Marination is a series of notes which I will create while understanding a resource. So basically they are notes of notes/blogs/videos. They may contain my conversation with LLM which made me understand the topic.

This is the second marination on the topic of Project Thinking. This is from video workshop Product Thinking Workshop by Shreyas Doshi.

Summary of the Video

In the “Product Thinking Workshop” by Shreyas Doshi, the speaker delves into the fundamental differences between project thinking and product thinking. The workshop emphasizes the importance of shifting from a purely execution-focused mindset to one that prioritizes understanding user needs and creating impactful outcomes. Shreyas provides practical frameworks and templates to help professionals adopt product thinking in their work.

Core Concepts

Product Thinking: A strategic approach centered on why and what. It’s about deeply understanding user motivations, conceiving innovative solutions, and predicting the effects of those solutions. The goal is to optimize for impactful outcomes and effectiveness.

Project Thinking: A tactical approach focused on when and who. It’s about efficiently executing plans, managing resources, and coordinating actions to meet pre-defined expectations. The goal is to optimize for outputs and efficiency

Key Concepts Explained

Template for Product Thinking

1. Suspend the project thinking mindset- Take your project thinking hat off. Put the product thinking hat on.
   • Tip: Before jumping into planning, take a moment to question existing assumptions. Encourage team members to think beyond deadlines and deliverables.
2. Prioritize your goals- Ask why? and So what? often. What effects you want to create on users?
   • Ask yourself: “Why does this matter to our users?” “What change do we want to see after implementing this?”
3. Understand your users’ needs- Pay particular attention to objectional and frictional points. Look for unexpressed needs.
   • Action: Conduct user interviews or surveys to uncover pain points. Pay attention to feedback that users might not overtly express.
4. Generate options- Don’t be afraid of big ideas. Embrace creativity and differenciation.
   • Exercise: Hold brainstorming sessions with diverse team members to foster creative ideas. No idea is too big or small at this stage.
5. Simulate- Visualize how each option will play out. Then repeat until you converge.
   • Technique: Create user journey maps or prototypes to visualize how users will interact with the new solution. Refine based on feedback.

Key Properties of Content

1. Novel
2. Useful
3. Memorable

Effect on audience:

Novel + Useful => Enlighten Me
Novel + Memorable => Engage Me
Useful + Memorable => Empower Me
Useful + Novel + Memorable => Transform Me

Real-Life Implementation: Shifting from Project to Product Thinking

The Problem: Many teams get stuck in project thinking, losing sight of the bigger picture. This leads to a mismatch between expectations and actual impact.

The Solution: An Iterative Approach:

1. Start with Product Thinking: Brainstorm, understand user needs, and define the desired outcomes.
2. Engage in Project Thinking: Plan the execution, allocate resources, and set timelines.
3. Refine: Use the insights from project thinking to further refine the product thinking, and iterate.
4. Take Decisive Action: Execute with a clear hypothesis of what needs to be done.

How to Learn Product Thinking:

1. Suspend the Project Thinking Mindset: Consciously set aside the focus on timelines and resources.
2. Prioritize Real Goals (WAYRTTD): Continuously ask, “What are you really trying to do?”.
3. Understand User Needs: Go beyond expressed needs to uncover unexpressed needs by understanding user objections.
4. Generate Options: Don’t be afraid of big, creative, and differentiating ideas.
5. Simulate: Visualize how each option will play out and iterate until you find the best path.