PITA 055
ICEBREAKER:
Favourite Summer Olympics sport
Topic 1: How do you manage the tension between wanting all teams to be "standard" vs wanting each team to be different?
Go one step further: what are their expectations? What do they need? Is it about reporting? Are they really expecting that every team is measured on the same result and working in the same mode (innovation vs. scaling vs. …)
We had some basic guidelines at one place, but tried to leave teams to decide locally what they could. Roadmap & Strategy needed to be aligned
What’s the minimal bureaucracy? Town-Planners vs. Explorers. Different rules and approaches for teams in different maturity phases.
Perspective is key here - get the articulation from each side of what’s working and not, and what they need to succeed - then define the minimum needed to make it work, bolstered by good intentions & understanding.
Autonomy does not mean that you don’t communicate well. In fact, autonomy comes with a huge responsibility to be a great communicator.
Standardising on multiple tools that do more or less the same thing can be a real problem, though.
Topic 2: Properties of Great Training Days - what made it great?
Hands on & practical really make a difference
Get someone doing SOMETHING in the first 5 minutes. Something relevant. That keeps energy levels high.
STORYMAPPING - what are all the things you did this morning before getting to this session?
INTERVIEWING - groups of 3 with a prompt, straight away, talking to a stranger and observing
Better than a deck or icebreaker
The Workshop Survival Guide by Rob Fitzpatrick & Devin Hunt
Have a GREAT end of the workshop that relates to what you’re doing next
What’s one thing you’re going to do tomorrow?
Oh I like the idea of nudging folk after the workshop — what did you do… nice!
Write a postcard to yourself & the facilitator sent them 3 months later
Or accountability partners - what do you want to be different in 1 month?
Get great feedback
Close the feedback loops - what worked and didn’t work?
Difference between was the workshop good, and did they learn the thing? Are they applying it?
https://lwlies.com/ Rating: Anticipation, Enjoyment, in Retrospect
Topic 3: what is your number 1 problem with making decisions as a product person?
A lack of strategy or vision to prioritise against
Lack of metrics/targets for success - there’s a massive difference between making something 5% better and 70% better.
Lack of context for decisions.
Paralysis - people afraid to make decisions
Be aware of too many cooks. Who is accountable for the decision?
Faith Forster’s Decision Matrix:
Topic 4: Is there a community for product people with "strong passions/sidelines" and how do these influence their product practice? (I’m biased)
Just ask people in other fields about what they do and how they approach it, and the problems that they solve, and the challenges they have to overcome