Ze'ev Abrams’ Post

Here is another quick read from Marty Cagan. Is Product Art or Science. This would translate to Are Product Managers Artists or Scientists? Do share your thoughts in comments below 👇

I've been reading Inspired by Marty Cagan, and it looks like I'll be adding another book to my reading list after coming across his recent article, "Is Product Art or Science?" In it, he argues that product development is undeniably both. Marty explains that while artists create to express themselves, product teams create for their users. However, when we look at modern artists, we see that self-expression remains key to their success—those who create work that is meaningful to them often resonate more strongly with their audience. From my experience, when modern artists create solely to please others, the result tends to fall flat. This makes me wonder: "Perhaps, when we fail as product owners, it's because we're chasing trends and immediate consumer approval, much like some modern artists do today, instead of following the approach of historical greats who applied their skills thoughtfully to what their patrons—and by extension, users—actually wanted and needed." Take Michelangelo, for example. Many of his greatest works, like the Sistine Chapel and David, were commissions. Yet, even under patron demands, he infused his own creativity and vision, transforming the work beyond expectations. His balance between meeting patrons' needs and applying his personal artistry mirrors the ideal for product teams—where we use our skills thoughtfully, not just to impress, but to truly serve our users. As Marty says, "There can be real art and beauty in the engineering, real art and beauty in the design, and real art and beauty in the solutions we build." If I envision a favorite product as a piece of art, I want it to function as gracefully as it looks, much like a well-crafted masterpiece. #productdevelopment #productowner #productmanagement

I really love this. Definitely going to pick up this book. When I first got hooked on software development, this was a big part of the draw - the integration of creative thinking and problem solving mixed with very technical skill. I realized over the years that most creative mediums are also very structured. Music composition, painting, sculpture, writing, etc. all have structures and methods that create cohesion and relatability. The truly great ones are able to connect with their audience on a deeper level that's both scientific and emotional. Michaelangelo's painting on the Sistine Chapel ceiling became famous because it appeals to people's beliefs, but also combines technical elements: it's impressive given it's size, height and the complexity of painting on a ceiling. It's vibrant in color, expressive, and also representative of the period style. Like many other piece of art it captures emotion and impresses with it's technical mastery. Similarly, the best products do the same. They provide a quantifiable value in a way that uses familiar/standard paradigms, but gives us something we don't otherwise have. While these things are testable and discoverable, they are not obvious and easy. #engineering #art #technicalcomplexity #mastery #product #productmanagement

I Love this piece by Marty Cagan, where he digs into a question we’ve all thought about at some point: 𝐈𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞? After reading 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐑𝐮𝐛𝐢𝐧, Marty shares some eye-opening thoughts on how creativity and problem-solving come together to build products that people love. Check out the article to learn more about the art and science of building great products.

🚨 Rick Rubin’s “The Creative Act” has dropped a lot of game-changing wisdom, but here’s something that popped out to me today - In the chapter *Make It Up*, Rubin says: “We tend to think what we’re making is the most important thing in our lives and that it’s going to define us forever.” 💡 In today’s fast-evolving world of AI, this hits HARD. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed—like every move we make has to be perfect, final, and defining. But here’s the truth: It’s not about the outcome, it’s about the *process*. Your ability to *pivot* and *adapt* is what will define your success—whether you’re building in #product, scaling in #entrepreneurship, or surfing this 4th wave of AI. 💭 Thought experiment: How could you lower the stakes for yourself and your team allow the breathing room required innovate? #AI #Innovation #Leadership #GrowthMindset

Design #quote of the month: As #designers we tend to use #visuals to support our #stories, we only least words possible to complete the picture. Every month I'll be posting a #design quote of the month under the guise of 'Don't say a little in many words but a great deal in a few". This month a quote from Roberto Verganti from one of my favorite #innovation books, Design-Driven Innovation (Highly recommended read!) In design we always seek a deeper connection in the products we design to create #value to it's users. #Understanding the pain-points is one, understanding the hidden #desires that can enrich products with #meaning is another, and one that will truly create a high perceived #value. #design #designleadership #designdriveninnovation #humancentereddesign #purpose #vision #inspiration Stockholm School of Economics

Thinking about skipping research? 🚨 Don't do it! Research isn't just a 'launch' thing. It's an 'always' thing. Whether you've got a brand-new idea or an existing product, research helps you dodge that "oops, I did something no one wants" moment. But where do you start? Find out by reading our blog by Product Design expert Katelin Wall, PhD: Research 101: https://lnkd.in/gtaSZYQA #research #productdesign #understandyouruser

This resonated with me today: "“One flaw of designers (as people) is pretending faster is always better and quick always equals efficient. A fast pace can feel good and productive short-term, but there are many long-term consequences: losing productivity, overlooking important things, and undermining diversity. It is not efficient to move so fast that we exhaust ourselves, overlook the obvious, or break everything along the way, yet we often make that assumption.” It's from Assembling Tomorrow and I highly recommend the book. https://lnkd.in/gK43NueY

Design is taking a new direction. It is moving to being mindset-driven and appreciating the value of the processes on the people impacted. It needs to change to cope with the speed of change. Leaders need to understand their role is to design the future, it's much more than just managing growth. To improve your leadership, embrace design. Read the book!

This month in Design Intelligence, I’m looking at designing friction. “In substituting a purposeful hindrance in place of streamlined ease, you're telling everyone that you think for yourself, craving challenge over convenience.” - Jake Silbert, writing in High Snobiety about the mini comeback of wired headphones, one of a handful of purposefully more-effort tech experiences that people are starting to choose. Friction pushes us, helps us test our limits and our capabilities, and tips us out of the smooth flow of software-optimised lives to feel something for a moment. That has value, and always will. More here: https://lnkd.in/et2-7RhN #techtrends #DesignIntelligence #newsletter #researchnotes