#2 Building better products | Ida Aalen, author of "Bedre Produkter"
Mar 25, 2024
auto_awesome
Ida Aalen, author of Norway's first Product Management book 'Bedre Produkter,' shares her journey as a product coach and Product Lead at NAV. She delves into the balance between the 'build trap' and 'analysis paralysis' in product management. Ida discusses the power of writing for clarity and the significance of assumption mapping for team collaboration. She highlights the importance of health metrics and OKRs to keep teams focused on key goals, while also offering insights on navigating regional approaches to product development.
Finding a balance between the build trap and analysis paralysis is essential for effective product development and delivering genuine value.
Writing clarifies thoughts and supports product managers in overcoming challenges, ultimately leading to better decision-making and reduced burnout.
Deep dives
The Balance Between Building and Analyzing
Finding a balance between the build trap and analysis paralysis is crucial in product development. The build trap occurs when teams focus excessively on creating outputs without validating whether those outputs are useful or wanted by customers. Conversely, analysis paralysis arises from overthinking and delaying action due to excessive deliberation. Successful product teams recognize the need to move beyond just talking or building and find the right moment to experiment and deliver value.
The Importance of Writing for Reflection
Writing serves as a powerful tool for clarifying thoughts and emotions, especially in the context of product management. Authors often find that by organizing their ideas in writing, they can better understand complex concepts and interrelationships. The process of writing forces individuals to articulate their thoughts clearly, leading to healthier, more structured reflections. Furthermore, writing can act as a therapeutic activity, allowing professionals to work through challenges like burnout by engaging their minds creatively.
Assumption Mapping in Team Collaboration
Assumption mapping is a method used to identify and prioritize the most critical assumptions in product development. By clearly delineating assumptions around feasibility, viability, and desirability, teams can focus their efforts on the aspects that matter most. This collaborative approach encourages discussions among team members to surface potential risks and fosters involvement from diverse functions such as engineering, design, and marketing. Utilizing this method helps create a shared understanding of priorities, alleviating tension that may arise from miscommunication or silos.
Utilizing OKRs for Focus and Coordination
Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) enhance focus within product teams by clearly defining goals and measurable outcomes. By separating health metrics from objectives, teams can identify what constitutes a 'healthy' state for their project and what they need to improve. This structured framework encourages prioritization, helping teams avoid distractions from pressing tasks. Implementing OKRs not only directs attention to critical areas but also aligns team members around shared objectives, making it easier to navigate complex challenges without becoming overwhelmed.
Ida is both a good friend and a great product mind from Norway.
If you are a Product Manager or leader in Norway, I bet you have heard about Ida’s work. She’s the author of the first Norwegian Product Management book called “Bedre produkter”, which directly translates to Better Products.
She’s been a product coach for the past year before joining NAV recently as a Product Lead.
Ida and I talked about:
* How writing helps us think
* How to find a balance between the build trap and analysis paralysis
* How to use assumption mapping to avoid getting stuck
* A few characteristics of high-performing teams
* Using health metrics and OKRs to help us stay focused on the most important things