The Product Hack

Hacking Product Management Conventional Wisdom

Archive for category Managing Projects

Classic Fumble: Preventing users from shooting themselves in the foot…

Mar 10

Posted by admin in Managing Projects, Requirements and Planning | No Comments

It’s a common phrase I’ve heard uttered by engineers of all types be they usability, systems, software and so on. “We have got to make sure that users don’t shoot themselves in the foot by <insert inane/benign/obscure user operation here>.

What this phrase is really meant to convey is the well-intended effort to prevent a poor user experience by allowing bad things to happen. Prevention is then implemented through protective measures. And while I fully support this philosophy, in fact I count it as one of my major agendas for any product I manage, it’s the implementation of that philosophy that often runs afoul of the very users it is meant to protect.

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Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds…

Oct 3

Posted by admin in Managing Projects | No Comments

So said Emerson. I have to think he was writing about bureaucracy or some other process-laden organization.

God, if I have to fill out one more form just to get one word changed…

Why is it that most processes are supposed to be more efficient yet most end-up being overly-bureaucratic nightmares of B.S paperwork, needless questions, and endless reviews? More...ANY process should always have the following qualities: 

Repeatable – if the process isn’t defined to a level that enables it to be repeatedly and EASILY followed, then throw it out.

Controllable - if you have no idea how things work or know what’s going on, it ain’t a process.

Efficient – This seems to be the big area of problems. Processes that are repeatable and controllable, but that aren’t efficient completely defeat the purpose. Here that SOX auditors and consultants? You’ve delivered a big suck-job on that one you sonsof…

Adaptable – This one is even a bigger problem. Have you ever requested something from…oh let’s say IT…and received a blank stare that screams “we don’t have a procedure for that…”? If you have created a process is soooo effin rigid that the slightest deviation causes the entire machine to grind to an ugly hault, then please remove the sign someone stapled on your back that says “asshole” – seriously, it there – just look.