Product Thinking

We have to ask questions, probe, and get to the core before we can create solutions. If we try to add water without addressing the real problem, we may create temporary fixes, but they won’t be long-term solutions. And we’ll end up spinning our wheels again and again. So rather than stopping with the superficial, get to the heart of the problems with your users and your customers. Understand why t...

Ultralearning is a strategy for aggressive, self-directed learning. This book helps create a framework for learning new skills quickly and effectively. It is not only possible, but necessary for our rapidly changing world. Book: Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career Don't forget to subscribe at productthinking.cc Weekly newsletter: Ultralearning: B...

Having true ownership of products, features, metrics, and outcomes ensures that someone cares about those things, can focus the right attention on them, and can ultimately drive their success. If there isn’t ownership, there can’t be success. Watching teams, whether professional sports teams or product development teams, without ownership and accountability is always disheartening. They don’t win...

This month we review Creative Selection: Inside Apple's Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs. We take a look at some of the insights and lessons from how Apple developed Safari and the keyboards for the iPhone and the iPad. And whether to add the book to your reading list. Book: Creative Selection Don't forget to subscribe at productthinking.cc Weekly newsletter: Creative Selection:...

There isn’t a science behind sticking with a feature versus killing it. There isn’t a formula or definitive playbook for this. Which is why it is so difficult. Which is why product is so difficult. It is as much art as it is science. It comes down to the goal, the metrics, the timeline, and good judgement. In this episode, we look at Twitter's decision to kill Fleets and analyze the various factor...

Our products and experiences should focus on the user. It starts with understanding their problems and their needs. In my case, the fact that I was uncomfortable backing a trailer into a tight spot. From there, we focus on helping the user create the right outcome. Getting into the camping spot. Making simple shapes. So don’t make the mistake of getting the experience backwards. It’s not about the...

Often the best ideas, products, or experiences aren’t the ones we’re actively looking for. They are the ones that come together when hard work and luck meet. Serendipity. What are some examples of serendipity in invention and product creation? How can we use serendipity? Book: Range Don't forget to subscribe at productthinking.cc Weekly newsletter: Serendipity and Invention: Creating Products and...

Innovation is messy. Because of that, there are many myths that have been built around innovation and innovators. In the book The Myths of Innovation , Scott Berkun does a great job of addressing many of those myths. It’s a great read for product people, since we are often at the forefront of innovation, creating the next generation of products and experiences for users, breaking ground on technol...

As product people (and as parents) we need to empathize with our users (and kids). It’s not about the feature, or taking one more turn, it’s about getting one more good outcome. Sometimes we have to shift our perspective to remember that. Don't forget to subscribe at productthinking.cc Weekly newsletter: User Empathy and Outcomes Or just want to leave a tip and buy me a coffee ? ★ Support this pod...

If you ever find yourself repeating the phrase “this is how it’s always been done” or “this is how we do it here”, that’s a good time to pause and ask yourself if you’ve got yourself a ritual cat. Good products don’t come from teams steeped in useless rituals. We use good frameworks and good processes, but we aren’t tied to them without a purpose. We use them for the outcomes they bring us to. Don...

What we need is to adopt a 5 Whys mindset to problems. Once we get past the initial problem, we can start to understand the root cause or the real need. And that’s when we can start to get to the heart of the problem and create real meaningful solutions for our teams, our businesses, and our users. Don't forget to subscribe at productthinking.cc Weekly newsletter: 5 Whys Mindset Or just want to le...

Planting trees is about the long term. But it's easy to get caught up in short-term thinking. Our businesses and organizations often prioritize the short-term at expense of the long-term. Which is why we never get the trees, but always get project after project. And in 5 years we look back and wonder why we don't have any shade or fruit. Don't forget to subscribe at productthinking.cc Weekly newsl...

