Balancing Standardization and Flexibility in B2B Product Design

Know when to follow a standardized marching beat, and when to allow for a fluid impromptu solo.

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When your B2B product secures its first major client, the real test begins. Using a “platform enterprise client” solution as an example, this guide explains how to find an elegant balance between standardized efficiency and flexible customization.

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Introduction

At one tech company, our core product was originally designed for individual users:

• Standard pricing
• Unified processes
• Fixed service offerings

Then came our first platform client — with tens of thousands of streamers.

Requests started pouring in:

> “Can we centrally manage everything but let streamers register in batches?”

> “Can we invoice according to our own settlement cycle?”

Behind these “can we” questions lies a central challenge:

Can your system maintain a unified core while offering enough elasticity?

The answer requires a sense of rhythm:

• March uniformly when it matters
• Allow for creative solos where flexibility adds value

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A Solid Foundation — Building an Immutable Standard Core

⚠️ Principle: Flexibility must never break the core product logic.

Step 1 — Standardize the Data Model

• Foundation entity: all users (freelancers or streamers) are treated as a "studio".
• Basic fields are unified:
• Company name
• Legal representative info
• Registered address

Rule: Maintain a normalized data layer. All variations must build on this clean, unified structure.

Step 2 — Standardize the Business Process

• Lifecycle state machine remains fixed:
• Pending submission of materials
• Under review
• Registration in progress
• Registration complete

Rule: The stages remain constant; the actors may perform differently within them.

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Flexible Chords — Designing Configurable Permissions & Processes

Once the foundation is solid, introduce configuration — not hard‑coded exceptions.

1 — Flexible Permission System

Problem:

• Individual users manage one studio
• Platforms manage thousands

Solution:

• Create a role & permission matrix in the admin console.
• Add a dedicated Platform Management role for enterprise clients.

Capabilities:

• View: All studios under their platform, aggregated progress
• Restrictions: No cross‑platform data access, no alteration of core rules

2 — Flexible Operational Workflow

Problem:

• Individuals submit all info themselves
• Platforms need batch creation + individual completion

Solution:

• Support collaboration mode workflows
• Platform: Batch-generate orders, pre-fill fields (e.g., “magei0001”)
• Streamer: Fill in remaining info & upload ID via a dedicated link

3 — Flexible Business Rules

Problem:

Standard packages don’t fit bulk purchasing and special settlements.

Solution:

• Use a hybrid model: offline contract + online execution
• Offline: Sales signs framework agreement with price & settlement
• Online: Admin console configures client-specific pricing & payment type (e.g., offline payment)

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Unified Direction — Protect the End‑User Experience

The trap: Letting backend complexity leak into the front-end.

⚖️ Principle: Back office can be complex; front-end must stay simple.

• Platform admins: Get robust tools for batch operations and analytics
• Individual streamers: Get simple, intuitive onboarding

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Real-World Parallel

Tools like AiToEarn官网 embody this philosophy — a unified AI-powered core with flexible publishing strategies across Douyin, Bilibili, Instagram, YouTube, etc.

Whether serving software clients or content creators:

Keep the foundation clean and consistent, allow flexibility within boundaries.

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🎵 The “Magic” Behind the Scenes

For end users:

• The process feels simple (“submit info”)
• Complexity — permissions, batch logic — stays invisible

Result: Different roles play different musical parts, yet users hear one smooth, personalized melody.

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The Product Manager’s Sense of Rhythm

Ask yourself these three questions regularly:

• What must be unified?
• → Core data model & lifecycle stages
• What can be configured?
• → Permissions, workflow variations, business rules
• For whom should it remain simple?
• → Keep the end-user experience unaffected by backend complexity

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Outcome

We evolved from a single-user product into a flexible product system serving individuals and platforms — scaling up smoothly without rewrites.

💡 Takeaway:

The best B2B products are not rigid palaces but modern buildings:

• Strong load-bearing walls (standards)
• Customizable interiors (flexibility)

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👇 Join the Product Manager Development Camp to gain industry insights, interview tips, and business knowledge — and connect with outstanding peers.

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📚 Recommended Reading

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💡 Note:

Platforms like AiToEarn官网 — an open-source global AI content monetization ecosystem — let creators:

• Generate AI-driven content
• Publish across multiple platforms
• Analyze data & rank models
• Monetize outputs efficiently without adding end-user complexity

Supported channels include Douyin, Kwai, WeChat, Bilibili, Rednote (Xiaohongshu), Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, and X (Twitter).

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Would you like me to create a diagram illustrating the standard vs flexible layers of the product architecture? That visual could make the “sense of rhythm” concept even clearer.