Create a Real MVP

I hate weasel words. So many words get bastardized and misrepresented, especially in business, but it happens in politics, science, and other fields too. They become trendy. They become buzzwords. Companies feel they need to use these words or else they look like dummies. Guess what, most of the time when you use the terms … Continue reading Create a Real MVP →

The Line of Chaos

The "Line of Chaos" is a concept that good product managers will not just understand, but will embrace with vigor. First, let's start with what it is. It is an imaginary line that serves to illustrate the interface between business and technology. Why does that interface matter? It matters because business people and engineers are … Continue reading The Line of Chaos →

Declare Bankruptcy

Sometimes you have to just declare bankruptcy. No! Not financially, but productivity-wise. People have a tendency to hoard things. Emails are the worst, but there are other things people hoard - especially in professional settings. Files. Old presentations. Spreadsheets. Ideas. Admit it. You probably have some crazy folder structure that is maybe half relevant to … Continue reading Declare Bankruptcy →

Kill your email

Communication is the lifeblood of a business. Without it, there is confusion, misalignment, wasted effort, missed opportunities, poor performance, and failure. Email revolutionized communications. Email reduced the time to communicate AND increased information density at the same time. The ROI on those simultaneous improvements to communication was incomparable. Rapid adoption ensued and everyone became glued … Continue reading Kill your email →

Product Owner Skills

We are now about five months into our transition to Scrum. Embarking on the experience as a Product Owner has been awesome. I recently came across a useful graphic that outlines the skills (and there are many) that make a good product owner. This is a good summary. I would add Authority to the chart (but … Continue reading Product Owner Skills →

It’s Complicated

It is very complicated. It can be anything. It can be a program, a script, a process, an integration or any other situation, problem or context you may confront in your day. Do not let someone trick you. Do not confuse complicated with complex. Things can be complex without being complicated. When people try to complicate things, they … Continue reading It’s Complicated →

Needs, Features and Benefits – Uber

Uber is a new-ish app that has consumers falling in love with it and regulators hating it to the core. As a basic primer, Uber is a mobile app that allows a consumer to hail a hired car (towncar, SUV, or taxi) on-demand in a matter of minutes. Not only that, but it allows the … Continue reading Needs, Features and Benefits – Uber →

A Matter of Time

There's been a lot of consternation lately about the cost of higher education, skyrocketing student loans and the unfortunate masses of recent grads who only seem to be finding unemployment and financial dependency. The complexity of the entire situation is sufficient to have me writing non-stop for years to come. Everyone has their own opinion … Continue reading A Matter of Time →

Productivity Hack

I came across a very interesting article yesterday about a cool productivity hack, from none other than Jerry Seinfeld. The basic principle is to visualize your progress. No tech, no complex system. All you have to do is take a big calendar that contains all of the days of the year. When you complete your … Continue reading Productivity Hack →

Theories Applied

It has now officially been two months since I started work. I have no idea where the time has gone, but it has gone faster than I ever expected. As I reflected on the first two months this past weekend, I thought a lot about the things that I have learned since I started. Coming … Continue reading Theories Applied →