“The Lean Product Playbook” by Dan Olsen is a guidebook for product managers and entrepreneurs on how to build successful products using the Lean methodology. The book is divided into three sections: “Product Vision,” “Product Strategy,” and “Product Delivery.” It covers topics such as creating a product vision, validating product-market fit, and building a product roadmap.

The book emphasizes the importance of customer research and testing to validate product ideas, and provides a step-by-step process for conducting these activities. It also covers key concepts such as the Lean Startup, Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop.

The 10 most important recommandations

Here are ten of the most important recommendations with examples from the book that could be useful for product people:

1. Start by defining a clear product vision that is aligned with the company’s overall mission and strategy. This helps to ensure that the product is aligned with the company’s overall goals and strategy and that everyone is working towards the same objectives.
2. Conduct customer research and testing to validate product ideas and understand customer needs. This helps to ensure that the product is solving a real problem for customers, and that it is something that they are willing to pay for.
3. Use the MVP approach to quickly test and iterate on product ideas. This helps to reduce the risk of developing a product that is not viable and to validate the assumptions of the product.
4. Continuously gather feedback from customers and use it to improve the product. This helps to ensure that the product is meeting the needs of the customers and that it is continuously improving.
5. Use data and metrics to make informed decisions about the product. This helps to ensure that the product is on track and that it is meeting the goals that were set out.
6. Use the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop to continuously improve the product and drive growth. This helps to ensure that the product is continuously improving and that it is aligned with customer needs.
7. Understand and implement the Lean Startup methodology to build a product that is validated by customer needs and that can scale. This helps to reduce the risk of failure and to optimize the chances of success.
8. Understand and use the right metrics to track the progress and the performance of the product. This helps to ensure that the product is on track and that it is meeting the goals that were set out.
9. Use a product roadmap to plan and execute the product development. This helps to ensure that the product is aligned with the company’s overall goals and strategy and that everyone is working towards the same objectives.
10. Use the principles of the Lean Product Playbook throughout the product development process, to build a product that is validated by customer needs and that can scale.

Overall, “The Lean Product Playbook” provides a comprehensive framework for product managers and entrepreneurs to build successful products. It emphasizes the importance of customer research and testing, and provides a step-by-step process for conducting these activities and recommends key concepts such as the Lean Startup, Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop.

MVP

According to “The Lean Product Playbook” by Dan Olsen, an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is a version of a product that has just enough features to satisfy early customers and provide feedback for future product development. The MVP allows product teams to validate key assumptions and test the product-market fit before investing significant resources in building a full-featured product. It’s important for product teams to understand that an MVP is not a “bare bones” version of the final product, but rather a product that has the key features necessary for early customers to engage with and provide feedback on. This helps to minimize risk and ensure that the product is heading in the right direction before committing to a full buildout.

Acquisition funnel

In “The Lean Product Playbook,” Dan Olsen describes the acquisition funnel as a way to understand the different stages that a user goes through in order to become a customer. The funnel is typically divided into four stages: awareness, consideration, conversion and retention. In the awareness stage, the user is first exposed to the product or service. In the consideration stage, the user starts to evaluate the product or service and determine whether it meets their needs. In the conversion stage, the user becomes a customer. And in the retention stage, the customer continues to use the product or service and potentially becomes a repeat customer. Throughout the funnel, the goal is to move users through each stage as efficiently and effectively as possible, so that more users convert into customers and become loyal users.

Dan Olsen

Dan Olsen is an author, entrepreneur, and product management advisor. He is the author of the book “The Lean Product Playbook: How to Innovate with Minimum Viable Products and Rapid Customer Feedback”, which offers guidance on creating successful digital products using the lean methodology. He also runs a consulting practice where he helps startups and larger companies develop their product management capabilities. Dan has worked with a variety of companies, from early-stage startups to large enterprises like Google, Intuit, and Salesforce. He also teaches product management at the University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford Continuing Studies.

“The DevOps Handbook” by Gene Kim is a comprehensive guide on how to implement the DevOps methodology in your organization. The book covers the key principles and practices of DevOps and provides examples of how companies have successfully implemented it to improve their software development and delivery processes. The book is divided into three parts: the first part covers the principles of DevOps, the second part covers the technical practices and the third part covers the cultural practices.

The book highlights the importance of collaboration between development and operations teams, and how it leads to faster delivery of software, higher quality, and improved communication. The book also covers the importance of using metrics and data to measure performance, and how to use them to drive continuous improvement.

“The DevOps Handbook” also covers best practices for implementing DevOps, such as building cross-functional teams, implementing continuous integration and delivery, and automating the infrastructure. The book also covers how to lead cultural change within an organization, and how to overcome the obstacles that can prevent the successful implementation of DevOps.

Overall, the book provides practical advice on how to implement DevOps in your organization, and provides real-world examples of how it has been done successfully in other companies. The book is a valuable resource for product managers, development teams, and operations teams looking to improve their software development and delivery processes.

