The Importance of Being Clear and How to Do It - Mind the Product 2019

Transcript

1. The importance of being clear and how to do it Lindsey Jayne @THOUGHTSOFLJ
2. @THOUGHTSOFLJ
3. 2. Vision of company & mission of your team A deceptively simple and powerful opportunity Be clear. @THOUGHTSOFLJ
4. 2. Vision of company & mission of your team A deceptively simple and powerful opportunity Be clear @THOUGHTSOFLJ
5. 1. Why clarity matters 2. Write coherently and simply 3. Share early and often @THOUGHTSOFLJ
6. 1. Why clarity matters 2. Write coherently and simply 3. Share early and often @THOUGHTSOFLJ
7. @THOUGHTSOFLJ Signal to noise
8. Some symptoms you may recognise @THOUGHTSOFLJ
9. Company values that are perfectly nice, but fail to resonate or differentiate @THOUGHTSOFLJ
10. Your organisation has 9 strategic pillars with a brand foundation and an overarching roof, and maybe some outbuildings @THOUGHTSOFLJ
11. Cascading objectives and key results, squeezed onto a slide in 8-point font, tell you little about what matters @THOUGHTSOFLJ
12. You’re obsessing over formulas to prioritise, but it’s hard to prioritise because your company wants to do all the things @THOUGHTSOFLJ
13. Vision Mission Goals Strategy Organisation Values Brand Promise Objectives and Key Results @THOUGHTSOFLJ
14. All fine tools and frameworks in theory, but in practice…. @THOUGHTSOFLJ
15. A proliferation of endless prose that doesn’t seem to actually say anything @THOUGHTSOFLJ image: http:/ /hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult
16. 2. Vision of company & mission of your team image: source unknown Take a position. Be memorable.
17. @THOUGHTSOFLJ image: https:/ /miro.medium.com/max/1936/1*wfvI7elXM36vQ6S4WMd2dA Fewer, better things
18. @THOUGHTSOFLJ image: https://miro.medium.com/max/1936/1*wfvI7elXM36vQ6S4WMd2dA Fewer, better words
19. @THOUGHTSOFLJ image: https://miro.medium.com/max/1936/1*wfvI7elXM36vQ6S4WMd2dA Clarity is well-communicated critical thinking
20. @THOUGHTSOFLJ Critical thinking is the least-taught, and mostly highly-valued quality in a product manager
21. 1. Why clarity matters 2. Write coherently and simply 3. Share early and often @THOUGHTSOFLJ
22. We spend so much of our working life reading and writing @THOUGHTSOFLJ
23. 2. Vision of company & mission of your team Get really good at writing @THOUGHTSOFLJ
24. Save time! Win friends! @THOUGHTSOFLJ
25. 2. Vision of company & mission of your team You can’t hide a bad idea in clear, simple writing @THOUGHTSOFLJ
26. First, make it clear @THOUGHTSOFLJ
27. First, make it clear Get your thoughts together in a coherent structure @THOUGHTSOFLJ
28. First, make it clear Get your thoughts together in a coherent structure @THOUGHTSOFLJ Use plain words Remove jargon and acronyms
29. First, make it clear Get your thoughts together in a coherent structure @THOUGHTSOFLJ Use plain words Remove jargon and acronyms GLEEFULLY OBLITERATE CORPORATE SPEAK
30. Get your thoughts together in a coherent structure @THOUGHTSOFLJ Use plain words Remove jargon and acronyms GLEEFULLY OBLITERATE CORPORATE SPEAK X First, make it clear
31. Next, make it brief @THOUGHTSOFLJ
32. Next, make it brief Remove every word or phrase that is not essential @THOUGHTSOFLJ
33. Next, make it brief Remove every word or phrase that is not essential @THOUGHTSOFLJ Use short sentences and strong verbs
34. Next, make it brief Remove every word or phrase that is not essential @THOUGHTSOFLJ Use short sentences and strong verbs Use the active voice reference: https:/ /monzo.com/tone-of-voice/
35. Let’s try an example @THOUGHTSOFLJ
36. “One factor more than any other will determine which companies turn digital to their advantage. Without talented employees who are able to use existing digital technologies and adapt to evolving methods and new approaches, companies will struggle. Companies will need people with digital design and technical skills, including UX/UI experts, human-centered design talent, data scientists, and data and technology engineers. Employees that are flexible, able to learn and adapt, will be at a premium.” @THOUGHTSOFLJ
37. “One factor more than any other will determine which companies turn digital to their advantage. Without talented employees who are able to use existing digital technologies and adapt to evolving methods and new approaches, companies will struggle. Companies will need people with digital design and technical skills, including UX/UI experts, human-centered design talent, data scientists, and data and technology engineers. Employees that are flexible, able to learn and adapt, will be at a premium.” @THOUGHTSOFLJ
