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, especially to our new subscribers, thanks for joining! If you’ve been forwarded this you can sign up and check previous editions here.

It’s been a week of change a big political switchero in the UK, crypto markets pivoting to down only and a week off for me 🏖️. But Product never sleeps, so let’s see what’s cooking this week shall we? 🧑‍🍳 

📰 Not Boring - As ever, this week’s news is jam-packed. Spotify is testing emergency alerts, Figma pulls its AI tool after criticism, and the mashup app noplace (Twitter meets Myspace) hits No. 1 on the App Store. Apple is gearing up for AirPods with cameras and exploring AI features for the Vision Pro. OpenAI introduces CriticGPT to identify ChatGPT’s mistakes and showcases GPT-4’s voice mode for language teaching. Rip Dulingo? Google adds 100 new languages to Google Translate (RIP even learning a language?), and Meta’s in trouble with EU competition rules again. Plus, SpaceX will attempt the first commercial spacewalk, scientists create robot controlled by blob of human brain cells. And much more!

⌚ Time-Saving Tools & GPTs - This week, we’ve got Nylas for integrating email, calendar, and contacts, Question Base for automating Slack responses, Briefy for summarising lengthy content, and Firebender for finding early adopters and leads. Also, check out Superhuman AI’s database of over 100 AI productivity tools 🔥 

🍔 Blog Bites - Essential reads for product teams include a deep dive into why Craigslist, despite its 90s look, remains a household name and immensely profitable. We also explore best practices for implementing dark mode and practical advice for product management in companies where the role is least understood. Finally, a UX breakdown on why users might be ignoring your features, with insights from Monzo’s premium banking product by our fave UX don Peter Ramsey.

🎙️ Pod Shots - This week, we dive into the "Instagramification" of product management, exploring two views from John Cutler and Dean Peters on Jason Knight's "One Knight in Product" podcast. It’s easy to get sucked into the doom-zone when your company doesn’t reflect the perfect textbook / LinkedIn world, so take a read of these two POVs and refresh your perspective.

Plenty to get stuck into - off we go! 🚀👇

📰 Not boring

• Spotify is testing emergency alerts

• Figma pulls AI tool after criticism that it ripped off Apple’s design

• noplace, a mashup of Twitter and Myspace for Gen Z, hits No. 1 on the App Store. It’s colourful and customisable like myspace, but currently text based only (no images/videos)

• Apple is to begin mass production of AirPods with cameras by 2026, plus leak confirm’s their work on a ‘home accessory’

  • They’re also filling out a bunch of AI activities:

    • They’re exploring bringing AI to the Vision Pro (surprising to absolutely no-one)

    • Potentially announcing a Google Gemini deal this autumn

    • Poised to Get OpenAI Board Observer Role as Part of AI Pact

  • Whilst something that looks quite neat (and not AI related…) iOS 18 comes with a new flashlight feature that lets you narrow or widen it 🔦 

• Talking of our Chatbot overloards, OpenAI creates CriticGPT to find ChatGPT’s mistakes

  • And also shared a new demo showcasing GPT-4o voice mode teaching languages. Interested to see what the impact on Duolingo will be

• In Google news, Google Pixel 9 reportedly uses the same display as iPhone 16 Pro

  • They also casually added 100 new languages to Google Translate. We’re living in a time of epic progress

• Here’s a take on how Big Tech will compete with all these new AI startups (spoiler alert, it’s “the reverse acquihire” to swallow the AI industry)

• Continuing Big-Tech with Meta, their ‘pay or consent’ model fails EU competition rules, Commission finds

  • Threads has hit 175 million users in its 1st year

  • WhatsApp is developing a personalised AI avatar generator

• Amazon kills Wall-E. Well OK it’s own security version of Wall-E, it’s home version lives on!

• Cloudflare debuts one-click nuke of web-scraping AI

• Telegram lets creators share paid content to channels

• Here’s this week’s healthy dose of “What the actual?” news:

  • SpaceX will attempt the first commercial spacewalk

  • DJI (the drone company) is apparently getting into e-bikes

  • SCIENTISTS Create robot controlled by blob of human bran cells

Want even more news?? View more here → 

⌚️ Time-Saving Tools & GPTs

• Nylas: One API for email, calendar and contacts. Securely integrate with every email, calendar, and contacts provider using a single interface

• Question Base: “AI autoresponder for Slack.
  It answers the most repetitive questions, so you don't have to.”