The 12 most important recommandations

1. Collaboration between development and operations teams, which leads to faster delivery of software, higher quality, and improved communication
2. Using metrics and data to measure performance, and how to use them to drive continuous improvement.
3. Building cross-functional teams, which allows for better communication, coordination, and collaboration between teams
4. Implementing continuous integration and delivery, which allows for faster and more frequent releases of software
5. Automating the infrastructure, which allows for faster and more reliable deployment of software
6. Implementing feedback loops, which allows for continuous improvement and learning
7. Adopting a culture of experimentation and learning, which allows for continuous improvement and innovation
8. Implementing security as code, which allows for more secure and compliant software
9. Implementing a blameless culture, which allows for continuous improvement and learning
10. Implementing a culture of learning and continuous improvement, which allows for continuous improvement and learning
11. Implementing a culture of shared ownership and responsibility, which allows for continuous improvement and learning
12. Implementing a culture of experimentation and innovation, which allows for continuous improvement and learning

Three ways

In “The DevOps Handbook”, Gene Kim outlines three ways to understand and implement DevOps within an organization. These ways include:

1. The First Way: Focuses on the flow of work from development to operations and how to optimize the flow to increase the speed and stability of software delivery. An example of this would be implementing continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) practices, which allow for faster and more frequent releases of software.
2. The Second Way: Focuses on the creation of feedback loops to ensure continuous learning and improvement. An example of this would be implementing a blameless culture, which allows teams to identify and correct issues without placing blame on individuals.
3. The Third Way: Focuses on creating a culture of continuous experimentation and learning throughout the organization. An example of this would be encouraging teams to experiment with new technologies and processes in order to continuously improve and innovate.

By understanding and implementing these three ways, organizations can improve their software development and delivery processes, increase speed and stability, and foster a culture of continuous improvement and learning.

Gene Kim

Gene Kim is a technology leader, researcher, and author. He is best known for his work in the field of IT operations and DevOps. He is the co-author of several books including “The Phoenix Project: A Novel About IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win”, “The DevOps Handbook: How to Create World-Class Agility, Reliability, and Security in Technology Organizations” and “The Unicorn Project: A Novel About Developers, Digital Disruption, and Thriving in the Age of Data”. He is also a co-founder of IT Revolution, a company that helps organizations implement DevOps and other IT best practices. He has been recognized as one of the most influential people in IT and has received multiple awards for his contributions to the field of IT operations and DevOps.

“Measure What Matters” is a book written by John Doerr, a venture capitalist and partner at the firm Kleiner Perkins. The book is a guide to using OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) as a framework for setting goals and measuring progress.

The book starts with the story of how Intel’s Andy Grove used OKRs to turn the company around in the 1970s and 1980s. The book then goes on to explain how OKRs can be used to set clear and measurable objectives and track progress towards achieving them. It covers how to set goals at different levels of an organization, from individual to company-wide, and how to use data to measure progress and make adjustments as needed.

The book also covers how to implement OKRs effectively, including how to communicate them to the team, how to align them with company strategy, and how to avoid common pitfalls. It also provides case studies of companies that have successfully implemented OKRs, such as Google, Intuit and Bonobos.

One of the key takeaways from the book is that OKRs help companies to focus on the most important things and make sure they are making progress towards achieving their goals. It is a tool that can be used by any organization, regardless of size or industry, to increase accountability, drive performance, and achieve breakthrough results.

The 10 most important recommandations

1. Setting clear and measurable objectives: The book emphasizes the importance of setting clear and measurable objectives using the OKRs framework. This allows product people to align their goals with the overall company strategy and track progress towards achieving them.
2. Aligning objectives across the organization: The book stresses the importance of aligning objectives across the organization, from individual to company-wide, to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals.
3. Using data to track progress: The book recommends using data to track progress and make adjustments as needed. This allows product people to see where they are making progress and where they need to focus their efforts.
4. Communicating objectives to the team: The book suggests that product people should effectively communicate objectives to the team, to ensure that everyone understands their role and how their work fits into the overall goals of the organization.
5. Establishing a culture of accountability: The book emphasizes the importance of establishing a culture of accountability, so that everyone is held responsible for achieving their objectives.
6. Focusing on the most important things: The book advises product people to focus on the most important things, rather than trying to achieve too many objectives at once.
7. Avoiding common pitfalls: The book highlights common pitfalls that organizations face when implementing OKRs, such as setting unrealistic goals, and provides advice on how to avoid them.
8. Setting stretch goals: The book encourages product people to set stretch goals, which can inspire creativity and drive breakthrough results.
9. Adapting to changing circumstances: The book stresses the importance of being flexible and adaptable, and adjusting objectives as circumstances change.
10. Learning from successes and failures: The book encourages product people to learn from both their successes and failures, and to use that learning to improve in the future.

OKR

According to John Doerr, OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. It is a framework for setting goals and measuring progress. It is a simple, yet powerful tool that allows organizations to align their objectives with the overall company strategy and track progress towards achieving them. OKRs consist of an objective, which is a specific, measurable and time-bound goal, and key results, which are specific and measurable outcomes that will indicate whether the objective has been achieved. OKRs are used at all levels of an organization, from individual to company-wide, to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals. They provide a clear focus and sense of direction, increase accountability and drive performance and achieving breakthrough results.

An example of OKR is as follows: Objective: Increase sales revenue by 20% in the next quarter Key Results:

• Achieve a 15% increase in online sales
• Increase the number of sales leads generated by 30%
• Launch 3 new products in the next quarter
• Increase the average order value by 10%

This objective is specific, measurable and time-bound, it targets increasing the sales revenue by 20% in the next quarter. The key results are also specific and measurable, they indicate the ways that the objective will be achieved, such as achieving a 15% increase in online sales, increasing the number of sales leads generated by 30%, launching 3 new products and increasing the average order value by 10%. This OKR would be set for the sales team, but it would be aligned with the overall company strategy and progress towards achieving the OKR would be tracked regularly.