38. “One factor more than any other will determine which companies turn digital to their advantage. Without talented employees who are able to use existing digital technologies and adapt to evolving methods and new approaches, companies will struggle. Companies will need people with digital design and technical skills, including UX/UI experts, human-centered design talent, data scientists, and data and technology engineers. Employees that are flexible, able to learn and adapt, will be at a premium.” @THOUGHTSOFLJ To build software
39. “One factor more than any other will determine which companies turn digital to their advantage. Without talented employees who are able to use existing digital technologies and adapt to evolving methods and new approaches, companies will struggle. Companies will need people with digital design and technical skills, including UX/UI experts, human-centered design talent, data scientists, and data and technology engineers. Employees that are flexible, able to learn and adapt, will be at a premium.” @THOUGHTSOFLJ
40. “One factor more than any other will determine which companies turn digital to their advantage. Without talented employees who are able to use existing digital technologies and adapt to evolving methods and new approaches, companies will struggle. Companies will need people with digital design and technical skills, including UX/UI experts, human-centered design talent, data scientists, and data and technology engineers. Employees that are flexible, able to learn and adapt, will be at a premium.” @THOUGHTSOFLJ To build software, companies will need people with the right skills.
41. One factor more than any other will determine which companies turn digital to their advantage. Without talented employees who are able to use existing digital technologies and adapt to evolving methods and new approaches, companies will struggle. Companies will need people with digital design and technical skills, including UX/UI experts, human-centered design talent, data scientists, and data and technology engineers. Employees that are flexible, able to learn and adapt, will be at a premium. @THOUGHTSOFLJ
42. One factor more than any other will determine which companies turn digital to their advantage. Without talented employees who are able to use existing digital technologies and adapt to evolving methods and new approaches, companies will struggle. Companies will need people with digital design and technical skills, including UX/UI experts, human-centered design talent, data scientists, and data and technology engineers. Employees that are flexible, able to learn and adapt, will be at a premium. @THOUGHTSOFLJ To build software, companies will need people with the right skills. They will be in demand.
43. Once you’re left with something clear, you can see if the idea stands up to scrutiny @THOUGHTSOFLJ
44. Does it make the car go faster? image: https:/ /monochrome-watches.com/watches-formula-1-episode-7-williams-f1-oris
45. 1000 songs in your pocket any task in three clicks @THOUGHTSOFLJ image: https:/ /www.lifewire.com/history-ipod-classic-original-2000732
46. 1. Why clarity matters 2. Write coherently and simply 3. Share early and often @THOUGHTSOFLJ
47. No product manager, or team works best alone @THOUGHTSOFLJ
48. Transparency @THOUGHTSOFLJ
49. Transparency @THOUGHTSOFLJ builds trust amplifies ideas helps find problems early shortens feedback cycles invites unexpected expertise
50. 2. Vision of company & mission of your team Make visible what you’re working on, even if that’s you @THOUGHTSOFLJ
51. So how does sharing clear writing help with critical thinking? @THOUGHTSOFLJ
52. Reactions on substance Opens up to diversity of thought @THOUGHTSOFLJ
53. It can be a little scary and risky to start @THOUGHTSOFLJ
54. Start with a trusted group and see how far you can expand @THOUGHTSOFLJ
55. Build up confidence to say what you believe in front of any audience, and you won’t need to hide it in obfuscating language @THOUGHTSOFLJ
56. “I would say that we have enough to digest in the near-term, and there’s nothing candidly in our sightline that would suggest that we’re involved in engaging anything that we’re going to acquire” @THOUGHTSOFLJ source: https:/ /www.ft.com/lucycolumn
57. “no” @THOUGHTSOFLJ source: https:/ /www.ft.com/lucycolumn
58. Do the hard work and be brave @THOUGHTSOFLJ
59. 2. Vision of company & mission of your team I’ve asked you to be clear To practice critical thinking so you can spot*t and never create*t >Write coherently and simple >Share early and often @THOUGHTSOFLJ
60. 2. Vision of company & mission of your team I’ve asked you to be clear To practice critical thinking so you can spot noise and never create noise >Write coherently and simply >Share early and often @THOUGHTSOFLJ
61. 2. Vision of company & mission of your team I’ve asked you to be clear To practice critical thinking so you can spot noise and never create noise >Write coherently and simply >Share early and often @THOUGHTSOFLJ
62. @THOUGHTSOFLJ Thank you! LINDSEY JAYNE