The hottest Product Development Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Building Codiga: Don’t believe the hype

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 27 Oct 23
💼 Business Product Development
  1. It's important to focus on real value for users rather than chasing trends. If your product doesn't help people, it may fail.
  2. Many startups get attention for being trendy, but often they lack substance and can collapse quickly. Investors sometimes get blinded by hype.
  3. Staying true to solid principles and avoiding the latest fads will lead to better, longer-lasting companies. Always ask if what you are offering is truly valuable.

#100 - Playing Offense

davidj.substack • 95 implied HN points • 15 Nov 23
💼 Business Product Development
  1. Data quality starts with the Product Requirements Document and Analytics Requirements Document.
  2. For product changes, defining data requirements through a Data Design Document is crucial.
  3. Being part of the product development process improves efficiency, speed, and collaboration in data management.

Building Codiga: Building an Iteration Engine

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 20 Oct 23
💼 Business Product Development
  1. Your first idea for a startup is not usually the best one. Many successful companies started with different ideas and adapted over time.
  2. The speed at which you improve and learn from mistakes is crucial. Startups have the advantage of being quick and flexible compared to larger companies.
  3. Creating a culture of constant improvement is key. Regular meetings, tracking data, and listening to user feedback can help you make better products while respecting user privacy.

S2 E2: From Stone Sculptures to Building Cities - Focussing on the Bigger Picture

CAUSL Effect • 19 implied HN points • 09 Oct 23
💼 Business Product Development
  1. Focus on details is important, but remember to see the bigger picture too. Each person's work should fit well into the overall goals of the team or company.
  2. Like the sculptures on the Arc de Triomphe tell a story, all parts of a project should connect to create a clear message for the audience.
  3. Using self-serve tools can help teams get quick insights. This lets everyone focus on the important work that benefits the entire organization.

The most valuable MVP

Better After a Nap • 19 implied HN points • 22 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Product Development
  1. The initial product or feature is not static; teams always have plans to iterate and improve after launch.
  2. User contexts, expectations, and external factors like technology evolution, legislation, and resource constraints require continuous refinement of products.
  3. The true MVP in product development is the customer, who expects fully formed, functional products, not works in progress.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Is Your Team a Cost Centre Without Product Understanding?

🔮 Crafting Tech Teams • 19 implied HN points • 31 Jul 23
💼 Business Product Development
  1. Product understanding is crucial for a strong team. A team without it may struggle to bring products to market efficiently.
  2. Ensuring a strong product culture is essential. It involves keeping the product team and founders aligned and integrated into the engineering process.
  3. Maintaining a balance between product and engineering value streams is key. This helps in avoiding a disconnect that can make a team function more as a cost center.

August Summary

The Hive • 19 implied HN points • 15 Sep 23
💼 Business Product Development
  1. August saw consistent trends from July with high churn and new users.
  2. The main goals are to make Pico more powerful and increase revenue.
  3. Key developments include launching custom backend generation and incorporating new features in Pico.

What Alt Data Should Learn from Alt Rock

The Data Score • 19 implied HN points • 14 Jul 23
💼 Business Product Development
  1. The success of alternative rock band Nirvana in the 1990s can be seen as a tale of achieving product-market fit, blending novelty with familiarity, and capturing lightning in a bottle
  2. Just like how Nirvana and alternative rock made their way into the mainstream, alternative data companies need to craft unique, valuable products that merge novelty with familiarity to cater to a wider audience
  3. Challenges in adopting alternative data include aligning products with client needs, making data accessible, and building a narrative around data products to drive adoption and ensure impact

Wiz: Visible Vulnerabilities

The Product Person • 19 implied HN points • 13 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Product Development
  1. Wiz achieved remarkable success with $10 billion valuation by rapidly growing in the cybersecurity industry.
  2. Wiz's founding team had a strong background in security from Israeli Intelligence, and previous successful ventures set a solid foundation for their new startup.
  3. Wiz's swift growth was boosted by their cloud-first approach and fast product implementation, attracting high-profile customers and significant funding.

