In Defense of Documentation@natashaawasthi

Future Insights 2015

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Product people love the messy but satisfying business of building stuff.

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Why and when will product people need

documentation?

…

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) …

<rant>

<rant>

</rant> stop and go back to the future

Andreessen Horowitz

Software is eating the world.

Steve Case

Get ready, the internet is about to change again. Here’s how.

Steve Case

The Internet, Infrastructure, Information superhighway

and then,

Steve Case

Building on top of the Internet

and then,

Steve Case

Third-wave companies will take on some of the economy’s largest sectors:

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.

Andreessen Horowitz

Software is eating the world.

Newsflash: The world is not going down with out a fight.

Steve Case

Increasing Complexity of Product Landscape

Policy Partnership Perseverance

One more thing: The “Full stack start-ups”

“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

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Increasing “full-stack-ness” of Products\Services

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.

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Solution

Task

Strategic: High learning

curve, high need for

scaling knowledge and

empathy organization

wide Relationship

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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?”

Why should the voice to the customers be exciting but the voice of the customer be boring?

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

<summary>

Andreessen Horowitz

Software is eating the world.

Andreessen Horowitz

Software is eating the world.

The world is not going down with out a fight.

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

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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.

Why should the voice to the customers be exciting but the voice of the customer be boring?

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.

Product people love the messy but satisfying business of building stuff.

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</summary>

thank you for playing @natashaawasthi