Resources for product teams from industry experts
Those with more creativity invent ways to do things more effectively (for instance by finding good people, good technologies, and/or good designs). Those with more character are better able to wrestle with their challenges and demands. And those with more wisdom can maintain their equanimity by going to the higher level and looking down on themselves and their challenges to properly prioritize, realistically design, and make sensible choices.
— Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio
The homogeneity principle states that the outputs of a system are always directly proportional to the input. In other words, twice as much in results in twice as much out. This principle, however, can’t predict the effect of the previous states of the system on the outputs. Often previous states have a significant effect on present or future conditions. In other words, linearity can’t capture feedback; inputs and outputs come and go without any connection between them.
Systems operating in space and time will inevitably be affected by feedback loops from their environment as every action the system takes will drive some sort of consequence. This consequence will feed back to the future state of the system that in return will elicit a reaction from the system. Therefore, as soon as we position our system into the real world, things unavoidably turn nonlinear. The more feedback loops we capture and include in our system mapping model, the more realistic of a picture we get about reality — and the more nonlinear the world becomes.
— The Systems Thinker – Dynamic Systems: Make Better Decisions and Find Lasting Solutions Using Scientific Analysis by Albert Rutherford
If all of the goals you set for yourself run counter to your own passions “…” question the goals you have set in the first place. Satisfaction is not found in the achievement of goals, but in their pursuit, so many of the steps along the way to your goals should be enjoyable. The most proficient and prolific artists, authors, and architects all achieved what they did because they found a way to capitalize on what they already loved. Set goals that fit who you are, what you enjoy, and what you value.
— Designing the Mind: The Principles of Psychitecture by Ryan A. Bush
Use tools to collect data and process it into conclusions and actions. Imagine that virtually everything important going on in your company can be captured as data, and that you can build algorithms to instruct the computer, as you would instruct a person, to analyze that data and use it in the way you agreed it should be used. In that way, you and the computer on your behalf could look at each person and all the people together and provide tailored guidance.
— Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio
Algorithms are principles in action on a continuous basis. I believe that systemized, evidence-based decision making will radically improve the quality of management. Human managers process information spontaneously using poorly thought-out criteria and are unproductively affected by their emotional biases. These all lead to suboptimal decisions. Imagine what it would be like to have a machine that processes high-quality data using high-quality decision-making principles and criteria. Like the GPS in your car, it would be invaluable, whether you follow all of its suggestions or not. I believe that such tools will be essential in the future.
— Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio
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