The Problem with Chat

Maximum Tinkering • 19 implied HN points • 04 May 23
🕹 Technology Product Development
  1. Chat interfaces offer a user-friendly way to interact with computer systems, making tasks easier than traditional forms.
  2. As chat interfaces become more common in software products, the challenge of providing guidance amidst endless possibilities arises.
  3. Innovations like starting conversations with pre-set questions and providing a menu of interactive options help address the issue of choice overload in chat interfaces.

Minimum Lazy Product

Thoughts • 19 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Product Development
  1. Implementing new ideas can be challenging and often requires a lot of effort to complete.
  2. Consider the concept of Minimum Lazy Product (MLP) as a minimalistic approach to presenting and validating ideas.
  3. Categorize tasks into 'Easy/Fun' and 'Hard/Unfun' to make project development more manageable and efficient.

AllSpark MVP Update

AllSpark • 19 implied HN points • 15 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Product Development
  1. AllSpark MVP has new subscription flow and app store pages.
  2. Launched LFW.dev community for developers working on user-controlled data.
  3. Upcoming features include email organization tools and content packs.

Stop thinking and go to market

Nate is Learning • 19 implied HN points • 14 Jun 23
💼 Business Product Development
  1. When testing new markets, go straight to market with your offer instead of wasting time on research.
  2. Going to market quickly gives you real-time feedback, helps you make money, and uncovers the truth about product-market fit.
  3. By engaging real buyers, you will shorten your learning curve, spend less money, and make sales in the process.

Let's add a whole bunch of simplicity

Sunday Letters • 119 implied HN points • 15 Nov 21
🕹 Technology 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.

How I think about product at Ribbon

ML / Genomics / Deep Tech • 38 implied HN points • 16 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Product Development
  1. Separate your product ideas into imperatives and experiments. Imperatives are must-have features from customer needs, while experiments are guesswork that may or may not succeed.
  2. Plan for the future by assuming your AI tools will improve. Be ready to adapt as technology gets better and make use of advancements in AI.
  3. Don't fear deleting unwanted features or code. It’s a normal part of refining your product and helps you focus on what really matters.

How To Deal With Ambiguity As A TPM

Building Rome(s) • 20 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
💼 Business Product Development
  1. Starting with a clear goal helps the team stay focused and find the right path, even when things get confusing.
  2. Breaking down problems into smaller parts makes them easier to handle and allows the team to address challenges step by step.
  3. It's important to keep moving forward, even when the answers aren't clear. Trusting your gut and adapting quickly can lead to progress.

Building Codiga: Getting Started

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 12 Aug 23
💼 Business 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.

BYD approach toward Global South market

TP’s Substack • 22 implied HN points • 21 Dec 24
💼 Business Product Development
  1. Cars in Global South countries tend to be smaller and more fuel-efficient compared to those in the United States. This is important for companies like BYD to consider when entering these markets.
  2. BYD's current models may be too large for many consumers in the Global South, where smaller vehicles are preferred. They need to develop smaller cars and hybrids to better fit local preferences.
  3. The charging infrastructure in these regions is lagging behind, meaning that practical and affordable vehicles are crucial. BYD should focus on making adaptations for local markets to increase sales.

Understanding Isn't Enough

Sarah's Newsletter • 59 implied HN points • 08 Feb 22
🕹 Technology Product Development
  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.

AI-First in 2025: Hype, Reality, and Your Next Move

Rémi Ounadjela • 6 implied HN points • 06 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Product Development
  1. AI can be useful in many areas of a company, but it's important to choose the right tools carefully. Think about the problems you want to solve first.
  2. There are different levels of AI tools, ranging from basic productivity helpers to complex systems that can perform tasks on their own. Each level comes with its own benefits and risks.
  3. As you use more advanced AI tools, remember that higher risks come with higher rewards. Make sure to set up good guardrails and track how well things are working.

