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.

Hey Product Fans! 🎅🎄

Welcome to this week’s 🌮 Product Tapas — the Christmas Special Edition!

If you’ve been forwarded this or stumbled upon it, you’re in for a treat. For the best experience, check out the web version and sign up for future editions here.

What’s on the festive menu this week? 🧑‍🍳

📰 Not Boring – Christmas might be just around the corner, but the tech world isn’t slowing down. Google is remixing images, building custom agents, and making waves with its new Agentspace. Apple’s foldable future is taking shape, TikTok product reviews are soaring, and Prime Video is getting smarter. Oh, and Meta’s AI Glasses are doing everything now. I would love to hear from anyone who has seen them in the wild though….

⌚ Time-Saving Tools & GPTs – Need some extra holiday time? From AI spreadsheets and no-code tools to Reddit insights and AI podcast co-hosts, this week’s tools have got you covered. Plus, don’t forget to dive into our exclusive database of 300+ tools!

🍔 Blog Bites – It’s all about actionable lessons: the best of Lenny’s Newsletter for 2024, hard truths about UX research, and why breaking systems on purpose might be your best strategy for resilience.

🎙️ Pod Shots – We wrap up with an epic deep dive into Ikea’s story from the Acquired podcast. Flat-packs, meatballs, and lessons in frugality — a masterclass for founders and product teams alike.

Plenty to tuck into while sipping mulled wine or sneaking another mince pie at the Christmas lunch. 🎁 

Off we go! 🚀 🎄 

📰 Not boring

• OpenAI launches ChatGPT Projects; organise your ChatGPT interactions and build multi-step projects by sorting different chats and GPTs into folders

  • Plus web search is now available to free users

• Google is wrapping up the year on fire:

  • First launching Agentspace - a platform for custom agents and a way to answer questions across disparate platforms and data sets. Choose from pre-designed or create your own

  • Then debuting NotebookLM for enterprises

  • Plus revealing Whisk AI a new tool that allows you to ‘remix’ the pictures you plug in to it without requiring a long text prompt

  • While over at YouTube they’re testing voice note replies to videos

  • Finally, hot off the heels of Sora being released by OpenAI, Google unveiled their new video model Veo 2, completely blowing it out of the water. It is something else - see these examples here and here 

• Salesforce announces Agentforce 2.0 and Slack is going to be highly integrated, getting access to a library of customisable AI agents that can do anything from onboard employees to managing large multi-team projects

• In Apple news: iPhone 17 Air to be cheaper than expected; foldable iPhone and iPad on track for 2026 & 2028

  • More on the foldable iPad which could be like 2 iPad Pros side-by-side

• Prime Video’s new AI Topics feature makes it easier to find something to watch

• Short-form product reviews are taking off on TikTok - 62% U.S. TikTok users are there specifically for product reviews and recommendations

• Ray-Ban Meta Glasses add live AI, live translation and Shazam support. These get constant good reviews - does anyone you know even have a pair though?

• Grammarly has acquired Coda

• Mashable has its list of the 20 best podcasts of 2024. It's eclectic but good.

• Temu is the most downloaded app on the US App Store in 2024

• Finally, Airbnb’s anti-party tech is cracking down on ‘unauthorised’ get-togethers. Yawn 🥱 

⌚️ Time-Saving Tools & GPTs

• KlerkAI: Actionable insights from millions of conversations happening on Reddit. Validate business ideas, research content, discover user pain points

• OctoparseAI; build custom AI workflows and RPA bots with no-coding

• Stigg: Single place to manage your SAAS pricing. Set permissions per tier, price and access levels etc.

• Monologue: AI-cohost for your next video/podcast

• Graphy: Pro level graphs that drive decisions and inspire actions.

• AISmartCube: Build AI tools in hours with no code

• Bricks: The AI Spreadsheet that does the work for you. No more formulas. No more hours of data cleanup — just answers. Free to use.

Remember, as a subscriber you can access the full time saving tools database for fast approaching 300 time-saving tools relevant for product managers and founders 🔥. Check the link below to access 👇️ .

