Summary
When teams don’t know how to pivot, the resulting waste can lead to a slow down in product delivery. Unfortunately, such confusion occurs commonly in UX/Product teams where roles can blur, and overlap between responsibilities can be rampant. In this session, product expert Adam Thomas introduces the concept of “Survival Metrics” — an approach to team collaboration that not only encourages healthy pivots, but puts in place the mechanisms to achieve them. Stick around to join the conversation and ask Adam your questions during our post-session Q+A, moderated by Christian Crumlish.
Key Insights
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Most tech initiatives fail to noticeably improve metrics, highlighting a 60-90% failure rate on ideas.
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The 'reality distortion field' can lead to false certainty where teams risk ignoring disconnects between reality and outcomes.
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Strategic planning should consist of a diagnosis of problems, clear guiding policies, and coherent actions that reflect the company's identity.
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Survival metrics allow teams to decide when to invest, pivot, or cease projects, enhancing decision-making agility.
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A repetitive approach to strategy and metrics development fosters better adaptability and responsiveness in teams.
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Building a culture of trust involves sharing information broadly and showing vulnerability within teams.
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Avoiding the sunk cost fallacy is crucial for making effective decisions and not sticking with failing initiatives.
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Political safety can enhance cooperation and communication between departments, improving overall product outcomes.
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Survival metrics are tied to both organizational strategy and real-time decision making, making them essential in chaotic environments.
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Developing anti-fragile product organizations helps absorb shocks and improve resilience against external pressures.
Notable Quotes
"What is the last decision you've made?"
"Steve Jobs created the Macintosh but was also notoriously a jackass due to his reality distortion field."
"When we create things, we don’t know the ending. Most of our ideas do not make sense."
"A good strategy honestly acknowledges the challenges being faced and provides an approach to overcoming them."
"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."
"The sunk cost fallacy is our tendency to follow through on an endeavor if we've already invested time and money into it."
"When you move fast, you limit options and use predefined language for clear team communication."
"Making decisions is hard, especially when you're not clear about the problems you're trying to solve."
"When we don't learn how to stop, pivot, and invest, we end up stuck on go."
"Repetition, representation, and association are keys to great product development."
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