Product Manager with 5+ years of experience in growing e-Commerce products. Specialize in discovering opportunities that deliver customer value and high-level user experience, allowing businesses to scale up. Key areas of my expertise are product strategy, user research, UX, analytics, and data management. Domain knowledge: e-Commerce, FoodTech, Beauty & Pharma for mobile and web platforms.
My Mentoring Topics
- Product Management
- Ideation and discovery process
- User research
- Product analytics
- Product strategy
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
Key Insights from 'Thinking, Fast and Slow' Cognitive Ease: The human brain tends to choose the path of least resistance when processing information. System 1 and System 2: Two distinct systems govern our thought processes. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional, while System 2 is slow, deliberate, and logical. Heuristics and Biases: Our brains use mental shortcuts or 'heuristics' to make quick decisions, which can often lead to biases in our thinking. Prospect Theory: People tend to make decisions based on potential losses and gains, not final outcomes. Anchoring Effect: The first piece of information we receive about a subject heavily influences our perception of subsequent information. Availability Heuristic: We tend to judge the probability of events by how easily examples come to mind. Endowment Effect: We value things more when we own them. Hindsight Bias: Our tendency to see events as more predictable than they really are after they have happened. Framing Effect: The way information is presented can drastically affect how we perceive it and make decisions. The Halo Effect: Our overall impression of a person influences how we feel and think about their character. Deeper Analysis of the Book's Concepts 'Thinking, Fast and Slow', a seminal work by Daniel Kahneman, delves into the two systems that drive the way we think—System 1, which is fast and intuitive, and System 2, slow and deliberate. This dual-process theory of cognition is not new, but Kahneman's exploration of how these systems interact, often leading to cognitive biases, is groundbreaking. System 1 operates automatically and quickly, with little or no effort and no sense of voluntary control. It's the part of our brain that responds to a surprising sound in the darkness or decides to swerve to avoid an accident. This system is heavily influenced by our past experiences and emotions, making its responses feel intuitive and automatic. In contrast, System 2 allocates attention to the effortful mental activities that demand it, including complex computations and conscious decision-making. This system is slower and more deliberate, often stepping in to verify and modify the impressions and intuitions from System 1. However, System 2 is lazy and often defaults to the easier, automatic responses of System 1. This is where cognitive biases come in. Heuristics and biases are mental shortcuts that System 1 uses to make quick decisions. While these shortcuts can often be useful, they can also lead to systematic errors in our thinking. For example, the availability heuristic might lead us to overestimate the likelihood of dramatic events (like plane crashes) because they are more memorable and thus more easily available to our minds. Prospect theory, introduced by Kahneman and his colleague Amos Tversky, challenges traditional economic theory, which assumes that humans are rational actors. Instead, prospect theory suggests that people make decisions based on potential gains and losses, not the final outcome. This can lead to seemingly irrational decisions, such as refusing to take a small loss to potentially gain more in the long run. The anchoring effect describes our tendency to rely heavily on the first piece of information we receive (the "anchor") when making decisions. Even when the anchor is arbitrary or irrelevant, it can dramatically influence our judgments and estimates. Similarly, the framing effect reveals that the way information is presented can drastically affect our decisions. For example, people are more likely to opt for a surgical procedure if it’s presented with a 90% survival rate than a 10% mortality rate, even though both statistics convey the same information. In conclusion, 'Thinking, Fast and Slow' highlights how our thought processes—though powerful—are not always as rational, objective, or logical as we might believe. By understanding these biases, we can take steps to mitigate them and make better, more informed decisions.
