Top product management reads in November 2024

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This month’s Mind the Product top reads include advice on using the Amazon leadership principle of Invent and Simplify when working with AI/ML, a look at the background and implications of the lawsuit against Perplexity and the role product managers can play in driving transformational change.

In this article, product leader Prerna Kaul shares how the Amazon leadership ‘Invent and Simplify’ principle can accelerate impactful AI development. She describes five key ways to leverage ‘Invent and Simplify’ to drive innovation, efficiency, and customer value.

Method 1 - focus on ways of working. Improving processes helps teams to become more efficient, says Prerna. She says that in AI teams, she’s seen the following work successfully: iterative prototyping, focus on outcomes, design sprints, prioritising using dissatisfiers, satisfiers and delighters.

Method 2 - define LLM quality metrics. LLMs show gaps in inaccuracy, hallucination rate, and user empathy so it’s important to account for these deficiencies through technical improvements, user research, and success metrics, says Prerna.

Method 3 - a fail fast approach. Good ways to implement this include A/B Testing with X variations of a feature, smoke testing with the UI of a feature and no backend, feature flagging to expose the feature to a subset of users, and shadow mode to get production metrics with zero customer exposure.

Method 4 - master prompt chaining and reasoning. Prerna recommends learning prompt engineering techniques, specifically chain of thought reasoning so you can execute more complex instructions and prototype LLMs without the need for engineering resources. 

Method 5 -  incorporate privacy and security controls. Prerna suggests some best practice here, including conducting a privacy impact assessment for PRDs and architecture design and identifying and aligning on tenets for when and how customer data will be used.

5 ways to invent and simplify as an AI/ML product manager

In this podcast episode, Spotify’s Product Lead - Music Expression Dariusz Dziuk shares insights on how the team at Spotify connects creators with fans, the importance of validating assumptions through real artist engagement, and the metrics used to measure success. Dariusz emphasises the need to listen to artists and adapt to their creative needs while exploring future directions for Spotify's artist tools.

The Product Experience - Connecting fans to creators at Spotify

This article examines the news that News Corp is suing AI startup Perplexity for copyright infringement. It looks at the issues surrounding content scraping and the ethical use of content, at Perplexity’s business model and at strategies product managers can employ to ensure they use AI ethically and responsibly. The article concludes: “Tensions between traditional content providers and AI firms understandably are high, but this legal action from News Corp is a small part of the much wider discourse about industry standards and legislation for AI. The lawsuit highlights the potential legal and operational risks for product managers using AI models reliant on third-party content, and serves as a stark reminder of the need for clearer content usage standards and compliance measures in the handling of paywalled content.”

Perplexity lawsuit sends warning to product managers

In this post Marta Rolak, Product Director at Springer Nature, highlights the crucial role that product managers play in driving successful transformation. She also shares some strategies to help guide people through the transition.

Marta looks at the human side of change and the challenges people face in adapting to change. 

She also looks at the product manager’s role in supporting people through change and offers the following advice:

Marta concludes: “If your product drives organisational change, as a product manager, you play a key role in guiding your colleagues through the transition. By showing genuine care for their experience and fostering regular, transparent communication, you can not only make the transformation smoother but also build trust and reduce resistance.”

Building for change: When transformation and product management meet

This article, originally published on Product Collective, sets out to demystify product vision and mission. It explores their nuances and how they differ from each other and from product strategy. It looks at why they’re so beneficial to have in place, and provides actionable advice for product managers and leaders on how to develop a compelling product vision and mission that works.

Deep dive: Crafting your product vision and mission