4 reasons why PMs and UXR should understand business strategy

Askwhy: UX Research, Product Management, Design & Careers • 50 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
💼 Business Product Development
  1. Understanding business strategy helps drive alignment and focus, ensuring products contribute to company goals and avoiding feature creep.
  2. Knowing consumer trends, markets, and competitive landscape aids in developing relevant products and making informed decisions to stay competitive.
  3. Engaging with business strategy leads to better decision-making through frameworks like second-order thinking and inversion, fostering alignment within the organization.

Becoming a sales-engineer

Leading Developers • 49 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
💼 Business Product Development
  1. Acquiring new skills through new challenges can be exciting and lead to unexpected career paths.
  2. Transitioning from a technical role to sales doesn't mean losing technical skills - understanding the product deeply remains crucial.
  3. Sales engineering roles offer variety, immediate value, and potential for lucrative rewards, but require strong communication and collaboration skills.

a good MVP is a scrappy MVP

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 02 Jul 23
💼 Business Product Development
  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.

Five Years of Bootstrapping: Reflections on Building Interview Query

Jay's Data Stream • 17 implied HN points • 20 Jan 25
💼 Business Product Development
  1. Starting a business can be challenging, filled with unexpected highs and lows. Success often takes longer than you think, requiring persistence and adaptability.
  2. Managing a startup is a balance between chasing growth and ensuring stability. It's important to reflect on your goals and adjust them as your situation changes.
  3. Finding joy in your work matters. Detaching personal happiness from business outcomes can help maintain motivation and clarity as you grow your company.

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

CAUSL Effect • 19 implied HN points • 01 Jun 23
💼 Business Product Development
  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 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.

What does it mean to be "Enterprise Ready"

Brick by Brick • 18 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
💼 Business Product Development
  1. Startups need to adapt their processes to meet strict enterprise requirements, especially in compliance and security. This means being ready for audits and ensuring data protection.
  2. Creating a product that fits into the enterprise ecosystem is key. This includes having integrations, customization options, and strong reporting tools that enterprises expect.
  3. When selling to enterprises, startups must change their approach, focusing on value rather than just features. They should also prepare for complex pricing and long contracting processes.

Bonus post - Noisy Monitors

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 07 Feb 22
🕹 Technology Product Development
  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.

What to do when your value metric becomes obsolete

Good Better Best • 4 implied HN points • 15 Aug 25
💼 Business Product Development
  1. When your pricing model becomes outdated, like moving off server counts, you need to find a new way that makes sense for your customers. This could mean switching to something like project-based pricing.
  2. It's important to simplify your pricing to make it easy for customers to understand and buy. Complicated pricing can lead to frustration and lost sales.
  3. As technology, especially AI, evolves, companies must regularly check if their pricing still reflects the value they provide. Adapting early can help businesses stay ahead.

Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4

Fish Food for Thought • 17 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
💼 Business Product Development
  1. It's important to focus on outcomes, not just outputs. Companies should ask themselves if their efforts really make a difference for customers.
  2. Measuring success by outputs can lead to short-term wins but might miss real problems. Companies should aim for quality and value instead of just quantity.
  3. Shifting to an outcome-driven approach means redefining success metrics. Businesses should prioritize customer satisfaction and engagement over just the number of tasks completed.

AI in Action

Tippets by Taps • 6 implied HN points • 12 Jun 25
💼 Business Product Development
  1. AI tools like Claude and Cursor are really helping with coding tasks, but sales AI tools still have a long way to go. Many founders are using AI to save time and improve accuracy in their work.
  2. Custom GPTs are a favorite among founders because they solve specific problems quickly. People are moving away from traditional CRMs to more AI-native options that offer deeper insights.
  3. While AI is making strides in development, many sales tools are still underwhelming. Founders are frustrated that they have to customize solutions instead of relying on existing AI products to meet their needs.