Chris Butler, a product manager, discusses topics like planning poker, design fiction, the Flipper Zero device, and decision-making processes. He emphasizes the importance of creativity, alignment within a team, and injecting interesting elements into work. The chapter also invites guests to share uncommon tools.
The Uncertainty Project promotes the role of uncertainty in decision-making processes and offers valuable insights and resources for better decision-making.
The Decider is a web-based tool that helps individuals and teams determine the best approach for decision-making, providing pros, cons, and insights for each method.
The Flipper Zero is a versatile hacking device with a strong developer community, offering various capabilities and potential applications for hardware hacking.
Deep dives
The Uncertainty Project: Embracing uncertainty for better decision-making
The Uncertainty Project is a community focused on strategy and decision-making. It aims to challenge the certainty often found in the tech world and encourages individuals to consider the role of uncertainty in decision-making processes. The project offers a newsletter with over 1,500 subscribers and plans to host workshops and talks. With a focus on changing perspectives and embracing uncertainty, the community provides valuable insights and resources for anyone interested in better decision-making.
The Decider: A tool for making informed decisions
The Decider is a web-based tool developed by Noble that helps individuals and teams determine the best approach for decision-making. By answering a series of questions, the tool guides users to one of eight decision-making methods, such as autocratic or consensus. The Decider provides pros, cons, and process insights for each method, allowing users to make informed choices that align with their circumstances. It is a valuable resource for navigating decision-making processes and understanding different approaches to reach optimal outcomes.
The Flipper Zero: A versatile hacking device
The Flipper Zero is a hacking device that offers a range of capabilities for various tasks. Its compact size and multiple features, such as infrared, sub-gigahertz communication, Bluetooth, and more, make it a versatile tool. Users can create custom remotes, clone access devices, and experiment with different hacking techniques. The device has a strong developer community and alternative firmware options, adding to its functionality. With its unique abilities and potential applications, the Flipper Zero is an exciting tool for both hobbyists and professionals interested in hardware hacking.
The Work Kit of Design Fiction: Sparking creative thinking about future scenarios
The Work Kit of Design Fiction, created by the Near Future Laboratory, is a collection of cards designed to inspire creative thinking about future scenarios. The cards prompt users to consider various aspects, such as tone, action, attribute, object, and archetype. By mixing and matching these cards, individuals and teams can generate innovative ideas and narratives that explore possible futures. The kit fosters a mindset of design fiction, focusing on the middle ground between utopia and dystopia, and encourages thoughtful reflection on values, technology, and societal implications.
Embracing Uncertainty and Changing Minds
The Uncertainty Project, described earlier, challenges the notion of certainty in decision-making and encourages individuals to embrace uncertainty for better outcomes. It promotes the idea that changing one's mind can be a positive and informative process, fostering creativity and adaptability. By acknowledging the limitations of certainty, individuals can explore new perspectives, challenge assumptions, and make more informed decisions. Embracing uncertainty can lead to growth and innovation in personal and professional endeavors.
Chris Butler is a chaotic good product manager, writer, and speaker. He has extensive experience in product management leadership at Microsoft, Waze, KAYAK, Facebook Reality Labs (aka Meta), and Cognizant. He is now Group Product Manager in Google’s Core Machine Learning team. He is also the co-founder of The Uncertainty Project a community focused on decision making and strategy.
