In this live episode, recorded at Utah Valley University in front of a group of students and young professionals, we had the opportunity to learn from the CEO of Unbird, Jeff Whitlock. Have you considered using jobs-to-be-done theory to make life and career decisions? Listen to Jeff explain how we "hire" the schools we go to and the career paths we pursue because we have a "job" we want to be done.
Make sure to check out Unbird to learn how you can seamlessly aggregate and analyze your customer feedback: https://unbird.com
You can follow Jeff on Twitter @JeffreyWhitlock, on Medium at https://medium.com/@jeff_whitlock or connect with him on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-whitlock
Also, if you have comments or questions from today's episode or would just like to connect, you can connect with us on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cam-sackett-b6495567
https://www.linkedin.com/in/caden-damiano
Pivot by Cam Sackett and Caden Damiano.
Pivot Intro Music by Cam Sackett.
This episode was recorded on Oct. 11, 2018. 

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wayofproduct.com

4 - Jeff Whitlock - Applying Jobs-to-Be-Done Theory to Your Life

A podcast on overcoming the challenges of collaboration within a product team. 

If you want to develop strong soft skills, product sense, and design taste, this show is for you!
 

www.wayofproduct.com

Technology

Tech News

Podcasting

Gadgets

Software How-To

Business

Investing

Careers

Management & Marketing

Business News

Shopping

Entrepreneurship

In this episode, I welcome Harry Max, an executive player-coach with experience in product design leadership and COO roles.  You read that right; Harry has a wide range and can bridge the gap between experienced design leadership and operational excellence. Harry has led at DreamWorks, Hewlett-Packard, Rackspace, and Apple.  We dive into the complexities of balancing operations and design, the challenges faced by product leaders, and the political nature of leadership and decision-making. Harry introduces his highly practical DEGAP framework for prioritization, emphasizing the importance of intentional decision-making and guiding me through the tangible steps involved.  Finally, we explore how prioritization plays a crucial role in the lives of individual contributors, teams, and organizations. He aims to equip you with practical tools to significantly enhance your decision-making and leadership skills. You can buy his new book “Managing Priorities” through this link  Chapters 00:20 The Unique Role of a Fractional Executive 00:58 Bridging Operations and Design: A Dual Competency 03:04 The Challenges of Product Leadership 08:19 The Art of Prioritization in Leadership 08:24 Unpacking the Book on Managing Priorities 15:19 Real-World Prioritization: A Case Study from Rackspace 27:22 The Five Steps of Effective Prioritization 30:30 Unpacking the Prioritization Process 31:01 Exploring Decision-Making Tools and Techniques 35:47 Deep Dive into the D-GAP Methodology 40:18 Applying Prioritization in Personal and Professional Contexts 40:57 Insights on Individual Contributor Prioritization 47:36 Concluding Thoughts on Prioritization and Productivity 

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wayofproduct.com

One of the most misunderstood concepts in business, the hard thing about prioritization and how to get better at it with Harry Max -Fractional Executive & Coach. Ep 120

On #wayofproduct this week, join us as we dive into a thought-provoking conversation with Bryan Zmijewski, a veteran in the design world, design lecturer at Stanford, and a pioneer in integrating design thinking and engineering concepts. With his extensive experience in design and technology, Bryan shares his unique perspectives on how design fits into today's business ecosystems.


In this episode, we explore:


⭐ The origins of design thinking from engineering and its practical applications in business and design.
⭐ Bryan's extensive experience in helping companies like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney craft great things through design.
⭐ The evolving role of design in product development and the shifting dynamics between product design and UX design.
⭐ The importance of system thinking in design and how it influences the creation of user experiences.
⭐ Bryan's approach to design as a tool for facilitating organizational change and producing impactful products.
⭐ The role of intuition in the design process and the balance between gut feelings and structured testing.
⭐ A deep dive into understanding customer needs and integrating feedback loops into design and product development.
⭐ Bryan's insights on successful product development despite team dysfunctions and the focus on creating great products.
⭐ An introduction to Helio, Bryan's continuous discovery tool, and its impact on gathering rapid customer feedback for digital products.