• Briefy: Your AI Knowledge Assistant: turns all kinds of lengthy content into concise, structured summaries and saves them in your knowledge base for review later

• Firebender: Find early adopters and leads for your product in seconds

• Here’s Superhuman AI’s Top 100 AI productivity tools (124 actually at last check) 🔥 

🍔 Blog Bites - Essential Reads for Product Teams

Hot Take: “The Best Social Media Site Still Looks Like It Was Made in the 1990s”

Craigslist has been around since day dot in terms of internet history. And it looks that way too. But it’s still a household name and continues to be immensely profitable without advertising algorithms and the like. This article takes a deeper dive and tries to answer - how come?

Best Practice: Notes on implementing dark mode

This one’s a bit more technical, but nevertheless an interesting post on often overlooked ways to do dark mode well (hat tip to the TL;DR newsletter for this one)

Advice: Successful product management in companies where it’s least understood

The real world often isn’t like how it’s written in the books. Often Product is not fully understood or supported by businesses. This great Mind The Product article outlines how you can navigate your way through such scenarios.

Design: Why users are ignoring your features

Here’s another great UX breakdown by Peter Ramsay (Build for Mars). He goes step by step into how Monzo tries to get customers to sign up for its premium banking product, where they do well and where they can improve. Loads of insightful nuggets in this one (as always).

🎙️ Pod Shots

If you’ve spent any time online of late you’ll have noticed Product management, is increasingly influenced by social media culture. The pressure to project an idealised image distorts reality, leading to unrealistic expectations, stress and dissatisfaction. Many are discussing this "Instagramification" of product management too (ironically on social media). Today we’ll cover two perspectives from John Cutler and Dean Peters, shared across two episodes of Jason Knight’s one Knight in Product podcast. We summarise their thoughts, highlight similarities and differences, and provide key takeaways for founders and product managers.

⚒️ The Instagramification of Product Management is Driving Us Crazy

🎥 Watch John’s episode here , 🎥 Watch Dean’s episode here 

📆 John’s Episode Published: May 19th, 2024
📆 Dean’s Reply Published: June 21st, 2024

🕒 Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes. Time saved: 46 minutes🔥 

📸 The Glossy Illusion of Perfection

John Cutler’s Perspective:

John Cutler likens the current state of product management to the carefully curated, polished lives we see on Instagram. He argues that the endless stream of success stories and ideal practices creates unrealistic expectations. These portrayals often gloss over the challenges and complexities faced by real product managers, leading to feelings of inadequacy and stress.

Key Points:

• Curated Content: The content shared by thought leaders often showcases the best-case scenarios without acknowledging the struggles behind them.

• Comparison Trap: Constantly comparing oneself to these idealised images can lead to dissatisfaction and burnout.

• Mental Health: The pressure to measure up to these standards can negatively impact mental health.

Advice for Founders and Product Managers:

• Stay Grounded: Remember that social media often highlights successes while downplaying failures.

• Seek Balance: Focus on your unique journey and the incremental progress you make.

🤔 The Root Causes of Instagramification

Dean Peters’ Response:

Dean Peters extends the conversation by identifying the root causes of Instagramification. He categorises the contributors into three groups: A-listers (product management influencers), C-listers (individual contributors), and F-listers (managers lacking leadership skills).

Key Points:

• A-listers: Influencers like Marty Cagan and Melissa Perry, while providing valuable insights, often paint an overly idealistic picture of product management success.

• C-listers: Individual contributors can contribute to the problem by emulating these influencers without critical thinking.

• F-listers: Managers who fail to lead effectively exacerbate the issue by enforcing unrealistic expectations without proper support.

Advice for Founders and Product Managers:

• Critically Evaluate Influences: Question the practicality and applicability of advice from influencers to your specific context.

• Focus on Realistic Goals: Set achievable, realistic goals rather than striving for perfection.

🛠️ Practical Steps to Combat Instagramification

John Cutler’s Suggestions:

John Cutler emphasises the importance of creating real connections and communities to counteract the negative effects of Instagramification. He suggests practical steps to foster genuine engagement and learning.

Key Points:

• Community Building: Join or create communities where honest discussions about challenges and failures are encouraged.

• Real Conversations: Engage in meaningful conversations with peers to share experiences and learn from each other.

• Limit Content Consumption: Be selective about the content you consume and the time you spend on social media.