John Doerr

John Doerr is an American venture capitalist, philanthropist and author. He is a partner at the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, and has been a significant investor in technology companies such as Google, Amazon, and Twitter. He is known for his expertise in venture capital and his book “Measure What Matters” which focused on the OKR framework (Objectives and Key Results) which he has been promoting for over 20 years and it’s widely used in Silicon Valley startups and large companies alike. He has been a significant philanthropist, having donated millions of dollars to organizations such as the Environmental Defense Fund, New Schools Venture Fund, and the ClimateWorks Foundation. He also is a board member of the nonprofit education company Khan Academy and the human rights organization Amnesty International.

“The Toyota Way” is a book written by Jeffrey K. Liker which provides an in-depth look at the management principles and practices that have made Toyota one of the most successful and efficient companies in the world. The book focuses on the 14 management principles that make up the “Toyota Way,” which includes concepts such as continuous improvement, respect for people, and long-term thinking. The book also explains how these principles have been put into practice at Toyota and how they have helped the company achieve its remarkable success. The book explains how the company’s focus on quality, efficiency, and continuous improvement has helped it to create a culture of excellence and how this culture has been key to the company’s success. The book also provides insights into how other companies can adopt these principles to improve their own operations and achieve similar success.

The 14 most important recommandations

“The Toyota Way” by Jeffrey K. Liker is a book that provides an in-depth look at the management principles and practices that have made Toyota one of the most successful and efficient companies in the world. The book focuses on the 14 management principles that make up the “Toyota Way,” which includes concepts such as continuous improvement, respect for people, and long-term thinking. Here are the 14 most important recommendations from the book that could be useful to product people:

1. Continuously improve your processes: Toyota’s continuous improvement culture is key to its success, and product people can use this concept to continuously improve their own processes, leading to better products and increased efficiency.
2. Empower your team: Toyota’s “respect for people” principle means giving employees the autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of their work. This empowers product teams to work more efficiently and effectively.
3. Focus on customer value: Toyota’s customer-centric approach means that all decisions are made with the customer in mind. Product people should keep this in mind when developing new products and features, to ensure they are meeting customer needs.
4. Use a systematic approach: Toyota’s use of the scientific method and data-driven approach allows them to make informed decisions and solve problems effectively. Product people should use a similar approach to make decisions and solve problems.
5. Create a long-term vision: Toyota’s long-term thinking allows them to plan for the future and make strategic decisions. Product people should also think long-term and create a vision for their product.
6. Build a continuous improvement culture: Toyota’s culture of continuous improvement, which encourages employee participation and learning from mistakes, leads to better products and increased efficiency. Product people should also strive to build a similar culture.
7. Use a pull system: Toyota’s pull system, which is based on customer demand, allows them to respond quickly to changes in demand and avoid overproduction. Product people should use a similar system to manage product development.
8. Use Standardized work: Toyota’s use of standardized work, which includes clear procedures and training, allows them to maintain consistent quality and improve efficiency. Product people should use similar techniques to maintain consistency and improve efficiency.
9. Use visual controls: Toyota’s use of visual controls, such as Kanban boards, makes it easy to identify problems and make improvements. Product people should use similar techniques to monitor progress and identify problems.
10. Develop leaders who live the philosophy: Toyota’s leadership development program focuses on teaching leaders the Toyota Way and how to lead by example. Product people should also develop leaders who live the philosophy and lead by example.
11. Respect your extended network of partners and suppliers: Toyota’s strong relationships with suppliers and partners are key to their success. Product people should also establish strong relationships with partners and suppliers.
12. Go and see for yourself: Toyota’s practice of “genchi genbutsu” encourages leaders to go to the source of a problem to understand it fully. Product people should also practice “genchi genbutsu” to better understand customer needs and problems.
13. Make decisions slowly by consensus, thoroughly considering all options; implement rapidly: Toyota’s approach to decision-making emphasizes thorough consideration of all options and reaching a consensus before making a decision. However, once a decision is made, it is implemented quickly. Product people should also adopt this approach to decision-making to ensure that the best decision is made and implemented efficiently.
14. Build a culture of stopping to fix problems, to get quality right the first time: Toyota’s culture of continuous improvement means that they stop production and fix problems as soon as they are identified. This is done to ensure quality and prevent future problems. Product people should also strive to build a culture of stopping to fix problems and getting quality right the first time to ensure that the best possible products are delivered to the customer.

Jeffrey K. Liker

Jeffrey K. Liker is an American engineer and author, he is known as one of the leading experts on the Toyota Production System and the author of “The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World’s Greatest Manufacturer” which is considered as one of the most important books on the subject of lean manufacturing and the management practices of Toyota. He has also written several other books and articles on the subject. He is a professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan and a consultant on the implementation of the Toyota Production System and Lean manufacturing.

“User Story Mapping” is a book written by Jeff Patton that provides a guide for creating user stories, which are short descriptions of a feature or function from the perspective of an end user. The book emphasizes that user story mapping is a powerful tool for organizing and prioritizing user stories, and for understanding the customer’s needs and pain points.

The book explains how to create user story maps, which are visual diagrams that show the relationships between user stories, and how they fit into the overall product. It also provides strategies and techniques for involving stakeholders, such as customers, developers, and designers, in the process of creating user stories.

The book suggests that creating user story maps can help product teams to:

• Understand the big picture of the product and how user stories fit into it.
• Identify the most important user stories to work on first.
• Prioritize user stories based on their value to the customer.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders about the product.

The book also provides examples and case studies to illustrate the concepts and techniques discussed. Overall, “User Story Mapping” is a useful guide for product managers, developers and designers who want to create user stories in a more effective way and deliver products that meet the customer’s needs and pain points.

