Jock Busuttil's Blog: I Manage Products, page 38

Why we can’t help jumping to conclusions

I gave a talk recently about how I’ve been using data and analytics to guide my decisions in product management. I’ve edited the transcript a little and split it into bite-size parts for your entertainment.

This bit is about why we can’t help jumping to conclusions. The last bit was about expensive and risky assumptions (and why you should check them).

Daniel Kahneman (Credit BBC)

This chap is called Daniel Kahneman, and he is a recipient of the Nobel prize for economics. He tells us in his...

Q&A: how much evidence is sufficient for decision-making?

I was recently asked this question:

Do you have a rule of thumb for deciding how much evidence is sufficient for decision-making? I often see decisions made on the basis of a sample of one.

Here’s my answer:

Hi there,

Thanks for the question. I don’t have a general rule of thumb for sample sizes for user research as it depends on a few things, including:

What level of accuracy you’re looking for from your research (statistical rigour) How large your target user persona segments are What kind...

Q&A: how much evidence is sufficient for decision making?

I was recently asked this question:

Do you have a rule of thumb for deciding how much evidence is sufficient for decision making? I often see decisions made on the basis of a sample of one.

Here’s my answer:

Hi there,

Thanks for the question. I don’t have a general rule of thumb for sample sizes for user research as it depends on a few things, including:

What level of accuracy you’re looking for from your research (statistical rigour) How large your target user persona segments are What kind...

Expensive and risky assumptions (and why you should check them)

I gave a talk recently about how I’ve been using data and analytics to guide my decisions in product management. I’ve edited the transcript a little and split it into bite-size parts for your entertainment. This bit is about expensive and risky assumptions (and why you should check them).

Data from the outset

This slightly blurry typescript is from 1931. It’s a memo that a chap called Neil McElroy wrote to his bosses. He used to work at Procter and Gamble – P&G. And he was responsible for t...

Q&A: how do I get my waterfall organisation to be more agile?

I was recently asked this question:

How would you recommend working with organisations, who are used to a traditional / waterfall approach, transition towards agile / iterative development?

Here’s my response:

Hi there,

This is a big, big question :-)

I’m planning to talk about digital transformation in much more detail over a series of blog posts based on my work with the Ministry of Justice, GDS and the University of Cambridge. But let me give you a few highlights to get you started.

Lesso...

Q&A: how do I distil users’ wish lists of requirements to a core handful?

I was recently asked this question:

Can you make suggestions of how best to distil users’ wish lists of requirements/outcomes to a core handful that will encompass most people’s problems?

Here’s my answer:

Hi there,

Thanks for the question. I have a couple of suggestions that may give you a different perspective for your problem.

You mention users’ wish lists of requirements. I appreciate this may not be what you meant, but this is a good point worth reiterating anyway. Yes, you absolutely n...

55: How to beat writer’s block

I’m writing about one hundred things I’ve learned as a product manager.

For a variety of reasons, in the last few months I’ve fallen out of the habit of writing regularly. And just as I fool myself that having a gym membership is the same as exercising regularly, so also I need to remind myself that blogs don’t write themselves.

Over the last few months I’ve been working with another set of great, challenging and occasionally misguided clients. They’ve been pleased with the results I’d helped...

Starting with a guess: how to use data creatively

The good folks at Product Coalition interviewed me the other day as part of their “Data-Driven Product Manager” series.

The interview covers things like:

thinking about outcomes, not outputs; alignment with broader goals; finding and measuring leading indicators; and the 5 most important metrics for product managers.

Have a read!

Starting with a guess: How to use data creatively with Product Expert Jock Busuttil over on Medium.

Building a product community in government

We have many product-minded people in the Government Digital Service (GDS) and across government, but we’re only just beginning to operate as a community. I’m currently helping GDS out and have written a post for their blog on how we’re beginning to improve things.

Do have a read.

Communities of people inspiring each other

Over the last few years across government, we have collectively learnt a huge amount about how to create products and services that truly meet user needs.

Read more

54: How to stop common B2B dysfunctions in the product team

For those of you who work in business-to-business (B2B) companies, how many of these sound familiar?

“Our product team is always called in to fight customer fires post-sale.”

“Sales people bring product managers along to answer customers’ techie questions.”

“The product team isn’t allowed to speak to customers unless they’re in a sales meeting.”

“Our sales team will often sell something that doesn’t exist, then make it the product team’s problem to make it happen.”

“Our product backlog is ful...