PRODUCTHEAD: Personal user manuals
» Written well, personal user manuals can build psychological safety
» However, they can also be abused to excuse certain counter-productive behaviours
Tag: communication
PRODUCTHEAD: Sunsetting a product or feature
When sunsetting a product or feature:
» Explain why honestly and be transparent about how it will impact your users
» Be understanding as they may be disappointed or frustrated by the change
» Be responsive and supportive by answering your users’ questions and helping them with the transition
» If possible, offer your users alternative features or solutions
PRODUCTHEAD: Communication toolkit recap
» In case you missed it: recap of the communication toolkit
PRODUCTHEAD: It’s okay to be proud of your achievements
» To earn trust you need people to know what you’ve achieved
» Weeknotes are a way to work in the open, reflect and attain a sense of achievement
» Being trusted makes it easier for you to carve out the space your team needs to succeed
PRODUCTHEAD: Bad communication – how to annoy and alienate your users
» Celsys are going to start charging for software updates to their popular Clip Studio Paint product
» The way Celsys communicated this to their users caused outrage — some of which was justified
» Fog Creek found themselves trying to monetise their viral product Trello, which it had promised would be free forever
» Fog Creek had first mover advantage on an easily copied product, which it exploited by a timely sale to Atlassian
PRODUCTHEAD: Presenting to inform, educate and entertain (communication toolkit #5)
» Story structure and the right content give your presenting more impact
» Try to create presentations that captivate, not subdue
» A perception audit helps narrow the gap between how you perceive yourself and how others see you
» Good breathing technique when speaking both calms you and produces a better sound
PRODUCTHEAD: Efficient note-taking (communication toolkit #4)
» A mind map is helpful for noting non-linear information
» The Cornell note-taking method can be useful for learning
» Sketchnotes allow more effective visual communication
PRODUCTHEAD: Writing for the needs of your audience (communication toolkit #3)
» What you write online is there to serve the users’ needs
» Writing for the web = using short sentences
» People read differently on the web than they do on paper
» Tools exist to help make your writing easier to understand
PRODUCTHEAD: How to read more effectively (communication toolkit #2)
» Read a format that suits you best, whether physical or digital
» As you read, ask yourself questions of the content to keep yourself engaged with it
» Analytical reading allows you to understand, then accept or reject the key idea being presented
» F-shaped reading occurs on web content because people are short on time or engagement
PRODUCTHEAD: Active listening (communication toolkit #1)
» Being a better listener can improve your productivity, as well as your ability to influence, persuade and negotiate
» Psychological safety partly depends on your team feeling they are being listened to
