Link: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/product-sense
Author: Jules Walter (via Lenny’s Newsletter)
Why it is worth it: The definitive guide to building product sense through empathy and creativity, with actionable practices from a longtime PM at Slack and YouTube.
Best for: Product Managers, founders, and anyone building products.
Notes
- Product sense is a learned skill, not something you’re born with
- Four key practices to develop product sense:
- Observe people using products - attend user research sessions, pay attention to micro-details, ask why people react certain ways
- Deconstruct everyday products - spend 1-2 hours/month trying new products, ask what works and what doesn’t, compare competing products
- Learn from great product thinkers - work with them, attend product reviews, take notes on patterns in their feedback
- Be curious about technology trends - track macro trends (platform shifts, social changes, regulations) and micro changes (new APIs, capabilities)
Key insights:
- People are time-crunched and distracted - make primary actions obvious
- People drop out when confused - use clear labels and appropriate contrast
- Details matter - “The details are not the details. They make the design.”
- Frame problems clearly to set strong constraints - this narrows solutions and speeds decision-making
- “Live in the future, then build what’s missing” - Paul Graham
Signs you’re getting better at product sense:
- Notice subtle things about products and people you missed before
- Anticipate non-obvious user problems
- Develop higher-quality hypotheses despite ambiguity
- Contribute more unique insights to your team
- Be right more often about metric impacts