18th November

We track Product so you don't have to. Top Podcasts summarised, the latest AI tools, plus research and news in a 5 min digest.

Hello, Product fans!

In today’s Product Tapas smorgasbord 🌮

🔥 Not Boring News: From the latest on Binance's CEO stepping down to Nvidia’s booming revenue, we've got you covered. 🌐

🤖 GPT & Tool Time: We're going old-school for those without GPT+ with a focus on effective prompts to maximize your productivity and creativity. 💼

🎙️ Product Bites: Packed with bite-sized insights, we explore the intersection of Behavioral Economics and Product Management, delve into cognitive biases affecting productivity, and navigate the intricacies of Impact Mapping in Product Discovery.

Plus, our podcast review on continuous discovery in Product Management - complete with a chatbot for interactive learning! 👀

Let’s go! 🚀👇

📰 Not boring

• Hugely important for the legitimisation of crypto Binance CEO CZ Steps Down As Part Of $4 Billion Settlement With US

• In news no-one is surprised to hear, Nvidia’s revenue triples as AI chip boom continues

• For those of you locked-out of Chat GPT+ Anthropic Introduces Claude 2.1 With 150k word input limit

• New Sonos gear announced - $400-Plus Headphones to Rival Apple and Bose, plus TV Set-Top Box

• Relay (Uber for parcels) raises $10M Seed round to scale in the UK

• Managing up: Leveraging one-on-one check-ins for your professional development

• How China took over the world’s online shopping carts; the rise and rise of Shein, Temu, TikTok Shop

• and….Dolphins caught on film raiding crab pots

View more →

📰 Time Saving Tools & GPTs

Today we’re going a bit old-school, as I recognise not everyone has chatGPT+ (especially as it’s currently closed to new customers). So today we’re looking at prompts - how to get the best out of Chat GPT (and others), with killer prompts.

So without further ado.

1. Tech.co - Provides 40 best ChatGPT prompts that cater to various needs and scenarios, such as writing emails and summarizing topics​.

2. Hootsuite Blog - Lists 202 awesome ChatGPT prompts to boost productivity, focusing on clarity and simplicity to get the best results.

3. Gridfiti- Curates 100 best ChatGPT prompts to power your workflow, including prompts for writing, marketing strategies, and role-play scenarios like interviews​.

4. Semrush - Offers 195 ChatGPT prompts and guidance on how to write your own prompts, emphasizing the use of clear instructions and an iterative approach to achieve the desired output​.

5. Visme - Suggests 100 ChatGPT prompts and best practices for use, advising to provide precise instructions and to use an iterative approach for prompt refinement​​.

Having tried various tailored prompts, without a doubt my go-to personal favourite (even in the post-GPT+ world) is this master prompt. Simply paste this into as your 1st prompt, change the name from Alastair to your own…. and answer the questions to arrive at 10x better answers🔥.
Give it a go and let me know what you think.

You are an Expert level ChattGPT Prompt Engineer with expertise in various subject matters. Throughout our interaction, you will refer to me as Alastair. Let's collaborate to create the best possible ChatGPT response to a prompt I provide. 

We will interact as follows: 
1. I will inform you how you can assist me. 
2. Based on my requirements, you will suggest additional expert roles you should assume, besides being an Expert level ChatGPT Prompt Engineer, to deliver the best possible response. You will then ask if you should proceed with the suggested roles or modify them for optimal results.

 3. If I agree, you will adopt all additional expert roles, including the initial Expert ChatGPT Prompt Engineer role.
 4. If I disagree, you will inquire which roles should be removed, eliminate those roles, and maintain the remaining roles, including the Expert level ChatGPT Prompt Engineer role, before proceeding. 5. You will confirm your active expert roles, outline the skills under each role, and ask if I want to modify any roles. 
6. If I agree, you will ask which roles to add or remove, and I will inform you.
Repeat step 5 until I am satisfied with the roles. 
7. If I disagree, proceed to the next step. 
8. You will ask, "How can I help with {my answer to step 1}?" 
9. I will provide my answer. 
10. You will inquire if I want to use any reference sources for crafting the perfect prompt. 
11. If I agree, you will ask for the {Number} of sources I want to use. 
12. You will request each source individually, acknowledge when you have reviewed it, and ask for the next one. Continue until you have reviewed all sources, then move to the next step.
 13. You will request more details about my original prompt in a list format to fully understand my expectations. 
14. I will provide answers to your questions. 
15. From this point, you will act under all confirmed expert roles and create a detailed ChatGPT prompt using my original prompt and the additional details from step 
14. Present the new prompt and ask for my feedback.
16. If I am satisfied, you will describe each expert role's contribution and how they will collaborate to produce a comprehensive result. Then, ask if any outputs or experts are missing. 
16.1. If I agree, I will indicate the missing role or output, and you will adjust roles before repeating step 15. 
16.2. If I disagree, you will execute the provided prompt as all confirmed expert roles and produce the output as outlined in step 15. Proceed to step 20.
17. If I am unsatisfied, you will ask for specific issues with the prompt. 
18. I will provide additional information. 
19.Generate a new prompt following the process in step 15, considering my feedback from step 18. 20. Upon completing the response, ask if I require any changes. 
21. If I agree, ask for the needed changes, refer to your previous response, make the requested adjustments, and generate a new prompt. Repeat steps 15-20 until I am content with the prompt. If you fully understand your assignment, respond with, "How may I help you today, Alastair?

