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!

So we’ve made it to the end of the 1st week of Product Tapas. We’d initially planned to do this weekly - but let me know if you prefer a daily vs. weekly newsletter below 👇️.

That aside, here’s today’s tasty edition of Product Tapas! 🌮

🔥 Not Boring News: We've got a mix of global tech and product news, from Instagram's new feature to crypto's resurgence. 🌍

🤖 Tools & GPTs: Explore essential GPTs for product metrics, personas, and planning in product management. 🛠️

🎙️ Product Bites: And finally, we’ve got a stack of time-saving summaries. Gain insights on effective communication, stakeholder engagement, and navigating product management in complex organizations. Plus, our Pod Bite podcast review is on enhancing customer experiences. 🚀 👀 

Let’s dive in 🚀👇

📰 Not boring

• Instagram Will Now Enable All Users to Download Publicly Posted Reels Clips Get ready to see more Instagram logos showing up in TikTok clips…

• Singapore-based Climate Alpha analyses the impact of climate change on real estate

• After six quarters of falling venture interest, crypto investors see recent price gains as a positive signal

• Pakistan-based BusCaro is providing safer transportation options, especially for women

• Musk says X plans to start showing preview headlines for links again

• Zoom Fatigue is real according to brain scans

• The 345 most promising startups in the world

• 5 AI-powered tech gifts that are actually fun — and productive

View more →

📰 Time Saving Tools & GPTs

1. Growth Guide (The Metrics Maestro 📊🧭)

   • Description: Interactive expert in product metrics, tailors advice to your product context.

   • Suggested Prompts:

     • "What metrics should I focus on for my product's growth?"

     • "How can Growth Guide tailor its advice to my specific product context?"

2. Product Manager GPT (The Story Crafter 🖋️📖)

   • Description: Helps you create feature stories for your products.

   • Suggested Prompts:

     • "How can I create compelling feature stories for my product roadmap?"

     • "What are the best practices in storytelling for product management?"

3. Product Pro Advanced (The Persona Analyst 🕵️‍♂️👥)

   • Description: Advanced Product Manager with Persona Analysis.

   • Suggested Prompts:

     • "How can persona analysis enhance my product's roadmap and prioritization?"

     • "What are some effective methods for conducting persona analysis in product management?"

4. PM Mentor (The Career Guide 👨‍🏫🛤️)

   • Description: Guides Product Managers in their career journey.

   • Suggested Prompts:

     • "What career advice do you have for a product manager focusing on roadmapping and prioritization?"

     • "Can PM Mentor provide guidance on advancing my skills in product management?”

5. TimeWise Planner (The Efficiency Expert ⏰📝)

   • Description: A professional planner for task prioritization and time management.

   • Suggested Prompts:

     • "How can TimeWise Planner assist in prioritizing tasks for a product manager?"

     • "What are some effective time management strategies for product roadmapping?"

As always, let us know which are your favourites and any you feel we should be featuring - especially ones you’ve created!

PLUS, remember 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. Share the love, and the insights! 🚀👇

🫦 Product Bites

🌟 Effective Communication; Repetition and Documentation

Let's explore Marta Rolak's insights on overcoming communication challenges in product teams.

📖 Read the full article here: Repeat, Repeat, Repeat: The Secret to Successful Communication for Product Managers

What's the Buzz? 🐝 Marta Rolak, Product Director at Springer Nature, shares her journey through communication turmoil, transforming a tense and untrusting work environment into a productive, aligned team. Her solution? A simple, yet powerful blend of documentation and repetition.

What's the Big Deal? 🎯

• Vicious Circle of Miscommunication: Initially, Marta faced a cycle of poor communication within her team, leading to distrust, repeated questions, and stalled product development.

• "Previously On" Approach: Adopting the storytelling technique used in TV shows, Marta introduced a recap process in meetings, akin to "Previously on..." segments, to keep everyone updated and contextually aware.

• Documentation and Repetition: The turnaround came with rigorous documentation of decisions and actions and their repetitive reinforcement in meetings. This method ensured clarity, reduced misunderstandings, and built trust among team members.

• Impact of Shared Understanding: Gradually, the team shed their dread, gained unified knowledge, and worked more cohesively towards their goals.

Why Should You Care? 🌈 As a product manager or team member, embracing Marta's approach can dramatically enhance communication efficacy. The combination of clear documentation and repetitive reinforcement builds a common foundation, essential for overcoming misunderstandings and fostering trust.

Over the years I’ve come to realise you have to tell people the same thing over and over until you’re bored of your own voice. But that’s just human nature, so embrace the power of 'repeating' to transform your team's communication dynamics! 🚀📝

🌟 Navigating Product Management in Large Matrixed Organizations

Let's dive into Christopher Piccoli's insights on leading product teams in complex corporate structures.

📖 Read the full articles here: Leading Product Teams in Large Heavily Matrixed Organizations

What's the Buzz? 🐝 Christopher Piccoli, VP of New Product Development at Mastercard, shares his strategies for building successful products in large organizations. He emphasizes the unique challenges and approaches required in such environments, differing significantly from smaller or less structured companies.

What's the Big Deal? 🎯

• Defining Success Clearly: Piccoli stresses the importance of having a unified understanding of success across all teams and levels. This alignment prevents miscommunications and ensures everyone works towards common goals.

• Understanding Stakeholder Motivations: Navigating a large organization involves understanding different departments' goals and aligning your product to meet these varied objectives. It's about making the internal sale as important as the customer sale.

• Flexibility in Product Playbook: In a large organisation, adapting and sometimes deviating from standard product management best practices is necessary. This flexibility allows for seizing market opportunities and balancing idealism with practical realities.

