Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

Picking sharp problems, increasing virality, and unique product frameworks | Oji Udezue (Typeform, Twitter, Calendly, Atlassian)

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Sep 14, 2023

Oji Udezue, Chief Product Officer at Typeform, brings a wealth of experience from Twitter, Calendly, and Atlassian. He discusses his effective frameworks, like 'Where to Fish to Land a Unicorn,' to identify high-potential markets. Oji emphasizes the importance of pinpointing the 'sharpest' problems for product success. He also shares tactics for optimizing onboarding to boost user retention and innovative strategies for increasing product virality. Plus, he introduces the concept of 'forest time' for clearer strategic thinking.

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ADVICE

Solve Sharp Problems

Focus on solving "sharp" problems—pain points that significantly impact customers.
This intense customer need creates a strong tailwind, tolerating mistakes.

ANECDOTE

mmhmm: A Non-Sharp Problem

Oji Udezue cites mmhmm, the video-conferencing tool, as an example of a "non-sharp" problem.
While interesting, it lacked sufficient impact to fundamentally change workflows.

ADVICE

Measuring Problem Sharpness

Evaluate problem sharpness by mapping and measuring pre- and post-solution workflows.
Look for significant workflow compression; aim for 2-3x improvement.

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Foundation

Isaac Asimov

Foundation is the first book in Isaac Asimov's renowned Foundation series. It introduces Hari Seldon, a psychohistorian who predicts the imminent collapse of the Galactic Empire and the ensuing dark age. To mitigate this, Seldon establishes the Foundation, a group of scientists and scholars on the planet Terminus, aimed at preserving human knowledge and laying the groundwork for a new civilization. The book is a collection of interrelated short stories that follow the early history of the Foundation as it navigates various crises and challenges predicted by Seldon's psychohistory[1][3][4].

The halo effect

Rose, M. J.

The story revolves around Morgan Snow, a career sex therapist at the Butterfield Institute, who becomes entangled in a murder investigation when one of her clients, Cleo Thane, an expensive call girl, goes missing. NYPD detective Noah Jordain seeks Morgan's advice, and as the investigation unfolds, Morgan finds herself dressing as a call girl to get close to the suspects. The plot involves ritualistic murders, a tell-all biography, and a complex web of powerful men with motives to kill Cleo. The novel explores themes of dual identities and the blurred lines between therapy and prostitution[5].

Principles

Ray Dalio

In 'Principles: Life and Work', Ray Dalio shares the principles he has developed over his career that have helped him achieve success. The book is divided into three sections: the first section explains how Dalio's principles were formed from his personal and professional experiences; the second section outlines life principles, such as embracing reality, being radically open-minded, and understanding the importance of pain and reflection in personal growth; and the third section focuses on work principles, including the use of radical truth and radical transparency to transform an organization. Dalio advocates for systematizing decision-making into algorithms, learning from failures, and building a culture where it is okay to make mistakes but unacceptable not to learn from them.

Dune

Frank Herbert

Dune, written by Frank Herbert, is set in a feudal interstellar society where noble houses control planetary fiefs. The story follows Paul Atreides, whose family is tasked with ruling the inhospitable desert planet Arrakis, the sole source of melange, a substance crucial for extending life and enhancing mental abilities. The novel delves into the intricate politics, religion, ecology, and technology of this futuristic world, as various factions vie for control of Arrakis and its valuable spice. Paul, with his unique abilities and training by the Bene Gesserit, becomes a key figure in this struggle and eventually assumes the role of a messianic leader among the native Fremen people[2][5][4].