The Mob Mentality Show

The Discovery of Ignorance in Product Development: Time for a Smarter Way to Deliver Customer Value with Gary Cohen

Oct 29, 2024

Gary Cohen, an independent consultant with a wealth of experience in software development and agile methodologies, shares insights on optimizing product discovery and delivery. He discusses the challenge of identifying which features deliver true customer value, promoting flexible strategies over rigid roadmaps. The conversation delves into the impact of Generative AI on collaborative practices and product prioritization, enhancing team efficiency and customer engagement through iterative feedback and real-time insights. Discover how collective discovery methods can transform product development!

50:47

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Episode guests

Gary Cohen

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Embracing continuous product discovery is essential for teams to adapt to customer needs and avoid underutilized features.

Generative AI can streamline development processes by collaborating with teams, but its use should be balanced with human oversight to ensure quality.

Deep dives

Importance of Product Discovery and Delivery

The relationship between product discovery and product delivery is critical, as many organizations focus primarily on the delivery side, often neglecting discovery. A significant concern is that around 80% of features become underutilized, indicating inefficiencies in the development process. Continuous product discovery is suggested as a solution that allows teams to better understand customer needs and avoid building unnecessary features. This approach emphasizes the need for ongoing engagement with users and adopting a mindset that values customer feedback and adaptability.

Intro

2min

Navigating Product Discovery and Delivery

20min

Navigating IoT and AI in Product Development

18min

Navigating Team Dynamics in Programming Practices

5min

Harnessing Organizational Influence for Innovation

3min

Reflections on Product Discovery and Engagement

2min

In this episode of the Mob Mentality Show, join us as we delve into "The Discovery of Ignorance in Product Development: Time for a Smarter Way to Deliver Customer Value" with our special guest, Gary Cohen. Drawing on his rich experience across diverse sectors—from government agencies to startups—Gary brings a wealth of insight into optimizing product discovery and delivery for true customer impact.

### **Key Topics Explored: The Product Discovery and Delivery Intersection**
Even if a team is familiar with the 80/20 rule (e.g., where 80% of features go unused), how does it determine the right 20% to deliver? Gary shares strategies to tackle this challenge, advocating for a shift from traditional roadmap fixation to embracing dynamic, continuous discovery that keeps customer value at the forefront. Together, we examine the effectiveness of "strict" roadmap discipline (the practice of adhering to set timelines and objectives) and if it becomes a barrier to true innovation and customer value.

We also briefly touch on the FAST framework and its relevance to product discovery, emphasizing how collective discovery through mobbing allows teams to stay closer to evolving customer needs.

### **The Role of GenAI in Modern Product Development**
Is AI is reshaping product discovery? We explore how GenAI can be a collaborative asset for mobs, not only for code development but also for bringing value by uncovering insights into customer behavior and streamlining feature prioritization. We compare "introverted" AI and "extroverted" AI in mob environments and discusses how developing refined AI inquiry skills is key to leveraging AI’s full potential. From training mobs in nuanced prompt engineering to using AI to help drive a more lean delivery, we share ways to maximize AI's impact while maintaining expert human oversight.

### **Bootstrapping Pair and Mob Programming in Individualist Cultures**
Transitioning to collaborative programming environments such as pair or mob programming can be challenging, especially in workplaces with a culture of individuality. We offer quick tips on how to bootstrap these methods, from creating a safe space for experimentation to aligning incentives via a peer promotion process. By using context sensitive analogies, how can we influence others in the org to consider jumping into the highly effective world of mob programming?

### **Unpacking Behavioral Expectations: A Smarter Approach to Product Decisions**
Beyond the technical, we look at the behavioral side of product monitoring, asking, “What responses do we expect from our users?” Gary emphasizes the importance of behavioral prediction in discovery, cautioning against information bias and providing ways to gauge responses to feature experiments in real-time. We highlight the importance of monitoring usage data and what it reveals about customer engagement—whether a feature elicits a “wow” or a mere “meh.”

### **Takeaways for Product Managers, Engineers, and Innovators**
From continuous discovery to leveraging the art of AI prompting, Gary Cohen’s insights provide actionable advice for product managers, developers, and cross-functional teams who are ready to rethink their approach to product development and delivery. Whether you're looking to reduce waste, increase customer value, or integrate mob programming and GenAI into your workflow, this episode offers some experiments to try in your journey to achieve product success.

Don’t miss this engaging discussion filled with actionable strategies, insightful anecdotes, and forward-thinking approaches to innovation!

Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/od7E_M9B6gI