The ten most important recommandations

The book emphasizes that user story mapping is a powerful tool for organizing and prioritizing user stories, and for understanding the customer’s needs and pain points. Here are the ten most important recommendations made in the book that could be useful to product people:

1. Create user story maps: This visual diagram helps product teams to understand the big picture of the product and how user stories fit into it.
2. Identify the most important user stories to work on first: User story mapping helps to prioritize user stories based on their value to the customer.
3. Prioritize user stories based on their value to the customer: This helps to ensure that the product team is working on the most important features for the customer.
4. Communicate effectively with stakeholders about the product: User story mapping helps to ensure that all stakeholders, including customers, developers, and designers, are on the same page about the product.
5. Understand the customer’s needs and pain points: User story mapping helps to understand the customer’s needs and pain points, which is essential for creating a product that meets their needs.
6. Involve stakeholders in the process of creating user stories: This helps to ensure that all stakeholders have a say in the product development process.
7. Create user stories that are independent, negotiable, and valuable: This helps to ensure that user stories are focused on the customer’s needs and pain points.
8. Create user stories that are small and testable: This helps to ensure that user stories are easy to understand and implement.
9. Use examples and case studies to illustrate the concepts and techniques discussed: This helps to make the concepts and techniques discussed in the book more concrete and actionable.
10. Create a backlog of user stories: This helps to ensure that the product team has a clear list of user stories to work on, and that they are always working on the most important user stories.

User Story Map

According to Jeff Patton, a user story map is a visual representation of the user stories that make up a product. The map shows the relationships between user stories and how they fit into the overall product. It is a tool that helps product teams to understand the big picture of the product and how the user stories fit into it, as well as identify the most important user stories to work on first. It’s a way to organize and prioritize user stories, and also to understand the customer’s needs and pain points. This helps product teams to ensure that they are working on the most important features for the customer, and that the product meets the customer’s needs. The User Story map is a tool that helps product teams to collaborate and communicate effectively with stakeholders about the product, to understand the customer’s needs and pain points, and to prioritize user stories based on their value to the customer.

Jeff Patton

Jeff Patton is an experienced product manager, designer, and agile coach. He is known for his work in the field of user story mapping and product management. He is the author of the book “User Story Mapping: Discover the Whole Story, Build the Right Product” which is considered a reference in the industry. He has worked on a variety of products for startups and large organizations and is a frequent speaker on topics related to user-centered design, product management, and agile development. He also runs an Agile and product development consultancy, he helps organizations to design and deliver digital products that customers love. He is also a mentor and advisor to startups, coaching them on how to design and deliver digital products that customers love.

“The Mom Test” is a book written by Rob Fitzpatrick that focuses on the importance of customer research in product development. The book argues that traditional forms of customer research such as surveys and interviews are often unreliable because they rely on customers’ self-reported feelings and plans, which are often inaccurate. The book instead suggests a new method of customer research based on observing customers’ behavior, which is more accurate and actionable.

The book’s main idea is that entrepreneurs should focus on the specific and measurable things that customers do, and avoid asking them about their opinions, plans, or feelings, as they tend to give vague, hypothetical, or aspirational answers that are not actionable. This approach allows entrepreneurs to gain a better understanding of the customer’s needs and pain points, and to validate the solution they are building.

The book also provides various strategies and techniques to implement this approach, such as creating a customer-focused language, avoiding vanity metrics, and focusing on customer success stories.

Overall, “The Mom Test” is a practical guide for entrepreneurs, product managers, and anyone else looking to build a successful product, it provides a clear method for understanding customer needs and validating product ideas, using real-world examples, and actionable advice that can be applied immediately.

The ten most important recommandations

Here are the ten most important recommendations made in the book that could be useful for product people:

1. Focus on specific, measurable customer behavior instead of opinions and plans: This allows product people to gain a better understanding of the customer’s needs and pain points, and to validate the solution they are building.
2. Avoid vanity metrics: These metrics, such as website traffic, don’t provide valuable information about customer behavior.
3. Ask open-ended questions: This allows product people to get a better understanding of the customer’s pain points, and to understand their behavior.
4. Use customer-focused language: This allows product people to understand the customer’s problem better.
5. Focus on customer success stories: This allows product people to understand what worked for the customer and what didn’t.
6. Avoid hypothetical questions: These questions don’t provide valuable information about customer behavior.
7. Test assumptions: This allows product people to validate their assumptions about the customer’s needs and pain points.
8. Avoid asking about the future: These questions don’t provide valuable information about customer behavior.
9. Use data to make decisions: This allows product people to make better-informed decisions.
10. Create a culture of continuous discovery: This allows product people to continuously gather customer feedback, analyze data, and identify new opportunities for growth and innovation.

By following these recommendations, product people can conduct more effective customer research and gain a better understanding of the customer’s needs and pain points, which will help them build more successful products.

Rob Fitzpatrick

Rob Fitzpatrick is an entrepreneur, author, and speaker. He is best known as the author of “The Mom Test”, a book that focuses on the importance of customer research in product development, and provides a guide for conducting customer research in a more effective way. He is also the founder of The Mom Test, a product consulting firm that helps startups and established companies build better products by focusing on customer research. Prior to that, he worked as a product manager and designer at several startups, and he has been an advisor and mentor to many startups. He is also an active speaker and blogger on the topics of product development and customer research.

