I’m finding a bunch of great stuff while researching the Product Thinking book. This mini-series is where I’m sharing the best finds.
1 - Needy programs, Niki Tonsky
Programs used to center what you need. Now software is all about what it wants from you. Requiring an account when you don’t need one, constant updating, notifications, pop-up windows announcing features you didn’t ask for. I appreciate that Niki coined a phrase for something I’ve observed all over the place.
2 - Collaboration sucks, Charles Cook
Don’t waste time in meetings and “collaboration” that doesn’t improve the product or lead to decisions. Instead, be a driver. Ship things yourself.
3 - Seeing like a software company, Sean Goedecke
This article brought clarity to = everything I’ve puzzled over about annual planning processes. Engineers love efficiency, legibility runs counter to efficiency, but legibility delivers utility when planning, making tradeoffs, and securing long-term enterprise deals. Seeing through the lens of legibility clarifies decisions up the ladder.
4 - A list of every interaction concept, Anthony Hobday
As a hoarding digital goblin, I gotta respect a quality collection like this one. A superb resource for thinking about how users think about interaction design. Props to Anthony for putting it together.
5 - If your product is great, it doesn’t need to be good, Paul Buchheit
A classic from the engineer who built the prototypes for Gmail and Adsense. An antidote to “more features = better” thinking. Instead, pick three key attributes or features, nail those things, then forget everything else. If you knock the core feature out of the park, users will overlook and forgive more than you’d expect. By focusing, you’re forced to find the true essence and value of your product.
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Got a recommendation for something I should read? Drop it in the comments!