📄 Useful artifacts and some thoughts on AI ✨ / PM Snacks 77
📄 Useful artifacts and some thoughts on AI ✨ / PM Snacks 77
Today’s email → Alternatives to product managers • Reforge Artifacts • Folk interfaces • Reshaping the tree: rebuilding organisations for AI • The single biggest boost to my productivity last year
Hey everyone,
In this edition you’ll find several kinds of links:
A very actionnable one: Reforge Artifacts. Be sure to check it, if you have not done so already. It’s a perfect way to step-up your processes, studying how other companies operate.
Some links picked to inform your mindset; there’s one from Marty Cagan adding to the conversation around “product managers” importance. Others reflect on the importance of current AI technology wave in products.
By the way, I wrote an internal memo on AI for the companies I currently advise. It’s a 1-pager written to spark inspiration (why it’s important not to miss this new technology wave) through “mind-blowing” examples and practical advice to start exploring it.
To support me, please consider sharing this newsletter with colleagues or liking it (tap on the 💙).
1️⃣ Alternatives To Product Managers • Nov 2023 • 6 min read • #culture
Marty Cagan finally reacted to all the conversations around the fall of the product manager role. Spoiler: there is no alternative to product management, but maybe you don’t always need product managers (like we discussed in PM Snacks 74).
At Airbnb, designers take on many of these responsibilities. At Apple, they have “strong product leaders.” In a Pre-PMF startup like mine, the founders are doing it. Anyways, be sure to read Marty’s take on the different alternatives and why product managers are safe in most cases.
2️⃣ Reforge Artifacts • Nov 2023 • 3 min read • #execution
Potentially I’m late to the party with this one, but Reforge published an ever growing library of documents used by great companies to operate. You’ll find templates and instructions for everything: hiring, strategy, experimentation, roadmaps, etc.
Do check it out, it’s a great way to step-up our processes in a click as long as we pick only what’s relevant to our context.
3️⃣ Folk Interfaces • Sept 2022 • 4 min read • #design #AI
I was introduced to the term “folk interfaces” for the first time a year ago while reading this article. Basically, these interfaces involve creatively repurposing existing software in unexpected ways to solve unique problems (think of Excel).
If you think about it, ChatGPT is kind of the ultimate version of this: you enter a text, and the rest of the experience completely self-organise around it. It’s mind blowing.
Folk interfaces might as well be the future of many software categories and goes beyond text & voice interfaces. Recently, I discovered a few “dynamic interfaces” made possible thanks to the same technologies. Last month, a digital whiteboard introduced a “make real” button to turn drawings into prototypes, and this one showcased the same benefits on mobile. Last night, Google showed for the first time Gemini Be Spoke UI. So there’s no doubt the way we build products is going to evolve too. Perfect transition for the next article.
4️⃣ Reshaping the tree: rebuilding organisations for AI • Nov 2023 • 8 min read • #culture #AI
New technologies require organisational changes: from the invention of the railway to the current AI wave. In 1855, NYC railway company faced unprecedented challenges to organise themselves across huge distances. Among other things, they invented (and drew the most beautiful) organisational chart.
Through detailed examples of how they use ChatGPT, the author argues that AI is bringing major changes to how work gets done and organizations need to start experimenting with AI now or risk falling behind competitors. I tend to agree :)
⏳ The single biggest boost to my productivity this year • Aug 2022 • 1 min read • #execution #selfimprovement
Most clicked link one year ago in PM Snacks 67.
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.
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A warm welcome to the 26 new subscribers, we are now 3356 readers strong! Thank you for reading this far.
Olivier
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About → Productverse is curated by Olivier Courtois (10y+ in product, startup co-founder, coach & advisor). Each issue features handpicked links to help you become a better product maker.