“Start with Why” is a book written by Simon Sinek which explores the concept of why some individuals and organizations are able to inspire while others are not. The book argues that the most successful leaders and organizations start with a clear sense of purpose or “why” they do what they do, and that this is the key to inspiring others. Sinek suggests that by understanding and communicating the “why” behind what we do, we can inspire others to join us in our mission. The book provides practical examples from companies such as Apple, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Wright Brothers to illustrate the power of starting with why. The author also explores the biology of decision-making and how the “why” is the most important part of the decision-making process for individuals and organizations. The book is intended for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone looking to inspire others and drive change. The author’s main argument is that people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.

The 10 most important recommandations

“Start with Why” by Simon Sinek is a book that explores the concept of inspiring leadership and how it can be applied to product development. The book provides several recommendations that can be useful for product people. Here are the ten most important recommendations from the book and why they are important for product people:

1. “Start with why” Product people should start by understanding and communicating the “why” behind their product, which is the purpose or the belief that inspires them to create it. This will help them to inspire others to join them in their mission and to create a product that truly resonates with customers.
2. “Find your golden circle” Product people should define their why, how and what, in order to understand their own beliefs and how they align with their product.
3. “Create a clear vision” Product people should create a clear and inspiring vision for their product, which outlines its purpose and what it aims to achieve.
4. “Focus on the customer” Product people should always keep the customer in mind when developing their product and consider what their customers truly need and want.
5. “Inspire Action” Product people should inspire their team and customers to take action by communicating the purpose and vision of their product in a clear and compelling way.
6. “Communicate with Clarity” Product people should be able to clearly communicate their product’s message and purpose, in order to resonate with customers and inspire them to take action.
7. “Lead by example” Product people should lead by example and be true to their product’s purpose and vision, in order to build trust and credibility with their team and customers.
8. “Challenge the status quo” Product people should be open-minded and willing to challenge the status quo in order to come up with new and innovative ideas for their product.
9. “Create a sense of belonging” Product people should create a sense of belonging around their product by building a community of customers and team members who share the same values and beliefs.
10. “Focus on the long-term” Product people should focus on the long-term success of their product and be patient when it comes to achieving their goals, rather than being driven solely by short-term success.

These recommendations are important for product people because they provide a framework for creating an inspiring and successful product, by focusing on the purpose and belief behind it, engaging customers and team members, and making sure that the product aligns with the company’s values and mission.

The Golden Circle

The Golden Circle is a concept developed by Simon Sinek in his book “Start With Why.” It is a framework for understanding how organizations can inspire others by communicating the purpose, cause or belief that drives them. The Golden Circle is made up of three parts: Why, How, and What.

1. Why: The “Why” represents the purpose, cause or belief that an organization exists. It’s the reason why an organization does what it does.
2. How: The “How” represents the unique approach or strategy that an organization uses to achieve its “Why.”
3. What: The “What” represents the products or services that an organization offers.

According to Sinek, the most successful organizations, leaders and movements communicate from the inside out, starting with their “Why” and then moving to “How” and “What.” This approach helps to inspire others by communicating the purpose and belief that drives the organization and aligns people to work together towards a common goal.

Here is an example for each of the three points of the Golden Circle:

1. Why: For example, the “Why” for a company like Patagonia could be to “use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”
2. How: Patagonia’s “How” could be that they produce outdoor clothing and gear made from sustainable materials, and they also invest in environmental causes and activism to help preserve the planet for future generations.
3. What: The “What” for Patagonia would be the outdoor clothing and gear products they sell such as jackets, backpacks, and pants.

Another example:

1. Why: For example, the “Why” for a non-profit organization like “Doctors without Borders” could be “to provide medical aid where it is needed most”.
2. How: “Doctors without Borders” “How” could be that they dispatch medical teams to crisis zones and provide medical care to those in need, regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation.
3. What: The “What” for “Doctors without Borders” would be the medical aid that they provide such as emergency surgeries, vaccinations, and disease treatment.

The Golden Circle can help organizations to communicate their message in a way that resonates with others, by showing them not just what they do, but why they do it.

Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek is a British-American author, motivational speaker, and organizational consultant. He is best known for his TED talk on “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” which has been viewed over 50 million times, and for his book “Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action”. He is a popular speaker on the topics of leadership, management, and organizational culture, and has worked with organizations of all sizes including, Microsoft, NASA, and the United States Army. He is also the founder of the “Start With Why” movement, which encourages individuals and organizations to focus on their purpose and values in order to inspire others and drive change.

The book “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries provides a framework for building and scaling startups in a fast and efficient way. The book emphasizes the importance of using validated learning and scientific experimentation to build products that customers actually want. The author’s approach is based on the “lean startup” method, which emphasizes rapid prototyping, customer feedback, and data-driven decision making. The book provides practical advice and tools for entrepreneurs and startups to help them build successful and sustainable businesses. The author argues that traditional top-down, bureaucratic approaches to business are no longer effective in today’s fast-paced, highly-competitive environment. Instead, startups must be able to iterate and adapt quickly in order to survive and grow. The book is aimed at entrepreneurs, startup founders, and anyone interested in the process of building and scaling a successful business.