ViewThe Happiness Advantage - How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life
Shawn Achor
Key Insights from "The Happiness Advantage" Principle of the Happiness Advantage: Happiness leads to success, rather than success leading to happiness. The Tetris Effect: Training your brain to capitalize on possibility thinking and recognize patterns of opportunity. Falling Up: The ability to perceive stress and failure as opportunities for growth and learning. The Zorro Circle: The concept of gaining control over your life and focusing on small, manageable goals to achieve larger ones. The 20-Second Rule: Making positive habits easier and negative habits harder to adopt can create lasting change. Social Investment: Investing in relationships is key to weathering adversity and becoming more productive and successful. The Power of External Circumstances: External circumstances predict only about 10% of our total happiness. The Myth of the Single Individual: Success and happiness are team sports, and we perform better and are happier when we are connected to others. The Ripple Effect: Our behavior, positive or negative, can ripple out and influence others in remarkable ways. Change is Possible: People can change their habits, behaviors, and mindsets to become happier and more successful. An In-depth Analysis of the Contents In "The Happiness Advantage," psychologist Shawn Achor challenges the common belief that success brings happiness. Instead, he posits that happiness is a precursor to success. This principle is the cornerstone of his book, asserting that positive brains have a biological advantage over brains that are neutral or negative. The Tetris Effect is another critical insight from the book. It is named after the video game Tetris, where players arrange blocks as they fall to complete lines. Achor uses this as a metaphor to explain how individuals can train their brains to recognize patterns of opportunity - the "blocks" that can be arranged to create a line of success. This positive outlook enables individuals to identify and seize opportunities that they might otherwise miss in their personal and professional lives. Achor's concept of Falling Up demonstrates how one can view challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning. This reframing of adversity can lead to resilience, innovation, and ultimately, greater success. The Zorro Circle illustrates how focusing on small, manageable goals can lead to achieving larger ones. This method works by gradually expanding one's comfort zone in a controlled, incremental manner. It is a powerful way to combat feelings of being overwhelmed and to regain control when everything seems chaotic. The 20-Second Rule is a practical strategy that involves making positive habits more accessible and negative habits harder to adopt. By reducing barriers to change, this rule can be an effective tool in promoting lasting change and success. The idea of Social Investment emphasizes the importance of relationships in our overall well-being and success. Achor argues that our interpersonal connections are one of the best predictors of productivity and resilience in the face of challenge. Achor also debunks the belief that our external circumstances dictate our happiness. He argues that these circumstances predict only about 10% of our total happiness, asserting that our interpretation of the world and our place in it is a far more influential factor. The Myth of the Single Individual is another key insight, emphasizing that success and happiness are not solitary pursuits. Achor suggests that we perform better when we are connected to others, highlighting the importance of a supportive social network in our quest for happiness and success. The Ripple Effect is the idea that our behavior can influence others in profound ways. Just as a single pebble can create ripples in a pond, our actions can create ripples in our social networks, influencing others' behaviors and attitudes. Finally, Achor emphasizes that change is possible. He argues that individuals can change their habits, behaviors, and mindsets to become happier and more successful. This underpins the entire book and reinforces the idea that our happiness and success are within our control. Conclusion "The Happiness Advantage" offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between happiness and success. By challenging conventional wisdom, Shawn Achor provides practical strategies and insights that can help individuals achieve greater happiness and success in their personal and professional lives. The concepts presented in the book are backed by extensive research, making them not only compelling but also scientifically grounded. Ultimately, "The Happiness Advantage" is a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding the power of positive psychology and its implications for our work and lives.
ViewGood Strategy/Bad Strategy - The difference and why it matters
Richard Rumelt
Key Facts or Insights from "Good Strategy/Bad Strategy" Good strategy is not just a goal or vision: It is a coherent mix of policy and action designed to overcome a high-stakes challenge. Bad strategy is often characterized by fluff: It uses high-sounding words and phrases to hide the absence of thought. The kernel of a good strategy: It contains three elements - a diagnosis of the situation, a guiding policy for dealing with the challenge, and a set of coherent actions designed to carry out the policy. The importance of analysis: Good strategy is grounded in deep, nuanced understanding of the situation. Strategy as a hypothesis: A good strategy is a hypothesis that needs to be tested and adapted over time. Good strategy leverages advantage: It identifies and exploits existing advantages, and looks for ways to create new ones. Strategic coordination: Good strategy involves creating coordination among resources and actions. Bad strategy avoids complexity: Instead of facing challenging issues, bad strategy avoids them and often substitutes vague goals for clear objectives. Good strategy is dynamic: It evolves with the changing circumstances and constantly seeks to improve. The role of the leader: A good strategist needs to be a good leader, able to inspire others and to make tough decisions. An In-Depth Analysis of "Good Strategy/Bad Strategy" Richard Rumelt's "Good Strategy/Bad Strategy" is a compelling exploration of what constitutes effective strategy and the pitfalls of poorly conceived strategies. Rumelt opens with an essential premise - a good strategy is not merely a lofty goal or vision, but a practical approach to overcoming a difficult challenge. This is the kernel of good strategy, which