rising star: in defense of product documentation (natasha awasthi)
TRANSCRIPT
Why and when will product people need
documentation?(hint: reusable assets)
How can they be reimagined so authors
and readers don’t cry!
…
Why and when will product people need
documentation?(hint: reusable assets for speed and consistency)
How can they be reimagined so authors
and readers don’t cry! (hint: mainstream media is pooh-poohing print and engaging audience
in exciting ways, surely we can do better) …
Steve Case
Third-wave companies will take on some of the economy’s largest sectors: health care, education, transportation, energy, financial services, food and government services.
Steve Case
Third-wave companies will take on some of the economy’s largest sectors: health care, education, transportation, energy, financial services, food and government services.
in other words…
Andreessen Horowitz
Software is eating the world.
Newsflash: The world is not going down with out a fight.
“Full stack start-ups” care about every aspect of their product/service, so they need to get good at many different things besides software -
“Full stack start-ups” care about every aspect of their product/service, so they need to get good at many different things besides software - hardware, design, consumer marketing, supply chain management, sales, partnerships, regulation, etc. - Chris Dixon A16z
Solution
Task
Strategic
Relationship
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Increasing “full-stack-ness” of Products\Services
Solution
Task
Strategic: High learning
curve, high need for
scaling knowledge and
empathy organization
wide* Relationship
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*For agility you need all layers of your stack to be creative and confidence, which comes from knowledge
Increasing “full-stack-ness” of Products\Services
SolutionHigh learning curve with
low risk of disrupting
customer experience
TaskLow learning curve and
low risk of disrupting
customer experience
Strategic
RelationshipLow learning curve with
high need for cascading
product knowledge
organization wideIncr
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Increasing “full-stack-ness” of Products\Services
Solution
Task
Strategic*Documentation need: High
Type: Engaging, Fun, reusable assets,
published on predictable rhythms
Focus: Breadcrumbs to solution not
limited to outcomes.
Relationship
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*For agility you need all layers of your stack to be creative and confidence, which comes from knowledge
Increasing “full-stack-ness” of Products\Services
Telling people what to do without backing it up with why you think so, is the most efficient way to disengage them.
Solution
Task
Strategic: High learning
curve, high need for
scaling knowledge and
empathy organization
wide Relationship
Incr
easi
ng
co
mp
lexi
ty o
f P
rod
uct
Increasing “full-stack-ness” of Products\Services
Why and when will product people
need documentation? (hint: reusable assets)
How can they be reimagined so authors
and readers don’t cry!
…
The innovation isn’t in what artifacts product managers will create but in how we’ll deliver our insights, how we’ll engage our teammates.
Interview insights Problem definition Empathy maps Systems maps and
landscape Vision Personas Storyboards
Blueprints Journey maps User stories Low fidelity prototypes Mock-ups
Roadmaps Business model design Use cases Business logic and constraints
Conceptual data models
State transition diagrams
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Trying to inspire people to jump out bed, thinking, “I can’t wait to browse my product backlog,” is crazy talk.
Trying to inspire people to jump out bed, thinking, “I can’t wait to browse my product backlog,” is crazy talk.
Could we pique their curiosity, make them wonder, “What’s new today?”
Blog
Why should the voice to the customers be exciting but the voice of the customer be boring?
Social Newsletter Video
Implications:
Talent Internal processes Customer
Create routines Invest in training
Create space in your plans
Solution
Task Relationship
Increasing “full-stack-ness” of Products\Services
StrategicDocumentation need: High
Type: Engaging, Fun, reusable assets,
published on predictable rhythms
Focus: Breadcrumbs to solution not
limited to outcomes.
Partnerships
Policy
Incr
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co
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lexi
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Persevere
Telling people what to do without backing it up with why you think so, is the most efficient way to disengage them.
The innovation isn’t in what artifacts product managers will create but in how we’ll deliver our insights, how we’ll engage our teammates.