🥷 Productivity boost in 1 simple format, weekly metrics reviews & more / PM Snacks 67
🥷 Productivity boost in 1 simple format, weekly metrics reviews & more / PM Snacks 67
The simple format that boosted my productivity this year, implementing weekly metrics reviews, visual delights and PRD inspiration.
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1️⃣ The single biggest boost to my productivity this year
Aug 2022 • 1 min read • #execution #selfimprovement
I stumbled upon this thread during the summer and I was blown away by the efficiency of the format. The author has a few more sections but here is my own version implemented in a Notion dashboard 👇
Ideally every night before finishing my day (or first thing next morning), I’ll write:
- 1 Thing: basically, create a 2hrs slot in your agenda everyday to work on this Top Goal. That’s it. If you could do only 1 thing everyday, that would be the one.
- 10X tasks: write down the high leverage tasks you are uniquely suited to do. Can be tasks you handle yourself or coordination with the team for them to do it.
- 1x, 0.1x tasks: secondary tasks that you’ll handle if you have time.
- Later: I use throughout the day as a reminder of things to plan the next day/week.
2️⃣ Why Your Team Needs a Weekly Metrics Review
Nov 2022 • 7 min read • #execution #datainformed
Post-PMF companies aspire to be data informed but most of the time it ends with: let’s ask a data analyst for this info. As a result, data doesn’t inform most decisions and the backlog of the data analysts blows up.
As a product leader, this is why you should implement weekly metrics reviews. They should be brief, led by a data person, and focus on key metrics. It should create a shared understanding of how the team is progressing towards its goals, and foster collaboration and decision-making. Main questions to be addressed:
1/ How is this metric supposed to move? Some metrics are inherently volatile, seasonal or change after a while (lagging). Ask yourself these questions before reacting to the current value
2/ How are we doing? Let’s say you imagine the engagement would go up in a linear fashion every week over the next 3 months, are we performing way above, at level or under the expectations?
3/ What reaction should we have? Performing way above expectations? Check it’s not a mistake, and revise your objectives. Be more ambitious, find new levers. Performing at level, is there new learning or opportunities to move beyond the expectations? Below level, investigate what’s wrong. Iterate your way to better results or stop investing.
3️⃣ 7 uncommon opinions after 10 years of product management
Feb 2022 • 6 min read • #product
A few gems to be found in this retrospective:
1/ Being smart/charismatic can be a problem: you are good at painting incredible narratives from too little data, but it can lead to losing respect from teammates and stakeholders, or even building products that no one wants. Instead, focus on first-hand knowledge: read & participate in support activities, talk to users, deep dive in Amplitude, etc.
2/ Epics, Stories or any other method don’t matter: no one (should) cares about methodology. Be sure the team has the proper context, let them work and push for faster execution. The more I talk to companies in my coaching sessions or read insiders’ articles about the most innovative companies, the more convinced I am that everybody work differently. And it’s okay.
3/ Metrics suck: the author argues that debating the right metric is a waste of time, assuming everyone agrees on the same objective. My take would be: the metric in itself is rarely important, but agreeing on the timeframe (3mo) and ambition level (+50% vs +2%) are of tremendous importance to shape and invest the right amount of time in a solution.
4️⃣ It’s visual delight that you’re looking for, not gamification
Nov 2022 • 6 min read • #design #ux
Gamification is often celebrated but can lead to unnecessary complexity, like higher development cost or bigger cognitive load for users. Instead:
1/ Focus on micro-interactions and visual delight to create a more engaging user experience driving retention & engagement.
2/ Use gamification wisely: when it’s not distracting users from their main goal. Or even consider adding it for a limited time like in the article’s example from CRED.
⏳ Anatomy of a good PRD
Jul 2020 • 4 min read • #execution #shaping #delivery
Most clicked link, shared one year ago in PM Snacks 51.
I like the exhaustiveness of Square's template but prefer Figma's shorter version. You can also have a look at the template I crafted for comet and discover some by other companies. In any case, good product requirement documents should:
1/ Be centralised and easily accessible outside the product team
2/ Align people on the problem, the solution & launch criteria
3/ Stay short & show more than they tell (mockups, flows, ...)
4/ Serve as a hub (the one place that links to everything related to the theme)
💡 Efounders (hexa) is looking for its Lead Product Manager
I usually never share job offers, but I’m making an exception for this major startup studio from France. It is probably an opportunity for any entrepreneurial product person looking for a new gig. They originated with many startups like Aircall, Front or Spendesk. If you love B2B SaaS, 0 to 1, sweating details, working on strategy and crafting MVPs… You know what to do.
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A warm welcome to the 24 new subscribers, we are now 2428 readers strong!
Thank you for reading this far.
Have a great week and end-of-year break ⛄.
Olivier Courtois
10y+ in product, co-founder of ⚡ uku.wtf, coach & advisor
Psst… one last thing, help me promote & improve this newsletter by liking, sharing or subscribing to it 👇