comprises three elements: a diagnosis of the situation, a guiding policy to tackle the challenge, and a set of coherent actions to execute the policy. This approach underlines the importance of analysis in strategy formulation. Superficial understanding or oversimplification of the situation can lead to bad strategy. The author stresses that a good strategy is grounded in a deep, nuanced understanding of the challenge at hand. He advocates for a realistic appraisal of the situation, even if it means confronting uncomfortable truths. One of the most insightful aspects of Rumelt's work is his view of strategy as a hypothesis. As in scientific research, a good strategy needs to be tested, validated, and modified in response to feedback and changing circumstances. This perspective underscores the dynamic nature of good strategy and the need for ongoing learning and adaptation. Another key insight from Rumelt's work is the role of advantage in good strategy. He argues that a good strategy identifies and exploits existing advantages and looks for ways to create new ones. This can be a unique resource, a favorable position, or a coherent set of actions that differentiate an organization from its competitors. Rumelt also discusses the importance of strategic coordination, which involves creating harmony among resources and actions. This can mean coordinating different parts of an organization, aligning resources with objectives, or integrating various actions to create a powerful cumulative effect. On the other hand, bad strategy is characterized by fluff, a tendency to use high-sounding words and phrases to hide the absence of thought. Bad strategy also often avoids complexity and substitutes vague goals for clear objectives. This avoidance of hard choices and the failure to clearly define and confront challenges is a hallmark of bad strategy. Lastly, Rumelt emphasises the role of the leader in strategy formulation. A good strategist needs to be a good leader, able to inspire others with a vision, make tough decisions, and guide the organization through the complexities and uncertainties of its strategic journey. In conclusion, "Good Strategy/Bad Strategy" provides a clear, practical roadmap for strategy formulation and execution. It emphasises the importance of deep understanding, strategic coordination, continuous learning and adaptation, and strong leadership in crafting good strategy. At the same time, it warns against the dangers of fluff, avoidance of complexity, and lack of clear objectives in bad strategy. The insights and lessons from this book are invaluable for anyone involved in strategic decision-making.
ViewDark Data - Why What You Don’t Know Matters
David J. Hand
Key Insights: Dark Data: The term "Dark Data" refers to the information that is overlooked, ignored or goes uncollected in the vast ocean of data. It can also be data that is inaccessible or improperly formatted. Data Incompleteness: Not all data is captured in every situation, and this missing information often plays a crucial role in decision-making processes. Selection Bias: The data we collect is often skewed due to selection bias, which can lead to false inferences or misleading conclusions. Unintended Consequences: Ignoring or misinterpreting dark data can lead to unintended consequences, such as flawed business strategies or inaccurate scientific research. Data Quality: The quality of the data collected is vital. Bad data can lead to bad decisions. It’s necessary to validate and clean data for accuracy. Data Interpretation: Even good data can be misinterpreted. The process of data interpretation needs to be meticulous and considerate of various factors. Future of Dark Data: As technology advances, it's essential to develop tools and strategies to exploit dark data effectively and ethically. Use of Dark Data: Dark data can provide significant insights when used correctly, offering a competitive advantage in business or groundbreaking discoveries in research. Data Privacy and Ethics: The collection and use of dark data raise significant questions about privacy and ethics, which need to be addressed. Data Literacy: The need for data literacy is increasing, as understanding and interpreting data becomes a crucial skill in various sectors. Deep-Dive Analysis: In "Dark Data - Why What You Don’t Know Matters", David J. Hand delves into the concept of dark data and its significance in our increasingly data-driven world. The book serves as a wake-up call to all data users and practitioners about the potential pitfalls of ignoring or misinterpreting data. The term 'Dark Data' is coined to define the data that is missed, ignored, or unreadable during data collection and analysis. Hand argues that this missing data, if not considered, can lead to skewed results and faulty conclusions. This concept resonates with my own experience in data science, where we often refer to the phrase "Garbage in, Garbage out" – emphasizing the importance of data quality. The book emphasizes the dangers of selection bias in data collection. This occurs when the data collected is not representative of the whole population, leading to misleading inferences. For instance, in a medical trial, if the participants are skewed towards a certain age group or ethnicity, the results cannot be generalized to the entire population. Hand also tackles the unintended consequences of ignoring dark data. He suggests that neglecting to consider this data can lead to flawed strategies in business or inaccurate findings in scientific research. This is particularly important in an era where data-driven decision making is paramount. The book further highlights the importance of accurate data interpretation. Even when we have 'good' data, it can be misinterpreted due to various factors such as cognitive biases or lack of context. This underlines the need for meticulous data analysis and the importance of data literacy. Looking towards the future, Hand discusses the potential of dark data as technology advances. As we develop more sophisticated tools and strategies, the unexplored dark data will become increasingly valuable. However, the author also addresses the ethical and privacy concerns surrounding the collection and use of this data. In conclusion, "Dark Data - Why What You Don’t Know Matters" is an eye-opening exploration of the overlooked aspects of data. It highlights the potential dangers and the significant opportunities that lie in the data we don’t see or understand. As a data practitioner, I believe this book is a must-read for anyone dealing with data, as it equips you with valuable insights and cautions you about the pitfalls in this data-driven era.