Advice for Founders and Product Managers:

• Engage Locally: Participate in local meetups or virtual groups to discuss real-world challenges and solutions.

• Be Selective: Curate your content feed to include a balanced mix of successes and failures.

🌱 The Myth of Ultimate Success

Dean Peters’ Insights:

Dean Peters challenges the myth that only those who have reached the pinnacle of success can offer valuable insights. He argues that valuable lessons often come from those who have faced and overcome failures.

Key Points:

• Value of Failure: Learning from failures can be as important, if not more so, than learning from successes.

• Broad Perspectives: Including voices from various stages of success can provide a more balanced and realistic view of product management.

Advice for Founders and Product Managers:

• Embrace Failures: Don’t shy away from discussing and learning from failures.

• Diverse Learning: Seek insights from a diverse range of experiences, not just the success stories.

🦄 The Role of Managers and Leaders

John Cutler’s View:

John Cutler highlights the responsibility of leaders to provide realistic portrayals and support their teams effectively. He emphasises that true leadership involves acknowledging the difficulties and working through them together.

Key Points:

• Leadership Accountability: Leaders should set realistic expectations and provide the necessary support.

• Open Communication: Encourage open and honest communication within teams about challenges and successes.

Advice for Founders and Product Managers:

• Lead by Example: Be transparent about both successes and struggles.

• Support Your Team: Provide the resources and support your team needs to navigate challenges.

🔄 Embracing Reality and Finding Balance

Dean Peters’ Final Thoughts:

Dean Peters concludes by advocating for a balanced approach to product management. He stresses the importance of resilience, realistic goal-setting, and community support.

Key Points:

• Balance: Strive for a balance between ambition and reality.

• Resilience: Build resilience by accepting and learning from failures.

• Community Support: Lean on your community for support and guidance.

Advice for Founders and Product Managers:

• Set Realistic Goals: Aim for achievable milestones rather than perfection.

• Build Resilience: Develop the ability to bounce back from setbacks.

• Cultivate Community: Foster a supportive network where honest conversations are encouraged.

📝 Summary and Takeaways

The Instagramification of product management can lead to unrealistic expectations and increased stress. By understanding its root causes and taking practical steps to counteract its effects, product managers and founders can create a more balanced and fulfilling professional experience. Here are the key takeaways:

• Recognise the Illusion: Understand that social media often presents a skewed reality.

• Engage in Real Conversations: Build and participate in communities that value honest discussions.

• Learn from Failures: Embrace and learn from failures as much as successes.

• Set Realistic Goals: Focus on achievable, realistic goals rather than striving for perfection.

• Support Your Team: As leaders, provide the necessary support and resources for your team.

By adopting these strategies, product managers and founders can navigate the challenges of Instagramification and create a more authentic and rewarding time at work - probably leading to better outcomes overall.

Want to know more quickly? Just ask the episodes below [web only]👇️ 🤯 
or if you prefer,
🎥 Watch John’s episode here , 🎥 Watch Dean’s episode here 

John’s episode:

Dean’s episode:

📅 Timestamps:

John

• 00:01:46] The Instagramification of product management.

• [00:03:57] The Instagramification of product.

• [00:09:24] Seeking dissenting opinions at work.

• [00:12:40] Product managers and information overload.

• [00:16:07] Professional identity and myths.

• [00:18:31] Product manager judgmentalism.

• [00:23:32] Continuous improvement in companies.

• [00:24:48] Being kind to each other.

Dean

• 00:02:30 - The Instagramification of Product Management

• 00:04:00 - Three Categories of Offenders in Product Management

• 00:05:00 - Myth 1: The Ultimate Success Myth

• 00:06:30 - Myth 2: Celebrating Failure

• 00:07:00 - Myth 3: Believing Our Own Hype

• 00:08:00 - Discussing A-Listers in Product Management

• 00:10:00 - Questions for A-Listers

• 00:12:00 - The Role of C-Listers: Individual Contributors

• 00:14:00 - The Short Order Cook Product Manager

• 00:15:00 - The Struggling Strategist

• 00:16:00 - The Brilliant in Theory Product Manager

• 00:17:00 - Managers Who Aren't Leaders

• 00:18:00 - The Ostrich Manager

• 00:19:00 - The Jackal Manager

• 00:20:00 - Questions for Non-Leader Managers

• 00:21:00 - Solutions and Moving Forward

• 00:22:00 - Final Thoughts and Contact Information

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 🍽️.