Weekly Newsletter - 19th June 2024

Exploring Product Excellence, Product Design, and Unconventional Wisdom in Tech Management

Author

SecretCPO
June 19, 2024

The Essence of Product Excellence

Shreyas Doshi recently highlighted that the best product people often avoid social media, focusing instead on their craft. Marty Cagan expands on this, noting that many top-product individuals are engineers. These engineers excel by not only solving technical problems but also deeply understanding value, viability, and usability. Cagan emphasises the importance of learning from such individuals, citing a podcast featuring Mike McCue and Molly White as an example. He encourages aspiring product people to observe how these engineers think and work, showcasing that true product sense transcends traditional roles.

Product Management Insights

Helen DeWitt's novel "Lightning Rods" offers unexpected insights into tech product management. The story follows Joe, a failed salesman turned tech entrepreneur, whose unconventional idea leads to corporate success. Key lessons include the importance of curiosity, iterative development, targeting early adopters, and diversity in product design. Joe's journey also highlights stealth growth, pivoting, expanding to adjacent markets, and maintaining confidence in a crowded market. Despite its satirical tone, "Lightning Rods" provides nuanced perspectives on product management, making it a thought-provoking read for those seeking inspiration beyond traditional business literature.

Product Development Prioritisation

Prioritising product development tasks is often the riskiest part of the process. Jeff Gothelf suggests using OKRs to filter out less important work and focus on what truly matters. By setting clear outcomes as key results, teams can quickly determine which features align with their goals. When data is lacking, educated guesses based on experience and market analysis can guide decisions. Product discovery then helps validate these guesses, ensuring that prioritisation is based on current market conditions and customer evidence. This approach helps teams move forward confidently, even when the future is uncertain.

Mastering API Product Development

APIs are essential for connecting systems and driving innovation. This guide covers the fundamentals of API product management, emphasising user-centric design, comprehensive documentation, and visual demonstrations for non-technical stakeholders. Key priorities include scalability, security, and reliability. API product managers should understand user needs, align with business goals, and build robust APIs. While deep technical skills aren't necessary, understanding API interaction is crucial. The guide also explores marketing strategies, the importance of solving real user problems, and ensuring a seamless user experience. By following best practices and prioritising simplicity, API products can drive significant value and foster collaboration.

Effective Sales Strategies

Selling software based on ROI calculations often fails to convince customers, even when requested. Jason Cohen, founder of Smart Bear, shares his experience with Code Reviewer, a tool for software developers. Despite logical ROI arguments, customers rarely made purchasing decisions based on these calculations. Cohen suggests creating undeniable value and pricing according to the customer's budget structure instead. He emphasises that drastic workflow improvements and clear benefits are more persuasive than spreadsheets. Ultimately, aligning pricing with the customer's ability and willingness to pay is crucial, as simple cost-savings equations rarely drive sales or set prices effectively.

Events:

Elevate your problem-solving skills in this workshop. Learn to uncover user needs, define problems, spark creative solutions, prototype, and test. Led by Subodh Kar, Senior Product Manager at Schneider Electric, this session is designed to foster innovation and customer-centric solutions.