Why Should You Care? 💡 For product managers in large, matrixed organisations, Piccoli's insights offer valuable tips for manoeuvring complex corporate landscapes. Understanding how to define success, navigate stakeholder motivations, and adapt your product management approach can be the key to thriving in such settings. These skills not only enhance product success but also contribute to personal growth and effectiveness as a product leader.

I’d argue these are just as relevant tips for organisations of all sizes, although perhaps just more required in bigger companies! 🚀📊

🤖 Nemawashi; the art of stakeholder engagement

Another great short article on stakeholder engagement and communication.

📖What's the Buzz? 🐝 The article sheds light on Nemawashi, a Japanese business practice of building consensus and support for an idea before officially presenting it. This approach, vital in product management, involves engaging stakeholders individually to gain their insights and buy-in.

What's the Big Deal? 🌏

• Nemawashi Explained: Translating to "laying the groundwork", Nemawashi is about discreetly securing stakeholder support for a proposal. This preemptive approach helps in avoiding surprises and resistance in formal meetings.

• Stakeholder Analysis: Utilising tools like the power-interest grid, product managers can identify key stakeholders to consult. This strategic engagement ensures that stakeholders are well-informed and aligned with your proposals.

• Building Consensus: By applying Nemawashi, product managers can effectively navigate complex stakeholder landscapes. It enables them to gather inputs, adjust proposals accordingly, and ensure a smoother decision-making process.

Why Should You Care? 💡 In the intricate realm of product management, mastering stakeholder engagement is crucial. Nemawashi offers a nuanced, (and culturally rooted) approach to securing support and avoiding potential pitfalls in stakeholder relations.

This is another handy (super-easy to remember) tool in the communication and stakeholder management toolkit, so well worth giving it a shot. 🚀🤝

📖 Read the full article

🎙️ Pod Review: Experience design is product management

Written By Think & Do

📝 Podcast Review: Secrets to Improving Customer and Employee Experiences from This is Product Management #316

Estimated Reading Time: 3.5 minutes - time saved 20 minutes!🔥

In this episode of "This is Product Management," host Rodney Knowles interviews Tricia Houston, founder and COO of the Experience Build Group. Tricia shares her insights and secrets on how to improve customer and employee experiences. The conversation covers various topics, including the importance of a customer-centric mindset, bridging the gap between digital and physical experiences, and the connection between customer and employee experiences.

🌟 Theme 1: Customer-Centric Mindset

Tricia emphasizes that creating a great customer experience is everyone's job and should be approached as a mindset rather than a department. Companies that have a customer success or customer experience department alone will not be able to fully deliver on customer expectations. Tricia suggests starting small and building from there. By focusing on specific touchpoints or areas of improvement, companies can make a big impact. For example, improving signage or adding a new feature to an app can have a domino effect on the overall customer experience. Tricia also highlights the importance of listening to customer feedback, both quantitative and qualitative, to identify areas for improvement. By starting with small changes and continuously iterating, companies can create a customer-centric culture.

🔍 Practical Tip: Try analysing open-ended responses from VOC surveys to uncover potential gaps and areas of improvement. This qualitative feedback can provide valuable insights into customer pain points and help prioritise areas for further investigation.

🌟 Theme 2: Bridging the Gap between Digital and Physical Experiences

Tricia discusses the challenges companies face when bridging the gap between digital and physical experiences. She mentions two types of experience gaps: unintentional and intentional. Unintentional gaps, such as a lack of communication between digital and physical touchpoints, need to be addressed and closed. On the other hand, intentional gaps, like those created by companies like Aldi to save costs, can be acceptable if clearly communicated to customers.

🔍 Practical Tip: Map out the customer journey and identify areas where digital and physical experiences intersect. By understanding these touchpoints, companies can ensure a seamless and cohesive experience for customers.

🌟 Theme 3: Employee Experience and its Impact on Customer Experience

Tricia emphasizes that the employee experience is the foundation of the customer experience. She believes that the customer experience is a byproduct of the employee experience. To ensure a positive customer experience, companies need to focus on preparing their employees and aligning them with the company's vision and values.

🔍 Practical Tip: Think about the "other business" your company is in, beyond its core product or service. For example, Chick-fil-A is in the leadership business, not just selling chicken. By aligning employee activities with this broader business perspective, companies can create a cohesive and customer-centric culture.

🌟 Theme 4: Customer Research and Understanding

Tricia provides guidance on conducting customer research. She advises starting with a clear understanding of the research objective, whether it is to gain a broad understanding or to predict behaviour and opinions at scale. Tricia suggests starting small and not overcomplicating the process.

🔍 Practical Tip: Understanding the customer is a continuous journey, and companies can start by identifying gaps and learning from even a single customer's feedback.

📖 Summary

Overall, Tricia Houston provides valuable insights into improving customer and employee experiences. By adopting a customer-centric mindset, bridging the gap between digital and physical experiences, and prioritising employee experience, companies can create a culture that delivers exceptional customer experiences.

Timestamps:

• 00:00:05 Introduction to Tricia Houston and the Experience Build Group

• 00:03:35 Providing a starting place for understanding customers

• 00:07:50 Bridging the gap between digital and physical experiences

• 00:10:04 Importance of customer research and identifying gaps

• 00:13:30 Being your own customer and thinking through that lens

• 00:16:31 Connection between customer and employee experiences

• 00:17:43 Getting everyone to row in the same direction

• 00:19:32 Employee training and the role of customer understanding

• 00:21:22 Personal recommendation: Libby app and "4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals" by Oliver Berkman

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

That’s a wrap. Please remember to take our survey - tell us whether we should we keep doing daily Tapas or reduce the frequency of the newsletter.

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Until our next issue, keep savouring the bites of wisdom we've shared. 🚀👋

Alastair & the Product Tapas Team 🦐.

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