The 10 most important recommandations

“The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries is a guide for entrepreneurs and product people looking to build and scale successful startups. The book provides a wide range of recommendations, but ten of the most important ones for product people include:

1. “Validated learning over assumptions.” Validated learning is a key principle of the lean startup method, it allows product people to validate their hypotheses about the product and the market, and make data-driven decisions.
2. “Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop.” This feedback loop is a key tool for implementing validated learning, it allows product people to build a minimum viable product, measure its performance and learn from the results to iterate and improve the product.
3. “Minimum Viable Product (MVP)”. Building MVP is an important strategy for product people, it allows them to test their product with customers early on and make sure they are building something that customers actually want.
4. “Customer development” This process involves talking to potential customers to understand their needs, pain points and gather feedback. This is essential for product people to be able to build a product that solves the customer’s problem.
5. “Pivot or Persevere” Pivoting or persevere are important decisions that product people need to make based on the feedback and data they have gathered, this allows them to adapt their product or strategy to changing market conditions.
6. “Innovative Accounting” This concept is about creating ways to measure and track progress in a startup, it is important for product people to use metrics that are specific to the startup and its goals, rather than traditional metrics that may not be relevant.
7. “Small batches” This concept is about building and releasing small batches of the product, rather than large batches, this allows product people to get feedback from customers more quickly and make adjustments as needed.
8. “The Five Whys” This is a tool for problem-solving, it helps product people to understand the root cause of a problem by asking “why” five times. This is important for product people to identify the real problem they are trying to solve.
9. “Continuous deployment” This is a process of releasing new features and updates to the product on a regular basis, this allows product people to get feedback from customers quickly and make adjustments as needed.
10. “Culture of experimentation” This is about creating a culture within the startup that encourages experimentation and risk-taking, this is important for product people because it allows them to try new things and iterate quickly.

These ten recommendations are important for product people because they provide a framework for building and scaling startups in a fast and efficient way. By using validated learning, building MVPs, conducting customer development, making strategic pivot or persevere decisions, using innovative accounting, working in small batches, solving problems with the Five Whys, implementing continuous deployment, and fostering a culture of experimentation, product people can improve their chances of building a successful and sustainable product and business. By implementing these recommendations, product people can improve their chances of building a successful and sustainable product and business, by using a data-driven approach, gathering feedback from customers, testing their ideas and strategies, and adapting to changing market conditions. The book “The Lean Startup” provides a comprehensive guide for product people on how to build and scale successful startups.

Eric Ries

Eric Ries is an American entrepreneur, author and speaker. He is best known for his book “The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses” where he introduced the concept of the Lean Startup methodology. He is a frequent speaker on the topic of innovation, entrepreneurship, and business strategy, and has worked with startups and large companies to implement the Lean Startup methodology. He has also been a guest lecturer at Harvard Business School, the Kellogg School of Management, and the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is also the founder and CEO of the Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE), a public market designed to align the interests of companies and long-term investors. Eric Ries is a recognized figure in the startup world and his book and methodology have been widely adopted by entrepreneurs, startups and large companies around the world.

“Continuous Discovery Habits” by Teresa Torres is a guide for companies and teams looking to improve their product development process by incorporating continuous discovery practices. The book aims to help organizations build a culture of continuous learning and experimentation, and provides practical advice for implementing and scaling these practices. The book covers a wide range of topics including customer research, product experimentation, and data analysis. The author emphasizes the importance of continuous discovery in today’s fast-paced business environment, and provides real-world examples and case studies to illustrate her points. She also provides a step-by-step guide to implementing these practices and provides tools and templates to help teams get started. The book is aimed at product managers, product marketers, and other product development professionals who want to improve their product development process and achieve better outcomes.

The ten most important recommandations

“Continuous Discovery Habits” by Teresa Torres is a guide for product teams looking to improve their product development process by incorporating continuous discovery practices. The book offers a wide range of recommendations, but ten of the most important ones for product people include:

1. “Empower your team to conduct customer research.” This is important because it allows the team to gain a deep understanding of customer needs and pain points, which is crucial for building a successful product.
2. “Prioritize experimentation over assumptions.” Experimentation allows teams to validate their hypotheses and make data-driven decisions, rather than relying on assumptions, which can lead to product failures.
3. “Use data to inform product decisions.” Data is key to understanding customer needs, usage patterns, and product performance, and is vital for making informed decisions about the product.
4. “Culture of learning and continuous improvement.” A culture of continuous learning and improvement is essential for staying competitive and adapting to new market conditions.
5. “Regularly conduct user interviews.” Regular user interviews are important for keeping a pulse on customer needs and feedback, which is essential for continuous improvement of the product.
6. “Practice continuous discovery in all stages of product development.” Incorporating continuous discovery practices in all stages of product development, from ideation to launch, is essential for ensuring that the product meets customer needs.
7. “Define and measure success metrics.” Defining and measuring success metrics helps teams to understand if they are making progress towards their goals and make adjustments as needed.
8. “Communicate effectively with cross-functional teams.” Clear and effective communication is key to successful collaboration and alignment across teams.
9. “Be open to change and pivot when needed.” Being open to change and the ability to pivot when needed is essential for adapting to new market conditions and customer needs.
10. “Encourage and reward a culture of experimentation.” Encouraging and rewarding experimentation helps to create a culture of continuous learning and improvement, which is essential for product success.

These ten recommendations are important for product people because they provide a framework for incorporating continuous discovery practices into the product development process. By empowering teams to conduct customer research, prioritizing experimentation, using data, fostering a culture of learning, conducting regular user interviews, practicing continuous discovery, defining and measuring success metrics, communicating effectively, being open to change and pivot when needed, and encouraging and rewarding experimentation, product teams can improve their product development process and achieve better outcomes.