🍔 Blog Bites - Essential Reads for Product Teams

The Best of Lenny’s Newsletter 2024

Lenny is a force of nature and his podcast and newsletter go from strength to strength. His best of edition 2024 is proof if ever it was needed.

In his year in review, he shares a stack of links covering the following areas:

• How to build better products

• How to grow your product

• Benchmarks

• Becoming a better leader and manager

• Getting smarter about AI

• How to start a company

• How to hire the best people

• How to get get a job

• How to be more productive

• How to feel less stressed

Bookmark it and return time and time again.

UX: Unpopular Opinions about UX Research

Tom Kerwin recently created a short post of his Hard lessons every UX researcher—and professional—should learn. It’s short but packed with interesting takes. e.g.

"There’s never time, budget, or appetite to do research properly. Get used to that, it’s not changing."

This grounded perspective highlights a universal truth in many disciplines: perfection is the enemy of progress. Embracing constraints leads to impactful outcomes.

UX research often influences key business decisions, but its success relies on understanding organisational politics, communicating effectively, and delivering actionable insights under constraints. Tom’s hot take is UX research is less about ideal practices and more about navigating constraints, influencing decisions, and collaborating effectively.

Break Stuff On Purpose

Interesting post from one of Slack’s staff engineers on how to strengthen your system’s ability to recover by intentionally causing and resolving failures. 

“A complex system can fail in an infinite number of ways.”

Failures are inevitable in complex systems, no matter how well-designed. Instead of fearing them, the article advocates for embracing failures through deliberate exercises that simulate incidents, fostering learning and improvement. Systems are always vulnerable to hidden failures, and untested recovery plans can fail when needed most. By intentionally breaking systems and testing recovery, teams can address weak points, improve processes, and reduce stress during real incidents. It’s a practical way to ensure readiness for the unexpected.

Strategy: Groupon's FOMO playbook

This recent strategy breakdowns piece on Groupon, is all about Turning human psychology into viral loops. 

"In Groupon’s first few years it grew faster than Google, Facebook, and Apple."

Insight: Groupon's rapid growth was fuelled by embedding virality and urgency into its product, leveraging time-sensitive deals to create a habitual user base. This strategy effectively tapped into consumers' fear of missing out (FOMO), driving engagement and exponential growth.

By creating time-bound offers that required a minimum number of purchases, Groupon incentivised users to act quickly and share deals, turning customers into a powerful marketing force.

🎙️ Pod Shots - Bitesized Podcast Summaries

Remember, subscribers get access to an ever growing database of all the top Podcast summaries we’ve ever created. Check it out below 👇️ 

Acquired: Ikea

As we get close to year end we’re back to our favourite team over at Acquired, who recently did a breakdown of Ikea. A brand synonymous with flat-pack furniture, labyrinthine stores, and Swedish meatballs—is more than just a retailer; it’s a global phenomenon. In their own words:

It’s a fascinating listen, but at nearly 3.5hrs long it’s a beast. So I’ve broken down and summarised the key lessons of this 81-year-old behemoth, exploring its innovations, challenges, and key takeaways from the podcast below.

🎙️ Listen to the full episode here

📆 Published: November 17th, 2024

🕒 Estimated Reading Time: 4 mins. Time saved: 220 mins🔥

🛠️ The Founding DNA: A Frugal Vision

Born in 1926 in Småland, Sweden, Ikea’s founder Ingvar Kamprad grew up in a region where resourcefulness was a necessity. At just five, Ingvar began his entrepreneurial journey, reselling matchboxes for a profit. By 17, he officially registered Ikea, a name derived from his initials and his family farm.

Key to Ingvar’s approach was his frugality. Early on, he sought ways to minimise costs while delivering value—a principle that shaped Ikea’s DNA. This ethos is best captured in its mission: “To create a better everyday life for the many people.”

Takeaway for Founders:

• Resource constraints can drive creativity. Ingvar turned rural isolation into an asset by sourcing locally and thinking globally.

• Define a mission that’s both clear and inspiring. Ikea’s focus on affordability for the many, not the few, guided every decision.