ViewContinuous Discovery Habits - Discover Products that Create Customer Value and Business Value
Teresa Torres
Key Facts and Insights Continuous Discovery: The book paints a vivid picture of the continuous discovery process, arguing that it's not a linear or one-off process but an ongoing cycle of learning, adapting, and improving. Customer-Centric Approach: The author underscores the importance of a customer-centric approach, suggesting that understanding customer needs and behaviors should be at the heart of product development. Outcome-Over-Output Mindset: Torres emphasizes the importance of focusing on outcomes rather than outputs. It's not about how many features a product has, but how it impacts customers' lives. Collaborative Discovery: The book outlines the importance of collaborative discovery, promoting the idea of involving the whole team in the product discovery process. Opportunity Solution Tree: Torres introduced a unique tool called the Opportunity Solution Tree to visualize and prioritize opportunities for product improvements. Experimentation and Validation: The author stresses the necessity of experimentation and validation throughout the product development process. Interview Techniques: The book provides insightful interview techniques and tools to gain a deep understanding of customer needs. Building Empathy: Torres highlights the importance of building empathy with customers to create products that genuinely solve their problems. Product Trio: The book suggests that the most effective discovery teams are composed of a product manager, a designer, and a software engineer - referred to as the "product trio". Discovery Cadence: The book advocates for a weekly discovery cadence, where teams engage in regular discovery activities to keep learning and adapting. In-depth Summary and Analysis "Continuous Discovery Habits" is a comprehensive guide to modern product management. Teresa Torres, an experienced product discovery coach, brings to light the importance of continuous discovery in creating valuable products. Torres starts by challenging the traditional, linear model of product development. Instead, she proposes a cycle of continuous discovery where learning, adapting, and improving are continuous processes. As a professor who's been dealing with these topics for years, I find this perspective refreshing. It aligns well with the rapid pace of change in today's digital world, where products must constantly evolve to meet changing consumer needs. The book's emphasis on a customer-centric approach is another crucial insight. Torres argues that understanding customer needs and behaviors should be the cornerstone of product development. This aligns with concepts I've taught over the years, such as "user-centered design," where the user's needs, wants, and limitations are a focus at all stages within the design process. A key theme in the book is the outcome-over-output mindset. Torres points out that product teams often get caught up in delivering features (output) and lose sight of the desired outcomes. This resonates with the "Jobs to Be Done" theory, which argues that customers don't buy products or services; they "hire" them to do a job. Another key insight from the book is the role of collaboration in discovery. Torres argues that involving the whole team in the product discovery process can lead to better solutions. This concept parallels the "cross-functional team" approach popular in agile development practices. The Opportunity Solution Tree, a unique tool introduced in the book, is an effective way to visualize and prioritize opportunities for product improvements. As an academic tool, it encourages systematic thinking and can help teams avoid jumping to solutions before thoroughly exploring the problem space. Torres' emphasis on experimentation and validation is in line with the scientific method and lean startup principles. She suggests that before investing significant resources into building a product, teams should validate their assumptions through small, quick experiments. The book is also a valuable resource for learning interview techniques to gain a deep understanding of customer needs. Torres provides practical advice on how to ask effective questions and listen empathetically. Building on the idea of empathy, Torres underscores the importance of building empathy with customers. She argues that deep empathy leads to products that genuinely solve customer problems, a concept that aligns with the empathize stage in the Design Thinking process. The product trio concept proposed in the book is also noteworthy. Torres suggests that the most effective discovery teams are composed of a product manager, a designer, and a software engineer. This trio ensures a balance of business, design, and technical perspectives in the discovery process. Finally, Torres advocates for a weekly discovery cadence, where teams engage in regular discovery activities. This routine allows teams to continuously learn, adapt, and improve, keeping the spirit of continuous discovery alive. In conclusion, "Continuous Discovery Habits" provides a comprehensive framework for modern product discovery. It echoes many concepts I've taught over the years while introducing new tools and perspectives. By internalizing the book's key insights, teams can create products that create real value for customers and businesses alike.
