Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

Becoming evidence-guided | Itamar Gilad (Gmail, YouTube, Microsoft)

Sep 21, 2023

01:12:51

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"Itamar Gilad, career coach, author, and speaker with over two decades of experience in senior product roles at Google, Microsoft, and various startups" shares insights on evidence-guided product development, prioritizing ideas, using KPIs as metric trees, and challenging gut-driven founders. They discuss lessons from developing Gmail's tabbed inbox and the failure of Google+, as well as the importance of data-driven discussions and evaluating ideas based on evidence. Other topics include organizing teams with metrics trees, using the ICE framework, assessing impact and confidence, empowering teams, and bridging the gap between planning and execution."

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Quick takeaways

Setting clear goals and metrics using the JIST model helps align the entire organization and drive growth and success.

Validating ideas through testing and evidence gathering methods like assessments and usability tests leads to more informed decision-making and efficient resource usage.

Involving developers in the discovery process and using a JIST board facilitates communication, synchronization, and problem-solving in the execution stage of product development.

Deep dives

Setting Clear Goals and Metrics

The JIST model emphasizes the importance of setting clear goals and metrics. This includes defining the North Star metric, which measures the value created for users, as well as the top business metric. It is recommended to use metric trees to break down these goals and metrics. Aligning the entire organization around these goals helps drive growth and success.

Embrace Simplicity in Prioritization Using “ICE”

01:17

Difference Between North Star Metric and Top KPI

01:03

Where to start to move towards being evidence-based

01:13

Signs of a Lackluster Product Development Process

01:20

Introduction

5min

The Rise and Fall of Google+ and the Success of the Tabbed Inbox in Gmail

8min

Evidence-based Approach vs Founder's Insights

19min

Organizing Teams and Evaluating Ideas

5min

Assessing Impact and Confidence

19min

Bridging the Gap and Empowering Teams

11min

Book Promotion and Lightning Round

3min

Life Mottos, Delivering Value, and Favorite Israeli Food

3min

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Itamar Gilad is a product coach, author, and speaker with over two decades of experience in senior product roles at Google, Microsoft, and various startups. He is also the author of Evidence-Guided: Creating High-Impact Products in the Face of Uncertainty and publishes a popular product management newsletter. In today’s episode, we discuss:

• What it means to be “evidence-guided”

• How to think about your KPIs as metric trees

• How to prioritize ideas using the “confidence meter”

• The GIST model for roadmapping

• Common mistakes with ICE

• Advice for using evidence to challenge gut-driven founders

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Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/becoming-evidence-guided-itamar-gilad

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Where to find Itamar Gilad:

• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ItamarGilad

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