The hottest Product Development Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Let's add a whole bunch of simplicity

Sunday Letters • 119 implied HN points • 15 Nov 21
🕹 Technology Software Design User Experience Code Quality Product Development
  1. Simplicity is about removing complexity, not adding it. We often think we can just make things easier, but the reality is that we have to eliminate the complicated parts.
  2. To create simplicity, we should clearly define our goals. Understanding exactly what we need to do helps us focus and decide what to avoid.
  3. Finding the simplest version of a project may mean letting go of features you like. It's important to be disciplined and recognize that simplifying can sometimes feel uncomfortable.

Why Your 'Disruptive' Product Isn't Getting Traction

Superfluid • 39 implied HN points • 02 Aug 23
💼 Business Startups Marketing Sales Product Development Market Analysis
  1. Changing consumer behavior is hard for startups, and it takes more than just a good product to do it.
  2. Before building a product, understand the market deeply, including the barriers to change and existing strategies.
  3. To succeed, focus on what you're really selling, craft a smart GTM strategy, and work progressively to change the market.
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Building Codiga: Getting Started

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 12 Aug 23
💼 Business Startups Entrepreneurship Venture Capital Product Development
  1. Starting your own business is all about execution. It's better to act and make mistakes than to wait and do nothing. Learning from these mistakes quickly is key to moving forward.
  2. Having a clear plan is crucial. Just like you wouldn’t go hiking without a map, you shouldn’t start a business without a plan. This helps you track progress and adjust when needed.
  3. Keep your personal and business lives separate. Set up a dedicated business email and bank account. This will make things easier when it comes to taxes and managing your operations.

Luck and Leadership

Fish Food for Thought • 15 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
💼 Business Leadership Product Development Innovation Success Opportunities
  1. Successful leaders have a complex relationship with luck, involving factors like preparation, control, confidence, and opportunity.
  2. An excess of any element in the luck equation can lead to diminishing returns or negative outcomes.
  3. Effective leadership requires a delicate balance in managing preparation, control, confidence, seizing opportunities, and knowing when to say 'no.'

How to Build Influence as an Engineering Leader | Kelly Vaughn

Dev Interrupted • 14 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
💼 Business Engineering Leadership Management Team Collaboration Product Development Goal setting
  1. Building influence as an engineering leader requires focusing on trust, communication, and empowerment to succeed in both individual contributor and managerial roles.
  2. Adopting GenAI can be challenging due to the pressure of the hype cycle, and understanding key considerations is crucial for successful implementation.
  3. Having hard deadlines can significantly impact productivity and response rates, highlighting the importance of leveraging deadlines to improve team tempo and cadence.

Understanding Isn't Enough

Sarah's Newsletter • 59 implied HN points • 08 Feb 22
🕹 Technology Data Analytics Product Development Data Quality Process Optimization
  1. Value in data products comes from taking action, not just providing information.
  2. Vendors and data tools add significant value by influencing processes and saving time for users.
  3. Analytics products should aim to change behaviors by answering critical questions, prioritizing effectively, and continuously refining to ensure effectiveness.

a good MVP is a scrappy MVP

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 02 Jul 23
💼 Business Startups Entrepreneurship Marketing Product Development Innovation
  1. It's better to launch your product early to get feedback. Waiting too long can mean wasting time and not understanding what people really want.
  2. Your first product doesn't have to be perfect. It just needs to show your vision and allow you to listen to customer feedback.
  3. Iterate on your product based on feedback. Keep shipping new versions to get better and connect with what the market wants.

Building CAUSL - Episode 10: Going Solo and Building a Product

CAUSL Effect • 19 implied HN points • 01 Jun 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Product Development Consulting Marketing Revenue streams
  1. The founder is rethinking his business after losing a co-founder, which has made it hard to focus on growth and delivery at the same time.
  2. He plans to rebuild his income through consulting while also developing a new product called Analytics Powerpack, aimed at helping teams analyze data easily.
  3. Starting something new has ups and downs, and he's learning to adapt and adjust his plans based on market needs and personal limits.

