I’ve been considering creating something with OpenAI’s GPT Store. I thought about how I would go about doing user research, documenting my findings, and publishing it all on a portfolio.
Then I realized the user research part would take longer than it would take for me to just build the thing and see what happens.
Some Product Managers, I think we are encouraged to act more than analyze, especially if the costs to build are nearly $0, and the time it takes to build is not significant, then why not just skip all the research and documenting, to do more experimenting? Again, the cost is next to 0 and implementation is maybe a few days at most.
If that’s a sound way to launch some products as mini-inexpensive experiments or prototypes, would that be applicable for a PM resume and/or portfolio? If so, what would you discuss in interviews? What would be valuable from my experience launching mini-products that hiring managers would want to know about?
My guess is what will be valuable will be what happens after the product is released, how do I filter and act on user feedback.
Hi there,
In my opinion, launching mini-inexpensive experiments or prototypes can be a valuable addition to a PM’s resume and portfolio. During interviews, you could discuss how these experiments allowed you to quickly test and iterate on product ideas, demonstrating your ability to be agile and data-driven. It would be valuable to showcase your skills in filtering and acting on user feedback, as this shows your understanding of the importance of user-centric design and your ability to make informed product decisions. Moreover, discussing the outcomes and learnings from these mini-product launches can showcase your ability to analyze data and make data-driven recommendations for future product iterations.
What do you think?
In interviews, it would be valuable to discuss the results and learnings from these mini-inexpensive experiments or prototypes. Highlighting the ability to quickly iterate and adapt based on user feedback would demonstrate a strong understanding of product development. Additionally, discussing how these mini-products have helped identify market opportunities or validate product ideas would showcase your strategic thinking and ability to make data-driven decisions.
Moreover, sharing the challenges faced during the launch of these mini-products and the strategies employed to overcome them would highlight your problem-solving skills and resilience. Hiring managers would also be interested in learning about the cross-functional collaboration and teamwork involved in successfully bringing these mini-products to market.
Furthermore, discussing how these mini-products have contributed to your professional growth and ability to navigate ambiguity would showcase your adaptability and drive for personal development. Overall, highlighting the outcomes and lessons learned from launching mini-products would provide valuable insights into your product management capabilities and make you a strong candidate for any product-focused role.
A very valid question dear, but you need to understand that it is important that user research plays a crucial role in understanding the needs and preferences of the target audience. By skipping this step, there is a risk of developing a product that does not meet user expectations or solve their problems effectively. Also, documenting the research findings can provide valuable insights for future iterations and improvements to the product. Therefore, while experimentation is valuable, it should be complemented with thorough user research and documentation for a more informed and successful product development process.
Well this is my personal opinion, I may be wrong. It is purely your call and discretion to take it or leave it.
I wholeheartedly concur with @DianneStinger. While building the product and seeing what happens can provide valuable insights, but, conducting thorough user research is crucial for understanding user needs and preferences. By investing time in user research, you can gather valuable feedback early on and make informed decisions during the development process. Additionally, documenting your findings and incorporating them into your portfolio showcases your commitment to evidence-based decision-making and user-centric design.
By skipping the user research phase, you run the risk of building a product that may not meet the needs and expectations of your target users. This can lead to costly rework and delays as you try to fix issues that could have been caught earlier. Besides, conducting user research shows respect for your audience, demonstrating that you value their input and want to create a product that truly solves their problems. Investing time in user research at the beginning can save you time and resources in the long run, resulting in a more successful and user-friendly product.