BUT remember, for those of you with GPT+: I've gone through over 15,000 GPTs with a fine-tooth comb to compile the ultimate list of Product Management GPTs, just for you.

And guess what? You can snag your free copy just by bringing one friend into our Product Tapas family. 🚀👇

🫦 Product Bites

🌟 Behavioral Economics and Product Management: Enhancing Decision-Making and User Experience

Let's break down this intriguing exploration of Behavioral Economics and Design's intersection with Product Management.

📖 Read the full article here: Exploring Behavioral Economics and Design

What's the Buzz? 🐝

Discover how Behavioral Economics and Design, crucial in understanding and influencing user behaviour, align with Product Management principles. This fascinating exploration provides insights into how we make decisions and how products can be designed to cater to our true behaviour patterns.

What's the Big Deal? 🎓

Behavioral Economics challenges the traditional view that humans are always rational actors. It acknowledges our imperfections in processing information and being influenced by emotions and environment. This field significantly impacts how products and services are designed to cater to our real behaviours and decision-making processes. For example:

Context Effect in Decision Making: The article illustrates how our choices can be influenced by the context, such as through the Compromise Effect. For instance, when offered a range of product prices, consumers tend to choose a mid-priced option, perceiving it as a reasonable compromise.

Default Effect on User Choices: It highlights how the default options set in products can significantly influence user decisions. This is evident in scenarios like organ donor registrations, where opt-in vs. opt-out policies result in markedly different donor rates.

Intention-Action Gap: A critical learning is the gap between what people intend to do and what they actually do. Understanding this gap is vital for product managers to design solutions that genuinely resonate with users' needs and behaviours.

Why Should You Care? 🌍

For anyone involved in creating or managing products, these insights are invaluable. They reveal not just how users might interact with a product, but why. Grasping these concepts can lead to more intuitive, user-centric product designs and strategies that truly connect with users’ needs and behaviours.

Dive into the full article to understand more about the nuances of human decision-making and how to apply these learnings to your products and services. 🚀👥

🧠 Tackling the Saboteurs Within: 4 Cognitive Biases That Affect Your Productivity

Ever wondered why some tasks just don't get done or why simple solutions seem so complex? This article sheds light on four key cognitive biases that impact our productivity: Urgency Effect, Zeigarnik Effect, Complexity Bias, and Planning Fallacy.

📖 Read the full article here: Tackling saboteurs within…

What's the Buzz? 🐝 Cognitive biases, those sneaky mental shortcuts, are messing with our productivity! While they help our brain process info quickly, they also lead us into thinking errors. Understanding these biases is crucial for us in product to prioritise, make decisions, manage time, and get work done effectively.

What's the Big Deal? 🚀

1. Urgency Effect: We often prioritise urgent tasks over important ones, mistaking busyness for productivity. This can trap us in a cycle of short-term wins, missing out on long-term impact.

2. Zeigarnik Effect: Unfinished tasks nag at us, disrupting our focus and preventing us from entering a flow state 🌊 .This can impact our ability to concentrate and deliver high-quality work.

3. Complexity Bias: Our penchant for complex solutions often adds unnecessary complications, increasing the time, effort, and resources needed to solve problems.

4. Planning Fallacy: We tend to underestimate the time required for tasks, leading to missed deadlines and increased stress.

Why Should You Care? 💡 As product managers and innovators, understanding these cognitive biases can radically improve our approach to work. By recognising and addressing these biases, we can boost our productivity, make more informed decisions, and avoid the pitfalls of poor time management and planning. This is not just about working harder; it's about working smarter by being aware of how our brain influences our work habits.

So, if you're ready to tackle productivity head-on, take a run through this article for the full low-down! 🌟👩‍💻👨‍💻

🤖 Navigating Product Discovery with Impact Mapping

This summary delves into the world of Impact Mapping, a useful discovery tool that helps align efforts with business goals and user needs.

📖 Read the full article

What's the Buzz? 🐝 Impact Mapping is a framework that guides product teams through the unpredictable terrain of Product Discovery. Authored by Tim Herbig, this in-depth article covers the essentials of using Impact Mapping effectively, offering insights into navigating the complexities of product development.

What's the Big Deal? 🗺️

1. Organizational Clarity: At its core, Impact Mapping starts with identifying the 'Why' - the reason behind your product discovery. It connects your actions to the company's larger goals, using impact metrics derived from OKRs or product strategy choices.

2. Identifying Key Actors: The next step involves mapping out the 'Who' - the actors or user segments that your product targets. This step is crucial for understanding the nuanced needs and behaviours of your user base.

3. Behavioural Change: The 'How' aspect focuses on how to change user behaviours to impact your overarching goals. It involves identifying outcomes and measurable changes in user actions.

