“Einmal ist keinmal” – Milan Kundera
First of all, not many people build. Remember Zipf’s law.
So make something (build), show it to others (launch), analyze (measure), and get feedbacks (learn). And repeat that process (iterate).
Even for those few people who actually build stuff, most of them get stuck on the creation part. But you have to iterate the whole build-launch-measure-learn loops. Don’t get stuck inside the loop—iterate before pivot.
Building something is a skill, but learning from users is also a skill. Usually, the former is project-specific, but the latter is more general—no matter what you build, you will benefit if you know how to get feedback from users.
And the ability to learn from users compounds because it’s not project-specific. Interoperability implies compounding, and compounding is a superpower.
Next:
1-1a5b4.3a Pick iterable projects (for you)
1-1a5b4.4 Real-time calibration (i.e., recalibration) lets you adapt to the changing landscape
When you invert this, it also means that you can always redefine your project and make it iterable. One way to do that is by breaking down your project into mini-projects, and only working on where you can contribute. Shipping perfection means you are too late—you have to embrace iterative minimalism.
The same principle applies to writing: William Zinsser says you should decide what corner of your subject you’re going to bite off, and be content and cover it well and stop; Paul Graham says you should write a bad version 1.0 as fast as you can. And both agree that the essence of writing is rewriting.
Related Notes:
9-2a1.1 Idea is direction. Execution is speed.
7-1a1a1 Imaginary problems lead to ‘investment’ and ‘work’ - don’t indulge with them
- How to get feedbacks (from The Mom Test):
- Learn from what people already do instead of what they say
- Bad questions:
- Leading questions (they are with assumptions)
- “How do you like it?” (e.g., restaurant)
- “What do you think about my idea?”
- “Would you use my app everyday?”
- “Feature request?”
- “Would you pay money for this?”
- Leading questions (they are with assumptions)
- Better questions:
- Make it about their life, not your project. Ask about their habits and experiences to gain insight on how to improve your own idea
- “What does the taste reminds you of?” (e.g., restaurant)
- “What do you like about it, what you don’t like about it?” (e.g., restaurant)
- “Why signed up?”
- “What apps do you use everyday? Why?”
- “What do you use already? What stands out about them?”
- “This costs $9 - do you want to pay now?”
- “Do you pay something like this right now?”
- Make it about their life, not your project. Ask about their habits and experiences to gain insight on how to improve your own idea
- Bad questions:
- Learn from what people already do instead of what they say
Related Notes:
4-1c1 Don’t prematurely zoom in during conversation, because he might not be self-conscious of the real problems
4-1d4 Listening is the most effective way to pay respect, and it’s free
7-1b2a Arbitrage what’s been said vs what’s been bought
7-1b2b1 The best is seeing the front by yourself, because inexplicit and unconscious ideas exist between heads not within them