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A thread on insightful ideas on consumer products by Brian Norgard ( @BrianNorgard):
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The single best growth hack in existence is a quality product that only works when used with other people.
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The single best growth hack in existence is a quality product that only works when used with other people.
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Your elevator pitch is immaterial.
What truly matters is how someone explains your product to a friend.
Your elevator pitch is immaterial.
What truly matters is how someone explains your product to a friend.
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If you want to build a great product believe in something first that no one else does.
If you want to build a great product believe in something first that no one else does.
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Until you know exactly what promise you fulfill for a customer don’t build anything.
Until you know exactly what promise you fulfill for a customer don’t build anything.
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The only certain way to stay close to the customer is to be the customer.
The only certain way to stay close to the customer is to be the customer.
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The key to great product is to know when to be original and when to be utilitarian.
The key to great product is to know when to be original and when to be utilitarian.
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Good product is a function of subtraction not addition.
Good product is a function of subtraction not addition.
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Products that people use purely instinctively - without thinking - are the most powerful.
Products that people use purely instinctively - without thinking - are the most powerful.
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Great products modify human behavior by: -
i) reducing choice
ii) lowering the barrier of entry
iii) obliterating superfluous junk
iv) focusing the customer on one core action
v) driving the user to a goal or end state
vi) deploying semi-randomized rewards
Great products modify human behavior by: -
i) reducing choice
ii) lowering the barrier of entry
iii) obliterating superfluous junk
iv) focusing the customer on one core action
v) driving the user to a goal or end state
vi) deploying semi-randomized rewards
10/
When in doubt, build a prototype.
When in doubt, build a prototype.
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What isn’t made into a game should be.
What isn’t made into a game should be.
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The most prolific modern products are genetically similar to things that existed in the analog era. Technology continues to accelerate at an astounding rate but core human behavior does not. It’s the small innovations on the edges of new technologies that creates the magic.
The most prolific modern products are genetically similar to things that existed in the analog era. Technology continues to accelerate at an astounding rate but core human behavior does not. It’s the small innovations on the edges of new technologies that creates the magic.
13/
A useful tool is to end every product meeting with the following question, "Is this the simplest solution we can come up with."
A useful tool is to end every product meeting with the following question, "Is this the simplest solution we can come up with."
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Why certain products failed is more instructive than why things succeeded.
Why certain products failed is more instructive than why things succeeded.
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People will use your product in supremely magical unintended ways. Pay attention. This is not a curse - it's a blessing. Deconstruct the behavior. Ask yourself, "Is there something we can extend, build on, modify?" The user will show you the way if you let them. Patience.
People will use your product in supremely magical unintended ways. Pay attention. This is not a curse - it's a blessing. Deconstruct the behavior. Ask yourself, "Is there something we can extend, build on, modify?" The user will show you the way if you let them. Patience.
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Great design is an anti-stressor.
Great design is an anti-stressor.
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If your consumer app isn't being used while someone sits on the toilet, it's probably not going to work.
If your consumer app isn't being used while someone sits on the toilet, it's probably not going to work.
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Great products are made of small features.
Great products are made of small features.
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Practical usability rules:
i) can a 7 year-old use your product?
ii) can a 70 year-old use your product?
Practical usability rules:
i) can a 7 year-old use your product?
ii) can a 70 year-old use your product?
20/
When no one questions the demand side of a market, it's usually a signal of spectacularly massive market.
When no one questions the demand side of a market, it's usually a signal of spectacularly massive market.
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The instantaneous cross over between real and virtual worlds is the future.
The instantaneous cross over between real and virtual worlds is the future.
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Product debates should only be allowed if there is a visual reference (mocks, sketches, prototypes etc.), otherwise it’s purely academic.
Product debates should only be allowed if there is a visual reference (mocks, sketches, prototypes etc.), otherwise it’s purely academic.
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Never attend a “whiteboard” product session with more than 5 attendees and no specific agenda.
These are the places horrific ideas are born, and even worse, gain momentum.
Never attend a “whiteboard” product session with more than 5 attendees and no specific agenda.
These are the places horrific ideas are born, and even worse, gain momentum.
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There’s more to learn from people that don’t use your product rather than the people who do.
There’s more to learn from people that don’t use your product rather than the people who do.
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Great products are discovered not invented.
Great products are discovered not invented.
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Product meetings are best conducted outside while walking.
Product meetings are best conducted outside while walking.
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Being good at product is being good at people.
Being good at product is being good at people.
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A simple interface rule is if a 7 year-old can’t accomplish a task there’s no path to scale.
A simple interface rule is if a 7 year-old can’t accomplish a task there’s no path to scale.
29/
You can’t predict if people are going to like your product nor should you, there is no more mentally exhausting exercise.
All you can do is have a crystal clear point of view, obsessively reduce and deliver.
