As a product manager for nearly two years, I constantly consume various types of information, including podcasts, text-based content, case studies, and experiments, to learn patterns and apply relevant knowledge. However, I face challenges such as difficulty remembering information, finding the right information at the right time, and a lack of personalization. Content on platforms like Substack and LinkedIn can be too broad, lack context, or be long, making it difficult to consume. I am curious about how everyone keeps up with this information and if there are AI-powered experts like growth and product experts to help. I would appreciate any insights on this topic.
Current knowledge-seeking strategies are ineffective, as time is wasted on unnecessary reading. Instead of consuming 90% of your work reading, focus on the 10% that offers potential benefits to your job. This can be achieved by skimming through ten articles or posts, closing the tab, and moving on to the next one unless the article contains something that will improve your job performance.
As the PM for Google Maps, I cannot find a LinkedIn article on improving retention for GPS mapping apps. To focus on online research, I suggest using ChatGPT or similar tools. The information is outdated and may not always meet your needs. Upgrade to access the internet and think about your own solutions to problems. The goal is not to provide a specific answer but to provide ideas for problem-solving.
If AI isn’t enough, set aside an hour to Google your needs and skim through ten tabs of results. Close tabs that don’t contain useful ideas within 90 seconds. If you don’t find anything interesting, try the next ten or try a different prompt. Avoid getting caught up in irrelevant content. Instead, ask customers about their retention and write stories to fix problems they cite and avoid changing features they like. Your customer service team can also provide common customer pain points. Talking to people is often better research than reading online content.
I generally don’t. Too much overload, I read industry trades and tech news but don’t go crazy. I believe it’s important to stay informed about the latest developments in my field, but I also prioritize maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Instead of immersing myself completely in reading, I prefer to focus on acquiring practical knowledge and skills that directly benefit my work.
This way, I can apply what I learn immediately and see tangible results. Additionally, I find that hands-on experience and experimenting with new ideas and techniques is a more effective way for me to grow professionally. While I appreciate the value of staying up to date with industry trends, I believe that true expertise comes from actively applying knowledge and continuously refining my skills through practical application.
In order to provide you with specific details regarding the product, it would be helpful to know what aspects of the product you are interested in. Are you seeking information about its features, specifications, or performance? Additionally, clarifying the re-timing you mentioned would be beneficial, as it is not clear what you are referring to. Could you please elaborate on what you mean by re-timing? Lastly, to demonstrate certain tools, it would be highly beneficial to provide a good example that aligns with your requirements and preferences. This will allow us to showcase the tools that best suit your needs.
@FergusXavier, as a product manager at XYZ Product, I aim to enhance retention by utilizing relevant answers from Google, LinkedIn, and industry experts. I can potentially give up some data if the answer is relevant, and I can also leverage the influence of industry experts who regularly publish content based on their findings.
Yes, ChatGPT is there, but the data is old and way too generic and may not provide the specific insights you need for your product. It would be more beneficial to connect with industry-specific forums or communities where professionals actively discuss retention strategies. Engaging in these platforms will allow you to gain real-time, tailored advice from experienced individuals who have successfully tackled similar challenges in your industry.
Yes, exactly. None of the solutions we’re looking for take our problems and people into account. We need a more holistic approach that considers the unique circumstances and needs of our community. This means engaging with stakeholders and actively listening to their perspectives. By doing so, we can develop tailored solutions that address the root causes of our problems and uplift the well-being of all individuals involved. Only then can we find sustainable and effective resolutions that truly make a difference.
Yes, exactly. None of the solutions we’re looking for take our problems and people into account. We need a more holistic approach that considers the unique circumstances and needs of our community. This means engaging with stakeholders and actively listening to their perspectives. By doing so, we can develop tailored solutions that address the root causes of our problems and uplift the well-being of all individuals involved. Only then can we find sustainable and effective resolutions that truly make a difference.