The assumptions

In her book “Continuous Discovery Habits”, Teresa Torres emphasizes the importance of understanding and managing assumptions in product development. According to her, assumptions are beliefs about how the world works, and they are an integral part of product development because they guide the decisions that are made. However, assumptions can also be a source of risk and uncertainty, which is why it is important to identify and test them.

Here are a few of the key strategies that Teresa Torres recommends for managing assumptions:

1. Identify assumptions early: Torres suggests that product teams should identify their assumptions as early as possible, so that they can be tested and validated before too much time and resources are invested.
2. Test assumptions: Torres emphasizes the importance of testing assumptions, to ensure that they are accurate. She recommends using a variety of methods, such as customer interviews, surveys, and experiments, to gather data and validate assumptions.
3. Prioritize assumptions: According to Torres, not all assumptions are equal in terms of their potential impact on the product, so it is important to prioritize which assumptions to test first.
4. Use data to make decisions: Torres suggests that product teams should use data, not intuition, to make decisions about which assumptions to test, and how to test them.
5. Encourage a culture of continuous discovery: Torres recommends creating a culture of continuous discovery within the product team. This means regularly seeking out customer feedback, analyzing data, and identifying new opportunities for growth and innovation.

By following these strategies, product teams can identify and manage their assumptions more effectively, reducing risk and increasing the chances of success.

Teresa Torres

Teresa Torres is a product management consultant, author, and speaker. She has over 20 years of experience in product management and has worked with companies such as GE, Nokia, and Pivotal. She is the founder of the consultancy Product Talk, where she provides product management training and coaching. She is also the author of the book “Continuous Discovery Habits: A Framework for Building Products Customers Want” where she shares her experience and knowledge on how to implement and scale continuous discovery practices. She also hosts a popular podcast called “Product Discovery” where she interviews product leaders and shares her insights on product management. She is a regular speaker and commentator on topics related to product management and continuous discovery.

The “High Growth Handbook” by Elad Gil is a guide for startups and entrepreneurs looking to achieve high growth for their businesses. The book offers a wide range of strategies, tactics and insights based on the author’s experience as a founder, CEO and investor in high-growth companies. The book covers a variety of topics including product-market fit, team building, experimentation, leveraging unfair advantages, thinking big, data-driven decision making, customer focus, persistence, learning, and adaptability. It also includes case studies and examples from successful companies such as Google, Uber, Stripe and more. The book aims to provide a comprehensive guide for entrepreneurs and startup leaders on how to build and scale successful companies.

Ten more important recommandations

The “High Growth Handbook” by Elad Gil is a guide for product people looking to grow their businesses quickly and effectively. The book offers a wide range of recommendations, but ten of the most important ones for product people include:

1. “Focus on product-market fit first.” This is important because without a strong fit between the product and the market, it will be difficult to achieve the necessary level of growth.
2. “Build a strong team.” A strong team is essential for executing on the product vision and achieving high growth.
3. “Create a culture of experimentation.” Experimentation is key to discovering what works and what doesn’t, and is vital for achieving high growth.
4. “Find and leverage your unfair advantage.” An unfair advantage is something that sets a company apart from its competitors, and is essential for achieving high growth.
5. “Think big.” Thinking big is important for achieving high growth, as it forces companies to set ambitious goals and think about how to achieve them.
6. “Be data-driven.” Data is key to understanding what is working and what isn’t, and is vital for making informed decisions about how to achieve high growth.
7. “Be customer-centric.” Understanding and focusing on the needs of customers is essential for achieving high growth, as it helps to ensure that the product is meeting the needs of the market.
8. “Be persistent.” Persistence is key to achieving high growth, as it takes time and effort to build a successful product and business.
9. “Be open to learning.” Being open to learning is important for achieving high growth, as it allows companies to adapt to new information and changing market conditions.
10. “Be adaptable.” Adaptability is key to achieving high growth, as it allows companies to respond to new opportunities and challenges as they arise.

These ten recommendations are important for product people because they provide a roadmap for achieving high growth and building a successful product and business. By focusing on product-market fit, building a strong team, experimenting, leveraging unfair advantages, thinking big, being data-driven, customer-centric, persistent, open to learning and adaptable, product people can set themselves up for success.

The key roles to make a product

“High Growth Handbook” by Elad Gil describes several key roles that are necessary to make a product successful. These roles include:

1. Product Manager: The product manager is responsible for creating the product vision and strategy, defining the product roadmap, and ensuring that the product meets customer needs and achieves the company’s goals. Activities for this role include conducting market research, creating user personas, defining product requirements, and working closely with the engineering and design teams to bring the product to market.
2. Engineering: The engineering team is responsible for building and maintaining the product. Activities for this role include writing code, testing and debugging, and working closely with the product manager to ensure that the product is delivered on time and meets all requirements.
3. Design: The design team is responsible for creating the look and feel of the product, as well as ensuring that it is easy to use and understand. Activities for this role include creating wireframes and mockups, conducting usability testing, and working closely with the product manager and engineering team to ensure that the product is visually appealing and easy to use.
4. Marketing: The marketing team is responsible for promoting the product and generating demand. Activities for this role include creating marketing campaigns, developing messaging and positioning, and working closely with the product manager to ensure that the product is promoted effectively.
5. Sales: The sales team is responsible for selling the product and building relationships with customers. Activities for this role include identifying potential customers, reaching out to them, and closing deals.
6. Customer Success: The customer success team is responsible for ensuring that customers are happy and successful with the product. Activities for this role include providing customer support, onboarding new customers, and working closely with the product manager and engineering team to identify and address any issues that customers may have with the product.