The market will sort the rest out.
You can’t predict if people are going to like your product nor should you, there is no more mentally exhausting exercise.
All you can do is have a crystal clear point of view, obsessively reduce and deliver.
The market will sort the rest out.
30/
It’s a common belief that best product always wins. This is a myth. The timing of technology platform shifts & acing the most plentiful distribution channels usually determines who wins. But we keep building in hopes of creating the “best” product-because this is the pursuit
It’s a common belief that best product always wins. This is a myth. The timing of technology platform shifts & acing the most plentiful distribution channels usually determines who wins. But we keep building in hopes of creating the “best” product-because this is the pursuit
31/
Being devoted purely to your customer will only get you so far.
To build a truly unique product, you need to believe in something the rest of the market can’t consciously interpret.
@rabois said it best, “What’s secret is the company predicated on?”
Being devoted purely to your customer will only get you so far.
To build a truly unique product, you need to believe in something the rest of the market can’t consciously interpret.
@rabois said it best, “What’s secret is the company predicated on?”
32/
It's so easy to talk yourself into over-designing a feature.
It's so easy to talk yourself into over-designing a feature.
33/
One of the toughest aspects of building a new product is you have to predict correctly a massive change in a critical technological, cultural or behavioral vector.
That goes way beyond the ability to build something.
One of the toughest aspects of building a new product is you have to predict correctly a massive change in a critical technological, cultural or behavioral vector.
That goes way beyond the ability to build something.
34/
No one cares about your product. Who built it, its features, the origin story - it's all superfluous.
People only find value in what your product can do for them right now. Save people time. Save people money. Give people an escape.
The selfish hand will always govern.
No one cares about your product. Who built it, its features, the origin story - it's all superfluous.
People only find value in what your product can do for them right now. Save people time. Save people money. Give people an escape.
The selfish hand will always govern.
35/
Dishonest “sugarcoated” feedback will surely poison your product & culture.
Honest “raw” feedback—which at times will be very negative—will surely strengthen your product & culture (if delivered with class).
No matter how badly it stings, always deliver honest feedback.
Dishonest “sugarcoated” feedback will surely poison your product & culture.
Honest “raw” feedback—which at times will be very negative—will surely strengthen your product & culture (if delivered with class).
No matter how badly it stings, always deliver honest feedback.
36/
What is the most important ingredient for finding product market fit?
A hunch about what people actually want versus what they say, overlaid against a preexisting set of behaviors.
What is the most important ingredient for finding product market fit?
A hunch about what people actually want versus what they say, overlaid against a preexisting set of behaviors.
37/
Products that work in a big group first worked in a tiny group.
Small town before the big city.
A thriving local population leads to a booming global trend.
Products that work in a big group first worked in a tiny group.
Small town before the big city.
A thriving local population leads to a booming global trend.
38/
Turning a utility into an experience is one of the hardest things to do in product.
Turning a utility into an experience is one of the hardest things to do in product.
39/
If you’ve achieved mythical product market fit, it is best to get out of the way & focus on fundamentals. By pulling on strings of existing behaviors rather than inventing new ones you’ll avoid confusion & wasted dev cycles. Extend what’s working—steer clear of shiny objects
If you’ve achieved mythical product market fit, it is best to get out of the way & focus on fundamentals. By pulling on strings of existing behaviors rather than inventing new ones you’ll avoid confusion & wasted dev cycles. Extend what’s working—steer clear of shiny objects
40/
Channeling @jack, every feature has an incentive loop.
Sometimes a feature can amplify good behavior, sometimes it’s the opposite effect.
Nothing that touches the user operates in a vacuum.
Constantly evaluate the downstream impact of the tools you give your customer.
Channeling @jack, every feature has an incentive loop.
Sometimes a feature can amplify good behavior, sometimes it’s the opposite effect.
Nothing that touches the user operates in a vacuum.
Constantly evaluate the downstream impact of the tools you give your customer.
41/
Building a product is about fighting insidious disease of more. More features, more fluff, more everything. As a builder, you have lost the naïveté of a beginner’s mind. The more phenomenon is rooted in fear. You’ll never defeat more, but you can contain it with awareness.
Building a product is about fighting insidious disease of more. More features, more fluff, more everything. As a builder, you have lost the naïveté of a beginner’s mind. The more phenomenon is rooted in fear. You’ll never defeat more, but you can contain it with awareness.
42/
Reasons your product will fail:
i) too complex
ii) can't easily be described
iii) didn't iterate fast enough
iv) bland
v) failed to launch into a community
vi) doesn't save time/money
vii) poor design
viii) does too much
ix) didn't take a feature risk
Reasons your product will fail:
i) too complex
ii) can't easily be described
iii) didn't iterate fast enough
iv) bland
v) failed to launch into a community
vi) doesn't save time/money
vii) poor design
viii) does too much
ix) didn't take a feature risk
43/
To avoid indigestion, cut your product decisions into thin chunks.
