QR Code

Databricks Apps Adoption Playbook

Field vs Product framework for driving adoption

Signal Capture

Owner: Adoption Architect / Sales Ops

Why Signal Capture Matters

Adoption signals and blockers are fragmented across accounts and teams. Systematic capture enables:

  • Prioritized PM feedback with quantified impact
  • Loss analysis to prevent repeated failures
  • Pattern identification for playbook development
  • Influence over product roadmap

Signal Types

flowchart TB
    subgraph Signals["SIGNAL TYPES"]
        Opp["OPPORTUNITY<br/>Apps use case identified"]
        Win["WIN<br/>Strategic success"]
        Loss["LOSS<br/>Deal blocked/lost"]
        Gap["PRODUCT GAP<br/>Feature limitation"]
        Comp["COMPETITIVE<br/>Competitor intelligence"]
    end
    
    Opp --> Pipeline["Pipeline Tracking"]
    Win --> Playbook["Playbook Development"]
    Loss --> Analysis["Loss Analysis"]
    Gap --> PM["PM Feedback"]
    Comp --> Intel["Competitive Intel"]

Field Signal Log

Systematic capture of field feedback for PM influence and loss analysis.

Active Signal Log Template

Date Source Category Gap Use Case Blocked Customer Lost Deal? PM Ticket Status
                 

Signal Status Values

Status Meaning
New Just captured, not yet enriched
Enriched Customer + deal impact documented
Escalated Shared with PM
Acknowledged PM accepted feedback
Roadmap PM committed to address
Shipped Gap resolved in product
Won’t Fix PM declined; document workaround

Signal Capture Process

flowchart LR
    Capture["1. CAPTURE<br/>Field reports gap"]
    Enrich["2. ENRICH<br/>Add customer, deal impact"]
    Escalate["3. ESCALATE<br/>Package for PM"]
    Track["4. TRACK<br/>Update status"]
    Close["5. CLOSE<br/>Resolved or Won't Fix"]
    
    Capture --> Enrich --> Escalate --> Track --> Close

Process Details

  1. Capture: When field reports a gap, add row to signal log
  2. Enrich: Work with account team to get customer name, deal impact
  3. Escalate: Package into weekly PM feedback (Apps Adoption Council)
  4. Track: Update status as PM responds
  5. Close: Remove from active log when resolved

Known Product Gaps (Field Signal: Jan 2026)

Category Gap Use Case Blocked Source
Security No public URLs without login External-facing apps Field SA
Security No firewall Internet-exposed apps Field SA
Security No ingress/egress controls FSI/HLS compliance Field SA
Security CVE protection unclear Enterprise security review Field SA
Scaling Vertical only High-traffic apps Field SA
Scaling No horizontal scaling Distributed architectures Field SA
Cost Fixed 24x7 pricing Cost-sensitive deals Field SA
Customization No GPU config AI inference apps Field SA
Customization Complex model serving ML-powered apps Field SA
Database Lakebase only Hybrid OLTP apps Field SA
Domains No custom domains Branded apps Field SA
Observability No user sessions All apps Field SA

Loss Analysis Framework

Loss Analysis Template

For each blocked deal, document:

Field Description
Customer Account name
Use Case What they wanted to build
Archetype Cockpit / Vertical / Horizontal
Blocker Specific product gap or competitive loss
Competitor Chosen Who won, if competitive
Revenue Impact ACV lost or at risk
Recoverable? Yes (when gap fixed) / No
Lessons What we learned

Monthly Loss Summary

Month Deals Lost Primary Gap Total ACV Impact Notes
Jan 2026 TBD TBD TBD Initial baseline

PM Feedback Synthesis

Weekly Feedback Format

Section Content
Top 3 Blockers This Week Most impactful gaps reported
Customer Attribution Which customers affected
Deal Impact Revenue at risk or lost
Recommended Priority Suggested PM action order
Signal Count Number of reports per gap

Gap Prioritization for PM

Priority Gap Cluster Deal Impact Action
1 Security (public apps, firewall, ingress/egress) Blocks regulated industries Escalate to PM immediately
2 Cost (fixed pricing) Objection in every deal Include in PM feedback cycle
3 Scaling (horizontal) Limits architecture patterns Track loss analysis
4 Observability Post-deployment friction Lower priority

Question Framework (Discovery)

Questions for Customer Understanding

Team & Resources

  • Are you a team of 1, or do you have direct/dotted-line resources?
  • What budget do you control for enablement, tooling, or programs?
  • Are you building from scratch or inheriting existing infrastructure?

Stakeholder Map

  • Who do you report to? (Product? GTM? Dual?)
  • Which BU+1s are in initial scope?
  • Do you have existing champions in Field, Product, or Sales leadership?

Adoption Infrastructure

  • Is there existing adoption telemetry or dashboards for Apps?
  • Where does adoption signal currently live?
  • Any existing playbooks or enablement materials?

Operating Cadence for Signal Capture

Forum Frequency Signal Activity
Apps Adoption Council Weekly Review new signals, prioritize PM feedback
BU+1 Newsletter Monthly Summarize signal trends
PM Feedback Synthesis Weekly Package top blockers
Loss Analysis Review Monthly Deep dive on losses

Actions for Adoption Architect

Action Purpose Priority
Launch signal capture process Systematic feedback collection High
Create simplified capture form Remove friction for field High
Establish weekly PM synthesis Influence product roadmap High
Build loss analysis dashboard Quantify impact Medium
Document gap resolution path Close the loop with field Medium

Success Metrics

Metric Baseline Target (6 mo)
Signals captured per week 0 10+
PM features influenced 0 2+
Average signal-to-escalation time N/A <7 days
Field NPS on signal process N/A >7

Last Updated: January 2026

Related: Friction Summary Loss Analysis Field Incentives