🛒 Retail Revolution: The Flat-Pack Advantage

Flat-pack furniture wasn’t always part of Ikea’s playbook. It was a practical breakthrough born of necessity. During a photo shoot in the 1950s, an employee suggested removing a table’s legs for easier transport. Ingvar realised this could revolutionise logistics, reducing shipping costs and storage space.

Flat-pack furniture not only saved costs but also turned customers into co-creators, giving them a sense of pride in assembling their purchases. This innovation became the cornerstone of Ikea’s success.

Takeaway for Product Managers:

• Iteration is key. Small tweaks—like flat-packing—can lead to monumental operational advantages.

• Engage your customers in the product journey. Ikea’s self-assembly model builds emotional connections.

🍝 Meatballs and Maze-Like Stores: Designing Experiences

Ikea stores are iconic for their winding layouts and in-store restaurants. Why? It’s all part of the strategy to keep customers engaged and spending more time (and money) in-store. The restaurants, famous for Swedish meatballs, serve over 1 billion annually and embody Ikea’s ethos of making a trip to their store an experience.

The layouts, often criticised as confusing, are intentionally designed to showcase Ikea’s products in real-life scenarios, sparking inspiration.

Takeaway for Founders:

• Craft experiences that complement your product. Ikea’s stores are destinations, not mere transaction points.

• Think of customer needs holistically—an engaged and fed customer is a happy customer.

🌍 Global Expansion: Tailoring for Success

From its first store outside Sweden in Norway to dominating markets like Germany and the U.S., Ikea has mastered global scalability. However, not every expansion was smooth. In Japan, the company initially failed due to cultural misalignment. They learned from this experience and re-entered with a tailored approach two decades later.

Takeaway for Product Managers:

• Scaling globally requires deep cultural understanding. Localisation isn’t optional—it’s essential.

• Learn from failure and iterate. Ikea’s Japanese comeback highlights the importance of adapting to local contexts.

🏗️ Democratising Design: Balancing Five Pillars

Ikea’s design philosophy, "Democratic Design," balances five pillars: form, function, quality, sustainability, and low price. These principles guide everything from product development to store operations. Iconic items like the Billy bookcase exemplify this balance, delivering quality at unbeatable prices.

Takeaway for Product Teams:

• Establish clear guiding principles for product development. The five pillars ensure consistency and focus for Ikea.

• Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it can be a a competitive advantage. Ikea’s early investments in renewable energy reinforce this.

💰 Frugality as a Superpower

IKEA dominates the global furniture market despite its highly fragmented nature. Its success lies in a simple yet powerful strategy: reinvesting profits to expand and lower costs. This frugal mindset, championed by founder Ingvar Kamprad—known for flying economy and embracing minimalism—extends across the entire company. These cost-saving measures not only define IKEA's culture but also fuel its ability to innovate and grow relentlessly.

Takeaway for Founders:

• Operate lean to maximise resources for strategic investments.

• Frugality isn’t about cutting corners; it’s about prioritising value creation over extravagance.

🚀 Future Challenges and Opportunities

While Ikea has dominated offline retail, the shift to e-commerce presents a challenge. With 26% of its revenue now coming from online sales, the company is adapting, albeit slowly. Smaller urban stores and partnerships like TaskRabbit for assembly services signal a willingness to evolve.

Takeaway for Product Managers:

• Digital transformation isn’t optional. E-commerce isn’t just a channel; it’s a paradigm shift.

• Embrace hybrid models. Ikea’s smaller city stores cater to modern consumers’ preferences while retaining its experiential core.

🌟 Summary

Ikea’s story is one of vision, resilience, and relentless iteration. From its humble beginnings in rural Sweden to becoming a global leader, it’s a masterclass in scaling through operational excellence and customer-centric innovation. For founders and product managers, Ikea offers a blueprint: serve the many, innovate relentlessly, and never lose sight of your mission.

Want to know more quickly? Just ask the episode below [web only]👇️🤯
or if you prefer, 🎙️ Listen to the full episode here

That’s a wrap.

As always, the journey doesn't end here!

Please share and let us know what you would like to see more or less of so we can continue to improve your Product Tapas. 🚀👋

Alastair 🍽️.