Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

Linear’s secret to building beloved B2B products | Nan Yu (Head of Product)

Jan 30, 2025

Nan Yu, Head of Product at Linear, shares insights from one of the fastest-growing B2B SaaS companies known for its user-friendly design. The discussion reveals how speed and quality can coexist in product development. Nan emphasizes the need for a deep understanding of user needs and the role of empathy in product management. He also introduces the "double triangle" framework and shares his systematic approach to creativity, offering valuable career advice for aspiring product managers. Expect a blend of innovation strategies and real-world application!

01:21:08

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Episode guests

Nan Yu

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

There is no trade-off between speed and quality in product development, as expertise allows for efficient and high-quality results.

Linear filters feature requests through a strict decision-making process to avoid software bloat and enhance core user experience.

Successful product management requires deep empathy for users, uncovering their emotional experiences to provide more relevant and impactful solutions.

Deep dives

Speed and Quality Are Concurrent

There is no inherent trade-off between speed and quality when it comes to product development. People often mistakenly associate speed with rushing or sloppiness rather than recognizing that true speed stems from expertise and competence. Professionals at the top of their fields, whether they are chefs, programmers, or craftsmen, produce outstanding results more efficiently as their skills allow them to work at a swift pace without compromising on quality. Thus, releasing a working solution at the early stages of a project can facilitate rapid iterations, leading to a higher-quality end product.

Intro

1min

Exploring Customer-Centric Innovation in B2B Products

6min

Balancing Speed and Quality in Development

7min

Navigating Product Development: User-Centric Strategies

22min

Revolutionizing Issue Management with Triage Automation

2min

Strategies for Building Successful B2B Products

3min

Navigating User-Centric Product Development

18min

Collaborative Strategies for Product Success

16min

Rapid Insights and Creative Journeys

7min

Nan Yu is the head of product at Linear, one of the most beloved and fastest-growing B2B SaaS products out there today, and the gold standard for high-performing tech teams. In our conversation, we discuss:

• Why speed and quality aren’t actually at odds

• Linear’s unique approach to product development

• Nan’s systematic approach to creativity

• Linear’s philosophy on deadlines

• The “double triangle” framework for product management

• Nan’s approach to landing his dream product roles

• Much more

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