The 49th Edition - On 7 Principles For Writing Great Problem Statements, How To Speak, Using Colour To Influence Decisions, And More...
Did you know that Apple uses color contrast to make a less desirable option in their iMessage product less appealing?
Did you know that Apple uses color contrast to make a less desirable option in their iMessage product less appealing? Blue iMessage bubbles contrast better with white text than green Android bubbles. Apple chose a darker blue and lighter green to make iMessage text more readable since it's white. (source)
Read: 7 Principles For Writing Great Problem Statements
Stages of Product Management Maturity
Beginner: I want it that way
Intermediate: There is a problem, and that’s that
Master: There is a problem, and here’s why & how we should approach it
I first heard about product around 2015. When I first read “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” that line about “Good product managers clearly define product requirements -- in writing”, I thought this was about pure creativity.
You just state what you think should happen.
Of course, we all know, this is not how it works.
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The Full-Stack Researcher is one my recommended newsletters.
💡 This monster of a post below is a one-stop-shop post on crafting problem statements.
7 Principles For Writing Great Problem Statements
Principle 1: Translate Solutions
Principle 2: Customer Perspective
Principle 3: Single Variable
Principle 4: Brevity
Principle 5: Eliminate Jargon
Principle 6: Segment Specific
Principle 7: Present Tense
He also shares 7 Tips For Problem Statement Brainstorming Sessions & When and Where To Use Problem Statements.
Watch: After Watching This, Crafting Your Vision Will Be Easy
Today I want to share with you one of the best videos I’ve ever seen on the web.
It’s an engaging hour-long lecture on How To Speak.
It’s worth watching end-to-end. Take deep notes, because it has a lot.
But one particular bit that struck me was towards the end, when Patrick Winston tells a story, and just by the way describes “vision” in the most succinct way possible.
You will never again have to guess how to craft your vision after watching this (the video below should start at the beginning of that story). Enjoy.
Remember
“If someone isn’t commenting on your work, presume they 1) disagree 2) don’t think it matters or 3) don’t understand until proven otherwise. Silence rarely means alignment.”
“Take a simple idea and take it seriously.”
Consider
Don’t Use Red 🔻 In Your Pitch: According to a field study and multiple experiments, the colors used in a startup pitch have a significant impact on how profitable investors believe the startup will be. Companies that use red in their executive summaries are rated lower than those that use blue or grey.
Put Your Phone📱 Away: The mere presence of a smartphone, according to one study, can impair cognitive performance. The fact that you are not even utilizing it is sufficient.
GTM and Growth Strategy Research Summarized in One Image:
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Who's George? I’m a curious product manager. I share high-quality, tried-and-true ideas that can be used right away that I've found while exploring the digital universe.
How I can help you:
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Get some help via prodmgmt.help. People ask about How to prioritise, How to do market research, how to work with engineers, how to go from a service to a product, how to develop a deep coherent product strategy, what books to read and courses to take on product topics & design systems product management.
See you next week.
— George.