. That’s when we look around and think, “Wow, it really did take a village.”
How Data Shapes Product and Leadership Decisions
This happens regularly. Our senior leaders are responsive to data, whether it suggests rolling something out gradually so we can measure its impact or moving faster to solve an urgent customer problem. We’re not overly attached to any one idea; If customer insights support a pivot, we’re comfortable making it.
How Closinglock Recognizes Cross-Functional Contributions
Closinglock does a good job of providing us with great opportunities to shout out cross-functional stakeholders. Whether it’s our weekly ‘rise and recognize,’ a humble brag in Slack or ‘Lockstar of the month,’ we have several ways to publicly recognize cross-functional contributions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Closinglock do?
Closinglock provides a home-closing protection platform designed to give title and settlement teams a secure place to handle and insure payments, perform daily tasks and maintain alignment.
How do product and engineering teams collaborate at Closinglock?
Collaboration is driven by a core value to "put others first" and prioritize bringing everyone along for the process. Teams regularly check in with leaders regarding project status and use data to guide decisions, remaining open to pivoting based on customer insights. Both teams also hold a "commitment ceremony" before starting a project to review milestones, reduce risk, confirm rough timelines, address final concerns and verbally commit to the plan.
How does Closinglock recognize employee contributions?
Closinglock recognizes employee contributions through a weekly "rise and recognize" ritual. Employees are also acknowledged via Slack as well as through the company's "Lockstar of the month" awards program.
