Exploring Collaboration and Design Thinking Through the NASA Story and Steve Jobs' Analogy

In this episode, Marty and Christian discuss the mindset behind strong product teams. While there are plenty of resources around the skills used on such teams, there is a lack of resources around the attitudes underpinning their success. If you are “stuck in a feature team” these concepts will feel especially unfamiliar. However, SVPG has collected a series of case studies proving that these mindset shifts can drive outcomes across a range of industries and geographies. 

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• In today’s discussion, we unpack:
• Why ideas are only 10% of product work
• Why cross-functional skills are critical
• Steve Jobs’ take on product discovery and collaboration
• The necessity of friction when collaborating
• The value of involving engineers in discovery
• How to handle disagreements
• How to win the hearts and minds of your team

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Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Episode Intro

[00:01:30] Steve Jobs on Product Discovery 

[00:02:49] Reaction to Steve Jobs on Product Discovery

[00:06:55] How ICs can advocate for a better product model

[00:09:14] Problem discovery versus solution discovery

[00:13:43] The role of enabling technology 

[00:14:35] Why cross-functional skills are critical 

[00:19:55] Steve Jobs on Collaboration 

[00:21:35] The necessity of friction when collaborating

[00:25:30] The importance of psychological safety and diversity of views

[00:30:55] Why outsourced engineering doesn't work

[00:34:00] The value of involving engineers in discovery

[00:36:11] How to handle disagreements

[00:39:30] Dealing with ego in disagreements

[00:41:00] The definition of “stakeholders” and advice for engaging with them 

[00:45:13] How to win the hearts and minds of your team 

[00:48:50] Response to: "But my company can’t do this!” 

[00:52:23] Where to find SVPG resources

[00:52:34] About SVPG’s new book: Transformed

[00:54:02] Disclaimer

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References:

• Amazon’s PRFAQ: https://www.svpg.com/example-prfaq/

• Einstein quote about problem solving: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/60780-if-i-had-an-hour-to-solve-a-problem-i-
• Google’s research on effective teams: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-emea/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/five-dynamics-effective-team
• President Kennedy’s challenge for NASA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmN1wO_24Ao&ab_channel=NASAVideo

• Steve Jobs, The Lost Interview: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/steve-jobs-the-lost-interview/umc.cmc.493j4pff9l0e7b6lbca47x2j8
  

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Where to find SVPG:

• SVPG’s new book, TRANSFORMED: https://www.svpg.com/books/transformed-moving-to-the-product-operating-model/

• Other books: https://www.svpg.com/books/

• Articles: https://www.svpg.com/articles/

• Workshops: https://www.svpg.com/

• Videos: https://www.svpg.com/videos/

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Where to find Christian Idiodi:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/

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Where to find Marty Cagan:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cagan/

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Disclaimer:

While this podcast is named “Product Therapy”, it is not hosted by licensed therapists or mental health professionals, and it is in no way a substitute for professional mental health services. We recognize the importance of mental well-being and encourage anyone facing personal difficulties to seek support from qualified professionals.  See: https://findahelpline.com/