In this episode, we review Working Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon . I know firsthand that we could all learn a thing or two from Amazon’s way of working and solving problems. It’s not perfect (and neither is Amazon). But the principles create a great foundation for any team or company to build on. And Amazon consistently out-innovates and outperforms most companies. S...

We use the term “innovation” way too frequently. It’s become too diluted in our modern business world. But if we focus on the right definition, we can get back to bringing real innovations back to our teams and our companies. We can create products, processes and experiences that are truly new, better, and valuable. Don't forget to subscribe at productthinking.cc Weekly newsletter: What is Innovat...

A product manager brings all of those things together. She talks to users before, during, and after the team develops a product. She makes sure there is a good business for what they built. And she works with the developers to build the thing and get it out to people to use. Don't forget to subscribe at productthinking.cc Weekly newsletter: What is Product Management Or just want to buy me a coffe...

User retention is the key to successful growth. Acquiring new users is expensive and fruitless if you can’t keep them. But turning your existing users into loyal, long-term customers is a powerful winning strategy. Don't forget to subscribe at productthinking.cc Weekly newsletter: Customer Retention Or just want to buy me a coffee ? Will Mobile Stay Mobile? The Future of Productivity in A Post-Cov...

This month we’ll review the latest book from the person many people refer to as the godfather of product management, Marty Cagan. The follow-up to Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love , Chris Jones and Marty Cagan have written just released Empowered: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Products . Next month we'll review Working Backwards: Insights, Stories and Secrets from Inside Amazo...

Failure is part of everything we do. We stink at things when we start. But we seem to have the expectation that we will be good at everything, regardless of when we started. Even fundamental actions take practice. Which is why we need to get over our fear of failure. It’s not easy. But we need to give ourselves permission to suck at things. Don't forget to subscribe at productthinking.cc Weekly ne...

Burnout is a serious issue. It can lead to even more serious mental health issues of not addressed. As employees and leaders, we need to identify the signs of burnout and head it off before it becomes a bigger problem. We can encourage ourselves, our colleagues, our teams, and our employees to avoid burnout by taking some of the steps mentioned. It's about looking out for ourselves and each other....

Most interviews are about understanding, and you will do well to edit your responses and distill what you know to its core to make it as easy to understand as possible for everyone involved. Understand the company and people you're talking to, understand your stories, and tie it all together succinctly. Here are the tips for how to do it. Don't forget to subscribe at productthinking.cc Weekly news...

We're pushing the boundaries of our current technology. The pace of change will continue to accelerate. Some exciting innovations like NFTs offer promising solutions, but are in early stages. But we need to address underlying institutional inefficiencies as robots and AI make life cheaper and better. Check out the newsletter for lots of links for podcasts and articles. Product Thinking Newsletter...

Analysis paralysis can kill some of our best ideas and our best work. But it doesn't have to be that way. We can avoid "death by data" by taking action. Even small actions. In this episode, we look at what causes analysis paralysis and what we can do to avoid it in our lives and in our teams and organizations. Death by Data Newsletter ★ Support this podcast ★

Where we push the boundaries, magic happens. It forces innovation, drives understanding, furthers exploration. We don't need more companies simply maximizing quarterly revenue. We don't need more teams just incrementally adding product features. And we don't need more shortsighted MBAs. We need people pushing boundaries. We don't get to Mars by setting our sights on incremental revenue. We have to...

We all want to be appreciated. Even if it is just so everyone recognizes our expertise or the effort we’ve put in. As leaders, it’s important we recognize that. As colleagues, we can make work suck a little less for each other by acknowledging that we’re all in it together and we’re making meaningful contributions. https://www.productthinking.cc/p/creating-a-culture-of-recognition ★ Support this p...

With the news of Jeff Bezos stepping down as CEO, we look at the lessons from Amazon and what he's created. You don't create a company like that without incredible vision, drive, and luck. So what are the key principles for product teams and product people? And what's next? Check out https://www.productthinking.cc/ to read the latest newsletter and subscribe. ★ Support this podcast ★