Too much money is a problem

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 28 May 23
💼 Business Startups Fundraising Entrepreneurship Investment Product Development
  1. Having too much money can distract startups from their main goals, like building a great product and serving customers. It often leads to unnecessary spending and shortens focus.
  2. Starting with less money can force a company to be more focused and efficient. It encourages smart spending and careful planning.
  3. While raising money can be helpful for growth, it's important to raise just enough to reach goals without losing control or focus. Too much money can lead to problems.

Bonus post - Noisy Monitors

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 07 Feb 22
🕹 Technology Engineering Software Team Management Product Development Signal Processing
  1. Noisy monitors can create problems for engineering teams. They get too many alerts that can drown out the important signals, making it hard to focus on real issues.
  2. Accumulating unresolved bugs and warnings can lead to confusion. Teams might ignore older and less critical issues, which can mask newer problems that need attention.
  3. It's important to maintain discipline and organization in monitoring systems. Just like a chef cleans his kitchen daily, teams should regularly tidy up their alerts and processes to stay effective.

Week 33 - 🚀 The Ultimate Guide to Prototyping for Product Managers: Mastering the Art of Reducing Uncertainty in Product Development 🎯

The Product Channel By Sid Saladi • 33 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Prototyping Tools User Feedback Product Development
  1. Prototyping is crucial for product development to validate concepts, identify issues, and refine designs
  2. Different types of prototypes include paper prototypes, wireframes, static mockups, clickable prototypes, and more
  3. Best practices for prototyping involve defining goals, choosing the right type of prototype, recruiting the right users, preparing a test plan, setting context, using appropriate tools, encouraging feedback, and staying open to feedback

Week 50 - 🙇‍♂️Unpacking the Power of Product Thinking: A Deep Dive

The Product Channel By Sid Saladi • 23 implied HN points • 30 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Product Development User Experience Innovation User engagement Frameworks
  1. Product thinking focuses on understanding user needs and crafting solutions that enrich lives.
  2. Product thinking drives innovation by questioning the status quo and creating user engagement through tailored solutions.
  3. Key principles of product thinking include deeply understanding user needs, challenging assumptions, envisioning future states, and promoting user engagement through great experiences.

🏆20+ ChatGPT Plugins for Product Managers and Builders - Unleashing the Power of ChatGPT Plugins

The Product Channel By Sid Saladi • 23 implied HN points • 23 Jul 23
🕹 Technology AI Tech Tools Product Development Data Analysis
  1. ChatGPT plugins enhance product development with automation and specialized research capabilities.
  2. Installing ChatGPT plugins involves upgrading to ChatGPT Plus and enabling the Plugins Beta feature.
  3. Top 20 ChatGPT plugins offer diverse functionalities like creating diagrams, conducting data analysis, and providing personalized recommendations.

Week 30 - 🎣 The Hook Model: How to Create Addictive Products 🚀

The Product Channel By Sid Saladi • 30 implied HN points • 12 Mar 23
💼 Business Product Development Psychology Marketing Behavioral Economics Entrepreneurship
  1. The Hook Model is a four-step process that helps create habit-forming products.
  2. The Hook Model consists of Trigger, Action, Variable Reward, and Investment stages.
  3. Understanding the Hook Model can provide a competitive advantage by creating products that build customer loyalty.

Building a Business that Endures

Femstreet • 8 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
💼 Business Endurance Leadership Product Development Innovation Strategy
  1. Building an enduring company in 2024 involves iteratively testing ideas and speaking to customers before raising capital.
  2. An enduring business focuses on solving long-term problems, breaking down strategies into clear phases, and maintaining disciplined product development.
  3. To build an enduring company, prioritize people, product-market fit, and unit economics while embracing quick decision-making and continuous learning.

How to handle top customer objections, create powerful case studies & measure product-market fit.