4. Solution Exploration: The 'What' level is where teams ideate potential solutions that could drive the desired behavioural change. It's about entering the solution space with a structured approach to ideation and prioritisation.

5. Validating Ideas: Finally, the process culminates in validating these solutions to determine their efficacy and fit with the overall product strategy.

Why Should You Care? 💡 Impact Mapping isn't just a theoretical framework; it's a practical approach to making informed, evidence-based decisions in product management. Whether you're a seasoned product manager or new to the field, understanding and implementing Impact Mapping can lead to more strategic and user-centric discovery. It offers a structured yet adaptable method to align your team's efforts with real user needs and business objectives.

Tim Herbig’s approach to discovery is pretty easy to digest and he’s keen to get people to try without sticking rigidly to the frameworks (something we support). So dive into the full article if you want to find out more. 🚀🔍📈

🎙️ Pod Review: How to find time for continuous discovery

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes. Time saved 23 minutes 🔥

In this episode of the Product Talk podcast, hosts Teresa Torres and Hope Gurion discuss the number one reason why people think they can't do continuous discovery: lack of time. They delve into the seven most common reasons behind this perception and provide practical tips on how to address them. Let's explore each theme and the valuable insights shared by the hosts.

🕒 Theme 1: Spending Time on Delivery-Related Activities

One common reason teams feel they don't have time for continuous discovery is that they are fully occupied with managing delivery-related activities. This includes backlogs, ticket creation, acceptance criteria, stand-ups, and overall product development.

🔧 Practical Tip: To address this, start with solution-related discovery for items still in the backlog. By identifying the riskiest assumptions and running experiments to de-risk them, teams can make progress on discovery even while managing delivery.

🕒 Theme 2: Spending Time on Stakeholder Management

Teams often find themselves spending a significant amount of time on stakeholder management, which involves communicating with interested parties about ongoing work. This can include project status reports, meetings, Gantt chart creation, and intake of new ideas.

🔧 Practical Tip: To alleviate the time spent on meetings, leverage existing artefacts to share updates with stakeholders. This can be done through email, Slack, or Teams, using visuals such as experience maps, opportunity solution trees, or story maps.

🕒 Theme 3: Spending Time on Cross-Team Coordination

Teams often face challenges with cross-team coordination, whether it's for planning future work or managing dependencies for ongoing projects. This can be due to organisational design issues, such as teams organised around tech stacks rather than customer journeys.

🔧 Practical Tip: Leaders should recognise the need for change and start decoupling teams or changing their structure to reduce interdependencies. At an individual level, visualising work and negotiating boundaries with neighbouring teams can help streamline coordination.

🕒 Theme 4: Spending Time on Product Support Activities

Teams often find themselves spending a significant amount of time on product support activities, such as responding to sales, support, and marketing teams. This can involve answering questions, triaging bugs, or addressing user experience debt.

🔧 Practical Tip: If the product is unstable or buggy, teams should prioritise stability work to shore up the product's foundation. If the issue is insufficient sales or support enablement, teams should focus on creating shared understanding through documentation, videos, or dedicated specialists.

🕒 Theme 5: Spending Time in Meetings

Teams often feel overwhelmed by the number of meetings they have to attend, both within and outside their team. This can be due to a fear of not being seen as helpful or central to the product.

🔧 Practical Tip: Audit meeting attendance and explore alternative ways to relay information, such as sharing artefacts or using asynchronous communication platforms.

🕒 Theme 6: Lack of Value for Discovery in the Organization

In some organizations, discovery is not valued as much as delivery-related activities. It may be seen as a delay or unnecessary.

🔧 Practical Tip: Leaders need to recognise the importance of discovery and emphasize its value. Teams should challenge confirmation biases through assumption mapping and testing, even for solutions considered inevitable. Share existing artefacts to avoid recreating explanations.

🕒 Theme 7: Discovery Itself Takes Too Much Time

Teams may feel that discovery itself takes too long, leading to a perception that they don't have time for it. This can be due to a lack of tools, inefficient processes, or a learning curve for new teams.

🔧 Practical Tip: Focus on the most important and least known aspects of the product. Experiment with different types of tests and invest in tools and processes to expedite discovery.

As always from Torres, this episode has lots of valuable insights and practical tips for overcoming the perceived lack of time for continuous discovery. Try a few out or dig deeper into the episode with our episode GPT below.

Timestamps: 

• 00:00:00 Introduction and context

• 00:00:48 Reasons behind the lack of time for continuous discovery

• 00:01:29 Spending time on delivery-related activities

• 00:03:07 Spending time on stakeholder management

• 00:05:17 Spending time on cross-team coordination

• 00:08:50 Spending time on product support activities

• 00:13:42 Spending time in meetings

• 00:16:59 Lack of value for discovery in the organization

• 00:21:56 Discovery itself takes too much time

• 00:26:05 Conclusion and key takeaways

Full Video: Link to the full audio of the podcast episode

That’s a wrap.

Till our next issue, keep savouring and sharing the bites of information we've shared. 🚀👋

Alastair & the Product Tapas Team 🍽️.

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Packed with useful tags, product and usage details to help you find the best GPT for the job! 👇