Minimum to understand, keep testing
I started a new job this month.
As the senior product manager, my job description focuses on the externalities of the product a team creates.
Except, it isn’t that.
What I do is create alignment for the product, the consumer, and the team building the damn thing.
And as the defacto head of marketing, understand the process so that those who end up working for (content, production, design, social) and around (recruiting, product, sales) can work from that alignment without having to consult me.
So, this month and theme have been pretty fortuitous for me.
Why?
Everything I do in this position requires a minimum effective dose to be effective, quickly.Writing about the work of testing, understanding risk, and falsifiability has helped me communicate it through action.
This work has helped me resist the temptation to “go all in” to feel effective, because I know I can’t “afford” it. I can’t afford to go all in on anything because, as a startup, everything (including me) is new. Resources are tight, time is tighter, and in this environment, you cannot afford to move without trust.
Every movement is a test, not to be liked, but to be effective.
Think of it as a “pen test” instead of a business plan.
Small is significant, and thrashing is a must.
Move forward.
From the desk of Adam Thomas 