Your weekly product management reading. Not too much, not too little, just right.
I hate to say it, but I think there are great product reading digests already out there. For example, the folks at PM Handbook produce a weekly product manager reading digest. Moreover, there are other product manager blogs, such as PM Blog on Quora by Jackie, or similar posts on Medium.
Besides, how much does your product acumen and product management understanding improve from cursory reading of blogs?
So, this week, let's experiment. This week, I want to talk explore a case-study from a content-oriented SaaS business.
If you have experience in this field, I hope you will share insights with me and others, so we can collaborate in discovering answers.
This is your homework. Here are the facts of the business (generalized, but based on a real business).
Industry Background
A suite of products and businesses are complementing traditional educational institutions. For example, Kahn Academy and similar MOOCs have democratized educational content. Within the tech-niche, skills-based platforms like Skillshare broaden the accessibility of the content to the masses. Skillshare crowdsources the best teachers on a given topic. Finally, in-person immersive programs like the General Assembly condense the traditional educational model to the core skills, and complement them with online resources.
Business Details
Let's call our business Hacker University.
Product Management Challenge
You are hired to help this business grow.
What stands out to you as topics to dig deeper into based on the details shared above? What do you prioritize? What would be your top action to increase business success? What data do you gather to support that hypothesis?
Related Reading - variable reward
I came across an intriguing reading in a section of Nir's Hooked book about variable rewards.
Businesses with finite variability are not inferior per se, they just operate under different constraints. They must constantly churn out new content and experiences to cater to their consumers’ insatiable desire for novelty. It is no coincidence that both Hollywood and the video gaming industry operate under what is called the “studio model,” whereby a deep pocketed company provides backing and distribution to a portfolio of movies or games, uncertain which one will become the next mega-hit.
This is in contrast with companies making products exhibiting “infinite variability” - experiences, which maintain user interest by sustaining variability with use.
While content consumption like watching a TV show, is an example of finite variability, content creation is infinitely variable. Sites like Dribbble, a platform for designers and artists to showcase their work, exemplify the longer-lasting engagement that comes from infinite variability.
Collaborative
If any of you are interested in working on this case study together, shoot me a note. I would be open to setting up an evening Google Hangout and having a short discussion and practice PM thinking with you.
Regardless, next week, I will disclose my thoughts on this problem.
As a side note, we occasionally post and share slides via PM Fast Track on Slideshare. Check it out!
What are you reading? Please: share the reading.
July 14: How to Get a Product Manager Job Featuring Lewis C. Lin, author of fantastic PM interview book Decode and Conquer
July 22: Product Management Meetup at Yammer by Web and Mobile product managers. Great networking opportunity.
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