Startup Business Tips 🚀 • 17 implied HN points • 23 Aug 23
💼 Business Sales Customer Service Marketing Product Development Entrepreneurship
  1. Create a concern-handling template with objections, responses, and additional resources segmented by buyer journey.
  2. Develop powerful case studies by analyzing existing clients, conducting interviews, and creating various types of social proof.
  3. Measure product-market fit with the Sean Ellis Test by asking users how disappointed they would be without the product.

Money does not make a great product

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 15 Jan 23
💼 Business Startups Product Development Team Dynamics Efficiency Entrepreneurship
  1. Money alone doesn't guarantee a great product. Instead, you need skilled experts and a dedicated team who really care about the work.
  2. A smaller, focused team can often create better outcomes than a large group. Quality and commitment are more important than throwing money at a problem.
  3. Dedication matters more than expertise. Strong work ethic is key, and having a passionate team can lead to innovative solutions and success.

Building Enduring AI Products

Maestro's Musings • 2 HN points • 29 Aug 24
🕹 Technology AI Product Development Data Privacy
  1. Large Language Models are powerful but not always the best fit. It's important to choose the right tools for specific tasks instead of relying on one solution for everything.
  2. Integrating AI into workflows makes it more valuable. When AI is part of daily routines, it helps users work better and gives companies a competitive edge.
  3. Focusing on understanding what users really want is key. AI should not just give relevant information, but also grasp the user's intent to be truly helpful.

Joining Complete

Anant’s Newsletter • 2 implied HN points • 20 Aug 24
💼 Business Startups Team Management Product Development Market Trends Employee retention
  1. The author has transitioned from a successful role at Brex to the startup Complete, focusing on a fresh and exciting challenge. This shift emphasizes the appeal of smaller companies and a return to foundational startup experiences.
  2. The importance of strong company culture and team dynamics at Complete is highlighted. The author values the mix of talent, humility, and ambition within the team, which fosters an inspiring workplace environment.
  3. Complete addresses a significant issue in the corporate world: managing employee compensation efficiently. The platform aims to streamline this complex process, making it easier for companies to retain talent and ensure fair compensation practices.

"Sell me this Pen"

Achee Alpha • 6 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
💼 Business Sales Marketing Startups Books Product Development
  1. Stop selling and start helping when it comes to sales. Position yourself as an experienced guide to the buyer to win them over.
  2. Understand the buyer's problems, pains, and other solutions they have considered before making your case for your product or service.
  3. Don't just assume buyers know how to make the right decision. Teach them how to buy by presenting your solution as the best choice among their options.

Eight Pro-Social Platforms that Didn't Work

techandsocialcohesion • 1 HN point • 21 May 24
🕹 Technology Social media Communication Community Building Online Platforms Product Development
  1. Building platforms for civil discourse online is challenging due to the nature of public information spreading too quickly.
  2. Creating pro-social platforms requires finding existing behaviors that are great and painful enough to justify widespread adoption of a new app.
  3. Facilitating smaller and private conversations online tends to lead to more civilized discussions compared to public platforms like Twitter.

8/36 - Product Logic Model : Input, Output, Outcome

Product Mindset's Newsletter • 17 implied HN points • 26 Feb 23
💼 Business Management Strategy Measurement Outcomes Product Development
  1. A logic model helps in planning by defining inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes of a product.
  2. Understanding outcomes is crucial to determine business objectives and success strategies.
  3. Outcomes are the goals a business aims to achieve, while outputs are the tangible results of activities, and inputs are the resources needed for the results.

Rivian: A Masterclass in Brand Narrative

The Intersection • 19 implied HN points • 20 Dec 21
💼 Business Company strategy Marketing Company growth Product Development
  1. Rivian's approach to brand narrative focuses on simplicity: Using just one word, 'Forever,' to convey an authentic purpose-led message.
  2. Rivian's success is tied to its futuristic promise, contrasting with traditional automakers like Toyota and VW who are valued based on their past success.
  3. Rivian prioritizes purpose over product by emphasizing experiences and emotions on its website, setting a unique tone for customer engagement.