Welcome To The Product Venn
In my 20+ years in Product Management, I never met a Venn Diagram I didn’t like.
Why the Product Venn?
In my 20+ years in Product Management, I never met a Venn Diagram I didn’t like.
Let’s be real - those interconnecting circles say so much.
They can be used to show how technology, business and user experience interconnect. Or how product managers must derisk feasibility, viability and desirability. Even how customer, business and technology are crucial to a product managers existance.
They’ve given me so much to ponder. 🤔
Product Wisdom
But really, this substack is about sharing my Product Wisdom.
I’m Irene
I’ve been in product roles for so long, I’ve actually derisked desirability with deep customer discovery/research to uncover painful problems worth solving. Derisked viability with products or solutions that people are willing to pay for, that are profitable and have a path to growth. Derisked Feasibility with agile product delivery, working with partners and teams to deliver value.
And there is no cookie cutter approach.
There is product mindset, empathy, curiosity….
There are processes and tools and frameworks…..but not all are relevant or applicable to your specific product problem.
Product Experience
I’ll be here as the voice of experience. I will tell you honestly about what has worked. How I had customers lining up overnight waiting for my product to launch. How my customers loved my products so much they shared with friends and grew acquisition without a marketing or sales budget. How my skincare generated so much global interest that we were invited to the Emmys.
But where I start is ALWAYS with pain. Who is the customer and what problems are most painful for them today?
Painful Problems
What is the most painful problem to solve?
Who has this painful problem?
What are they doing today to try to solve it?
Can you create a painkiller that will solve this problem so effectively that people will endure long waitlists, queue up for your solution, pay to solve their problems?
Start with the customer and the problem. Not the latest tech.
Problem before Solution
Why Am I Sharing?
For over 20 years I’ve read many great articles and books on product management. Since 2018, I’ve been teaching and coaching product people.
I figure it’s about time I add my voice to the mix and help you on your product journey.
So I’ll be writing down my thoughts and sharing some wisdom from the many years of battle scars and learnings I’ve collected.
Through this writing, I hope to inspire you to improve your craft of product management.
Whether you’re in a large company where you’ve achieved product market fit and seeking to scale but need to navigate stakeholders, convince gate keepers and inspire teams of missionaries in your quest to solve valuable problems.
Or if you’re the only product person in a start up or scale up that could do with some support while you’re grappling with the zero to 1 product problems you’re faced with daily and managing the hippos in your midst.
I’ve been in product roles in large companies and the only product person in a start up. I’ve been where you are.
Who Is This For?
If you’re considering becoming a product manager, transitioning to a product role or just want to understand product management, you’re in the right place!
What you can expect
I promise laughter 😂, tears 😢 and all the richness of the human experience😍 in my product prose. I’ll be honest and tell you the truth about Product management.
I’ve been in those dark places where you’ve wondered if you’ll ever actually solve problems and create value.
And I’ve also been on that bus/train, seeing people around me enjoying my products, seeing the impact it has made to lives (doing that internal happy dance 💃🏼 )
Subscribe and receive an email of my musings in The Product Venn at least monthly.
And if you have a question you want answered, tell me!