The same way you deal with an overwhelming amount of product feature requests: decide what is important and prioritize. Prioritize a few specific creators or sources of content (e.g., Shreyas and Lenny) and ignore everything else. You don’t need to consume everything. By focusing on specific creators or sources of content, you can ensure that you are receiving high-quality and relevant information. This approach allows you to streamline your consumption and avoid getting overwhelmed by the vast amount of content available. Remember, it’s about quality over quantity when it comes to managing information overload.
I do follow these two incredible pieces of content, so thanks. They have truly enriched my knowledge and provided me with valuable insights. I highly recommend them to anyone seeking quality content in their respective fields.
Do you feel satisfied with your knowledge, or do you encounter any problems or difficulties as you move from looking for a solution online to really using it?
Just those two put out far more content than I can consume and put into practice. There are a couple key threads from Shreyas around product strategy and leadership/management that I revisit frequently, and then when I’m working on something new or doing something I haven’t done in a while I usually check to see if either of them have relevant content to help bootstrap initial quality before I take it the rest of the way. My main pain point with either of them is making their content more easily searchable. I’m surprised no one has built that for them.
It’s acceptable if only some things stick. One or two bullet points from a one-hour podcast are all you should be able to recall, which is a respectable performance. You could alternatively read a book and merely retain its main idea.
It’s simple to forget that we ourselves are just as incrementally developed as everything else when there is so much good (and some poor) stuff constantly being pushed at us. We work in cycles.
The goal is to get it into oneself so that values and instincts are comfortable. I suggest that no rule or size will fit all, and nothing will replace talking to people and staying at the edge of knowledge. So, if everything could be easily found online, nobody would need any of us. Therefore, it’s crucial to remember that our learning and product development process is iterative and not static.
And nothing will take the place of simply interacting with others and maintaining your knowledge at the frontier. No one would need any of us if everything could be sought up online.
Don’t stress; simply remember what is simple to remember and expose yourself to fresh information. Just my two cents.
I don’t. Because PM is so inclusive, there is a substantial quantity of noise. Prioritize your education, then look for the appropriate resources. Consider learning to be similar to eating lunch. Go to a certain restaurant that sells what you need after deciding what you need. It’s like you’re digging in a dumpster for half-eaten sandwiches. The majority of what you get is trash, but every now and then you’ll discover a good bite, so keep returning.
By narrowing down your focus in product management, you can save time and energy by directly accessing the relevant information and tools. It’s like going to a specialized restaurant that serves exactly what you’re craving, ensuring a satisfying and efficient learning experience.
Actually, I’m developing a tool to handle everything that matters. It is a lot because it seems like a lot. It’s absurd how many details a product has to monitor in order to succeed. Although highly organized people might be able to pull it off, hackers at startups have no chance.
Startups face the daunting task of managing numerous aspects such as market research, product development, marketing strategies, and customer support. With so much at stake, it becomes crucial to have a comprehensive tool that streamlines these processes and ensures nothing falls through the cracks. Without such a tool, startups may struggle to keep up with the ever-evolving demands of their product and market.
Okay, we need to keep track of everything. If people are literally just throwing everything in Notion, how are they doing it? Market, segmentation, strategy, user research, mixpanel statistics, user interviews, individualized user outreach, interview questions, seeking research insights, where to locate users, GTM, and on and on.
It just seems quite unorganized at the moment, and there is a lot to keep track of. For startups with only a few engineers, it’s no wonder they all fail, since it’s too much when you also have to code everything. If you’re a PM and you work on this full-time, you might be able to pull it off.
I use the logic of not taking advice from those who haven’t done it themselves when weeding out stuff. How rapidly this will separate the wheat from the chaff may amaze you. Additionally, there won’t be much content left for you. By relying on the experience and expertise of individuals who have actually accomplished what you aspire to do, you can save valuable time and effort by avoiding misguided advice. This discerning approach will help you identify the most valuable and reliable information, leaving you with a refined selection of content that truly matters.