These are some examples of activities that can be associated with each role. The actual activities would depend on the specific product, company, and industry.

The role of a product manager

According to the book “High Growth Handbook” by Elad Gil, the role of a product manager is to lead the development of a product from idea to launch. This includes defining the product vision, strategy, and roadmap, as well as working with cross-functional teams to bring the product to market. Some of the day-to-day activities of a product manager include:

• Researching customer needs and identifying market opportunities
• Defining the product vision and strategy
• Building and maintaining a product roadmap
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams such as design, engineering, sales, and marketing
• Conducting user research and testing to validate product ideas
• Analysing metrics to measure product success and make data-driven decisions
• Communicating the product vision and progress to stakeholders

Examples of activities that a Product Manager might do to achieve the above are:

• Conducting customer interviews to understand pain points and needs
• Developing a product vision statement and communicating it to the team
• Identifying key features to include in the product and prioritizing them based on customer feedback
• Collaborating with designers to create wireframes and mockups
• Working with engineers to build and test the product
• Analyzing metrics such as user engagement and retention to measure product success
• Communicating product updates and progress to stakeholders such as investors and the executive team

The role of a product designer

According to the book “High Growth Handbook” by Elad Gil, the role of a product designer is to design and create the user experience and interface of a product. Their day-to-day activities may include conducting user research and testing, creating wireframes and mockups, collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure the product meets the needs of the target user, and iterating on the design based on feedback.

An example of a day-to-day activity for a product designer could be conducting user interviews to gather feedback on a product’s current design, and using that feedback to create new wireframes for a redesign. Another example could be working with the engineering team to ensure the design is technically feasible and can be implemented within the product.

The role of a business analyst

According to the book “High Growth Handbook” by Elad Gil, the role of a business analyst is to help the company understand and make decisions about its market, customers, and competitors. They are responsible for conducting market research and analyzing data to identify trends and opportunities. This includes gathering and analyzing data on competitors, market size, customer needs and behavior, and industry trends.

Some day-to-day activities of a business analyst include:

• Conducting customer interviews and surveys
• Analyzing data from various sources such as web analytics and sales data
• Creating and maintaining a competitive landscape
• Identifying and analyzing market opportunities
• Creating and maintaining a customer journey map
• Working with cross-functional teams such as product and engineering to inform decision making

An example of a business analyst activity would be identifying a gap in the market through research, and then working with the product team to develop a new feature to fill that gap. Another example could be analyzing customer feedback to identify pain points in the user experience and then working with the design team to create a solution to address those pain points.

The role of Product Marketing Manager

According to the book “High Growth Handbook” by Elad Gil, the role of a product marketing manager is to help build the go-to-market strategy for the product. This includes understanding the target customer, positioning the product, and creating the messaging and content to effectively communicate the value of the product to the market.

Some day-to-day activities of a product marketing manager may include conducting market research, working with the product development team to understand the features and benefits of the product, creating and executing on a launch plan, and collaborating with the sales and customer success teams to ensure they have the tools and information they need to effectively sell the product.

Examples of activities that a product marketing manager may be responsible for include creating a target customer persona, developing a value proposition and positioning statement, creating product launch materials such as a press release and product fact sheet, and creating and delivering sales enablement materials such as case studies and product demos.

The role of Developers

According to the book “High Growth Handbook” by Elad Gil, the role of a developer is to implement and maintain the technical aspects of the product. Their day to day activities may include writing code, debugging, and testing new features. Examples of activities include:

• Collaborating with the product team to understand the requirements and technical constraints of new features
• Designing and implementing solutions to meet those requirements
• Participating in code reviews to ensure that the code is maintainable and scalable
• Troubleshooting and debugging issues that arise in the product
• Collaborating with the QA team to ensure that the product meets quality standards.

The key factors for growth

According to “High Growth Handbook” by Elad Gil, several key factors are necessary to make a company grow. These include:

1. Product-Market Fit: Having a product that meets the needs of a specific market and solves a real problem for customers is crucial to the growth of a company. This involves conducting market research, understanding customer needs, and iterating on the product to ensure that it meets those needs.
2. Scaling: In order to grow, a company must be able to scale its operations and processes to meet the demands of a growing customer base. This includes automating processes, building infrastructure, and hiring the right people to support growth.
3. Capital: In order to grow, a company often needs to raise capital to fund expansion and growth initiatives. This includes identifying and approaching the right investors, developing a compelling pitch and business plan, and negotiating terms.
4. Network and Partnerships: Building a strong network of advisors, partners, and customers can help a company to scale and grow. This includes identifying key influencers in the market and building relationships with them, as well as identifying potential partners and customers.
5. Strong Leadership: A company needs strong leadership to guide it through the growth process. This includes having a clear vision, the ability to make tough decisions, and the ability to inspire and lead a team.
6. Execution: Ultimately, a company’s ability to execute on its plans and strategy is key to growth. This includes setting clear goals, tracking progress, and making adjustments as needed to stay on track.

These are some examples of factors that can be associated with the growth of a company, but the actual factors would depend on the specific company, industry, and market.

Elad Gil

Elad Gil is a technology entrepreneur, angel investor and author. He is the founder of a number of companies and has held executive positions at several technology companies. He has also been an early-stage investor in companies such as Airbnb, Stripe, Instacart, and Square. He has also written a book called “High Growth Handbook: Scaling Startups from 10 to 10,000 People” where he shares his experience and insights on building and scaling successful high-growth companies. He is also a regular speaker and commentator on topics related to technology, startups and entrepreneurship.