If it feels like you are making more than a couple of decisions at once, your cut wasn't small enough.
Go back a de-scope what it is you are trying to achieve.
One decision at a time. Rinse and repeat.
To avoid indigestion, cut your product decisions into thin chunks.
If it feels like you are making more than a couple of decisions at once, your cut wasn't small enough.
Go back a de-scope what it is you are trying to achieve.
One decision at a time. Rinse and repeat.
44/
Your product is a story. It has a beginning, middle & end.
The narrative engrosses the customer through color, touch, site & sound.
There will be twists but none too jarring. It will blend together in harmony through emotion & feel familiar.
The story is your product.
Your product is a story. It has a beginning, middle & end.
The narrative engrosses the customer through color, touch, site & sound.
There will be twists but none too jarring. It will blend together in harmony through emotion & feel familiar.
The story is your product.
45/
If you can’t identify the core use case of your product you don’t have one.
If you can’t identify the core user of your product you don’t have one.
If you can’t identify the core promise of your product you don’t have one.
Check all 3 boxes, live to create another day.
If you can’t identify the core use case of your product you don’t have one.
If you can’t identify the core user of your product you don’t have one.
If you can’t identify the core promise of your product you don’t have one.
Check all 3 boxes, live to create another day.
46/
Lately we’ve been writing out product stories and sketching in tandem.
It makes a world of difference.
The sketching creates a sense of visual freedom and playfulness while the writing forces precision and clarity with the logic.
Give it a try, you’ll see.
Lately we’ve been writing out product stories and sketching in tandem.
It makes a world of difference.
The sketching creates a sense of visual freedom and playfulness while the writing forces precision and clarity with the logic.
Give it a try, you’ll see.
47/
Long development cycles create idle time, morphing product teams into theorist not builders.
Product theorists devise crackpot intellectual frameworks that distance themselves from real users.
The kiss of death. Stay close. Sketch. Prototype. Build.
Action over theory.
Long development cycles create idle time, morphing product teams into theorist not builders.
Product theorists devise crackpot intellectual frameworks that distance themselves from real users.
The kiss of death. Stay close. Sketch. Prototype. Build.
Action over theory.
48/
Most PMs believe giving customers more features and richer customization options will improve overall user experience.
In most cases, this fails.
Give people a robust core—the minimum applicable tools necessary to hold that line and watch them shower you with attention.
Most PMs believe giving customers more features and richer customization options will improve overall user experience.
In most cases, this fails.
Give people a robust core—the minimum applicable tools necessary to hold that line and watch them shower you with attention.
49/
Intellectual frameworks for creating better products: How do we make our product more human? What emergent behaviors can we extend? Can we make the technology go away? The one thing we do best, can we make it even better? What are we holding onto that we don’t need anymore?
Intellectual frameworks for creating better products: How do we make our product more human? What emergent behaviors can we extend? Can we make the technology go away? The one thing we do best, can we make it even better? What are we holding onto that we don’t need anymore?
50/
People are incredibly forgiving about what your product doesn't have as long as you have that one great thing.
People are incredibly forgiving about what your product doesn't have as long as you have that one great thing.
51/
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in product is evaluating your experience through the lens of liquidity. Nothing, not Tinder, FB, or IG was fully liquid in the early days. Avoiding the ghost town problem & directing your customer to the absolute core action is...
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in product is evaluating your experience through the lens of liquidity. Nothing, not Tinder, FB, or IG was fully liquid in the early days. Avoiding the ghost town problem & directing your customer to the absolute core action is...
...the art. Create a experience the mitigates the lack of depth in the user base, that’s the key. Said another way, make it useful even if there are very few users.
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Can I draw a straight line through your product? It’s my fundamental question. Messy products fracture attention, create indigestion & provide no hooks. A product that holds the line balances value prop, arc, work-flow & benefit into a symphony. You know it when you...
Can I draw a straight line through your product? It’s my fundamental question. Messy products fracture attention, create indigestion & provide no hooks. A product that holds the line balances value prop, arc, work-flow & benefit into a symphony. You know it when you...
...see it.
1. You know what a product is
2. You know what a product does
3. You know how to explain the product
4. You know how to use the product
5. You understand where the product wedges into your life.
This is the line.
1. You know what a product is
2. You know what a product does
3. You know how to explain the product
4. You know how to use the product
5. You understand where the product wedges into your life.
This is the line.
53/
Most people are afraid to make their products playful.
It’s a shame because consumers love a playful product.
Most people are afraid to make their products playful.
It’s a shame because consumers love a playful product.
Read other amazing threads 
https://twitter.com/rohit_jindal29/status/1262608726688698368?s=19
https://twitter.com/rohit_jindal29/status/1262608726688698368?s=19