Subscribe and listen to The Way of Product on...




Engineers invented design thinking! The history of the product design profession, thinking like an engineer, and UX as a Discipline w/ Bryan Zmijewski CEO of Zurb EP 116

Product Discovery Isn't User Research w/ Teresa Torres
Teresa Torres shares her invaluable insights into the intricacies of product discovery and the vital role of user research in product development.


Highlights include:
⭐ The distinction between user research and product discovery
⭐ The importance of building fast feedback loops with customers
⭐ The impact of implementing continuous discovery habits
⭐ The evolution of product teams' understanding of their customers
⭐ Practical tips for enhancing discovery practices and driving better outcomes
Plus, much more!
Subscribe and listen to The Way of Product on...


Why Product Discovery isn't User Research, How to Design an Org Around Research and Product Discovery, and the Origins of the "Continuous Discovery" Framework w/ Teresa Torres EP 108

I recently had an awesome discussion with Jeremy Miller, host of “Beyond UX Design,” about strategies for navigating meetings and gaining influence as a designer.  We touched on: * Why corporate meetings are mostly a waste of time, and how to fix your approach to meetings.  * Prioritizing which meetings to attend and gaining buy-in for design projects.  * I walk through my approach to working with cross-functional partners using an underrated methodology.  * Meeting one-on-one with key stakeholders early on to understand their concerns and bring them along on the design journey.  * Different working styles and mindsets, from perfectionistic craftspeople to systems thinkers who embrace problem-solving. Building trust and credibility with stakeholders is crucial, and I highlighted the significance of making people feel understood and involved in the creative process.  I emphasized the importance of competencies like good judgment over specific skills when aiming for higher levels of influence.  Overall, the discussion provides excellent strategies for product people, designers, and creatives looking to protect their time, have a more significant impact, and shape company decisions.  Learn how to design a business and subscribe to the Way of Product    

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wayofproduct.com

Getting good at politics without selling your soul, Why UX isn't a discipline but a competency, Caden's approach to playing and winning the corporate game.

Connect with Norma Løvhaugen on Linkedin. In this episode, Norma, a veteran in the video conferencing industry with 19 years of experience, shares her journey from starting in Hamburg and Cisco to becoming the Head of Product at Neat.  This company blurs the line between the office and remote workers. I am in awe of what goes into seamless videoconferencing experiences.  She discusses the magic of creating products that facilitate human connection across distances and the collaborative effort it involves, especially the intricate balance between design, technology, and user experience. Norma emphasizes the importance of design-driven approaches, the complexities behind the simplicity of video conferencing products, and how balancing various considerations like audio quality, compliance, and aesthetics leads to products highly valued by customers. She highlights the role of psychological safety and trust within teams, facilitating effective cross-functional collaboration, and the impact of directly engaging with customers and sales teams to understand better and meet their needs. Norma also touches on her reasons for joining Neat, the excitement of working in a startup environment, and the recent launch of Neat's second-generation video conferencing bar, encapsulating her passion for innovation in the industry. 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:05 Norma's Journey in the Video Conferencing Industry 01:02 Inside the World of Video Conferencing Tech 04:53 The Magic of Product Development and Design 10:25 Learning from Mistakes: A Product Launch Story 13:11 Building a Culture of Psychological Safety and Trust 18:00 The Power of Inclusive Product Strategy 23:51 Transitioning from Cisco to NEAT: A New Chapter 26:51 Understanding Business Through Product Leadership 28:18 The Role of Design in Product Success 33:07 Collaboration Across Departments: A Key to Success 

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wayofproduct.com

4 - Jeff Whitlock - Applying Jobs-to-Be-Done Theory to Your Life

Download our free app to listen on your phone