ViewInvisible Women - Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
Caroline Criado Perez
Key Facts from "Invisible Women - Data Bias in a World Designed for Men" Gender data gap: Most societal norms, systems, and designs have been created using data predominantly from male subjects. Sex-disaggregated data: The lack of sex-disaggregated data leads to a lack of representation for women in various fields and designs. Healthcare bias: The gender data gap in medical research and healthcare leads to misdiagnoses and ineffective treatment for women. Economic inequality: The economic system is set up in a way that undervalues and ignores women's work. Transportation and urban planning: Infrastructure and planning are designed with the male commuter in mind, ignoring the different travel patterns and safety concerns of women. Technology: Tech products are designed for the average male, leading to an inherent bias in their design and functionality. Workplace bias: Offices and workplaces are designed considering the comfort and needs of men, disregarding those of women. Public safety: Women's safety is often overlooked in public policies and urban planning, leading to a lack of safety provisions for women in public spaces. Disaster response: Disaster response strategies are often designed without considering the specific needs and vulnerabilities of women, causing them to bear the brunt of disasters. Political representation: The lack of women in decision-making positions leads to policies that overlook women's needs. Detailed Analysis "Invisible Women - Data Bias in a World Designed for Men", by Caroline Criado Perez, presents a compelling argument about the gender data gap and its wide-ranging effects on society. The author argues that the world is predominantly designed for men, citing various instances where women's needs and experiences have been overlooked. The concept of the gender data gap is a central theme in the book. Perez posits that the data used to design many systems, norms, and products is biased, as it is primarily collected from men. This leads to a male-centric view that permeates various aspects of society, making women 'invisible.' In healthcare, for instance, Perez highlights the lack of sex-disaggregated data, with most medical research being conducted on male subjects. This bias often results in misdiagnoses and ineffective treatments for women, as their symptoms and responses to medication can differ significantly from those of men. The economy is another area where this bias is evident. Women's work, particularly unpaid domestic work and caregiving, is undervalued and often ignored in economic systems. This leads to economic inequality and exacerbates the gender pay gap. The gender data gap also extends to infrastructure and urban planning, which are typically designed with the male commuter in mind, disregarding women's different travel patterns and safety concerns. Perez further explores how tech products, offices, public safety policies, disaster response strategies, and political representation all reflect the male-centric bias. Tech products, for example, are designed for the 'average' male user, making them uncomfortable or even dangerous for women to use. In the workplace, settings are often designed for the comfort of men, with little consideration for women's needs. The author also highlights the lack of safety provisions for women in public spaces, with public safety policies often ignoring women's unique safety concerns. The gender bias extends to disaster response strategies, where the specific needs and vulnerabilities of women are not considered, leading to a higher impact on women during disasters. The lack of women in decision-making positions, according to Perez, contributes significantly to these issues. This underrepresentation leads to a lack of policies that address women's needs and experiences. The key takeaway from Perez's work is the urgent need to address the gender data gap and incorporate women's experiences and needs into all aspects of design, policy-making, and research. Acknowledging and addressing this bias is critical to creating a more equitable society for all. References to Concepts and Ideas Perez's work intersects with several key concepts and theories in gender studies, sociology, and economics. These include intersectionality, which considers how various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other, and feminist economics, which critiques traditional economics as being inherently biased towards men. Moreover, the book aligns with the concept of gender mainstreaming, an approach to policy development that takes into account both women's and men's interests and experiences. It also draws on the notion of gendered innovations, which encourages the inclusion of sex and gender analysis in research and development. In conclusion, "Invisible Women" is a call to action to address the systemic bias in our societies and to work towards a more inclusive world where women's experiences, needs, and contributions are acknowledged and valued. Through this book, Perez offers a powerful critique of the gender data gap, urging us all to challenge and change the status quo. The book is an essential read for anyone interested in understanding and addressing gender inequality in our world.
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22.October 2022It was really helpful. She did meetup my expectations of having insights on product manager role and the courses to pursue to get there. Thank you very much for the session, looking forward to connect again to gain more insights from you.