Slides Andrew Hsu recently used in his discussion w/ mentees of The Product Mentor. Synopsis: When everything is in chaos because you work at a start up, here are the only three things that matter for you to focus on. This will help you focus and keep moving forward. The Product Mentor is a program designed to pair Product Mentors and Mentees from around the World, across all industries, from start-up to enterprise, guided by the fundamental goals…Better Decisions. Better Products. Better Product People. Throughout the program, each mentor leads a conversation in an area of their expertise that is live streamed and available to both mentee and the broader product community. http://TheProductMentor.com

1. When everything is chaos, focus
on these 3 things.
Andrew Hsu

2. About me...
Past
Electrical engineer for oil-refineries
7+ years as a product manager
Present
Building high performing cultures

3. In cooking:
Heat, time, and space on the pan.

4. In project management:
Scope, people, time

5. In chaos:
Customers, team, yourself

6. What could chaos be?

7. Zombie apocalypse...

8. ZombieCorp.

10. focus #1
Your customer

11. How do I deliver customer impact?

12. 1. What are the customer needs and their deadlines?
2. What are your constraints?
3. How soon do we need to deliver on these needs?
4. Work backwards
5. Who needs to know?
Do

13. Customer needs, deadlines, and
constraints

14. Transylvania Needs
● Cure/defense
against zombies
● Keep morale up
● 1,000 people
(army)
Deadline
● 4 days until
zombies arrive
Constraints
● Can only send one
solution a day
● Instant
communication
● Have zombies to
test solutions
● We have 4
potential solutions
Pegasus Needs
● Cure/defense
against zombies
● Keep morale up
for
● 20 people (like
comedy)
Deadline
● 31 days until
zombies arrive
Constraints
● 10 days to deliver
one solution
● Can only send one
at a time
● Instant
communication
● No zombies to test
on
● We have 4
potential solutions

15. Timeline and work backwards

16. 1000 people
Z arrives in 4 days
Day 1, experiment 1 Day 2, experiment 2 Day 3, experiment 3
20 people
Z arrive in 31 days
Day 10 Day 20 Day 30

17. Cure
Extra day to test
Garlic
Immediate effect; tasty
Customer 1
Jerry Seinfeld
Also funny
Sharp pointy things
Defense no matter what
Customer 2
Known solution set

18. 1000 people Day 1 - Tasty treats Day 2 - Know
effectiveness
Day 3 - Some defense
20 people Day 10 - Laughs Day 20 - Already know
from Transylvania what
the solution is, send
solution and check on
morale
Day 30

19. Who needs to know?

20. Who do we need to talk
to?
Engineers Designers Communications
Customer 1 Customer 2 The business

21. focus #2
Your team

22. Who do we need to talk
to?
Engineers Designers Communication
The business

23. 1. Effectively frame customer need & problem
2. Facilitate problem solve
--
1. Define owners and set expectations
2. Take action
To take care of the team

24. How do I effectively frame the
problem and enable problem
solving?

25. ● Customer context
● Where are we today?
● Straw solution
● Where do we need to go for the next delivery?
Framing

26. Customer context, constraints,
today, tomorrow

27. Transylvania
1,000 person army
Customer 1 today
● 4 days until
zombies arrive
● 1000 people
● They’ve tried 5
solutions, nothing
has worked
● OK morale
Customer 1 constraints
● 1 day to
deliver/test
solution = 3 tests
● Can only send one
solution a day
● Instant
communication
● We have 4
potential solutions
Need to go:
1. Cure for zombies
2. Keep up morale
Pegasus
20 person comedy
lovers
Customer 2 today
● 31 days until
zombies arrive
● 20 people
● Low morale
Customer 1 constraints
● 10 days to deliver
supplies
● Can only send 1
solution
● Instant
communication
● No zombies to test
on
● We have 4
potential solutions
Need to go:
1. Get morale up
2. Zombie defense

28. Straw solution

29. 1000 people
Z arrives in 4 days
Day 1, experiment 1 Day 2, experiment 2 Day 3, experiment 3
20 people
Z arrive in 31 days
Day 10 Day 20 Day 30

30. 1000 people Day 1 - Tasty treats Day 2 - Know
effectiveness
Day 3 - Some defense
20 people Day 10 - Already know
from Transylvania what
the solution is, send
solution and check on
morale
Day 20 Day 30

31. ● Frame and guide
● Encourage expansive problem solving
● Then, reductive problem solving
● Solutions into timeline
● Write down decisions
● End: Set owners and define expected outcomes
Facilitate x-functional problem solving

32. Owners and expectations

33. 1000 people Day 1 - Garlic Owners
● Engineers - v1 built
by 2pm
● Design - v1 by 2pm
● Comm. - Immediately
convey plan
● Business - immediate
approval of #’s
● Delivery - 10pm
tonight
Expectations
● 60% confidence this
will solve the problem
● Given how these
things go, there’s a
40% chance shipment
1 doesn’t work. As
soon as shipment 1 is
ready, we need to
prep shipment 2.
20 people Day 10 - Already know
from Transylvania what
the solution is, send
solution and check on
morale
Owners
● Engineers - v1 built
by 2pm
● Design - v1 by 4pm
● Comm. - Immediately
convey plan
● Business - immediate
approval of #’s
● Delivery - 12pm
tonight
Expectations
● Given Customer 1 will
determine best
solution, we’re
optimizing for morale.
● Given extended time
from, customer 1
takes priority
● 60% chance Jerry
improves morale

34. focus #3
Yourself

35. How do I make these situations
sustainable and how does my
current work drive your career?

36. ● You
● Your career
Parts

37. You

38. ● You can only do one thing at a time
● Chaos will happen again, what’s your approach?
● Take care of yourself
You

39. ● Unplug
● Turn off notifications
● Sit still for 10 minutes or go for a walk
You - be in a good state to problem solve

40. ● Write down all your thoughts and concerns
● Chunk up the work → top problems
● Prioritize the top 1 to 3 problems
● High level solve
● Pressure test with a boss or colleague
You - prioritize

41. ● Working down the list
● Determine x-functional team needed
● Set up that team meeting
You - get to solving + find allies

42. Your career and performance
review

43. ● Can you explain your performance review system?
● What criteria are you graded on?
● What’s the review process?
● Can you mesh your current work into a review?
Your performance review

44. ● Output based
● Ratings based
● Friend based
Your performance review system

45. ● Ask HR
● Ask your boss
● Ask a colleague
● Find metrics for success
Your performance review system

46. ● System - 360 review
● Last review: “You need to show more ownership.”
● For the current project, draft your statement
Example

47. Your performance review
Zombies
I spoke with each customer and stakeholder to determine customer needs, customer constraints, and our
constraints. After that, I created a straw model solution and set up / managed a cross-functional
sprint to ideate and settle upon the best solution (attached). Once complete, we assigned ownership,
dates, and I managed the process through its twists and turns. Day 3 for customer 1, we found a
solution, and everyone lived happily ever after. In the future, I’m excited to work with 3 customers and
our new merman division.

48. In chaos:
Customer, team, yourself

49. Thanks!
andrew.hsu@vegafactor.com
www.vegafactor.com

50. Appendix

52. Situation today
● 4 days until
zombies arrive
● 1000 people
● They’ve tried 5
solutions, nothing
has worked
● Morale is ok
Need to go:
● Cure for zombies
● Keep up morale
● Best chance for
success
● Fastest learning
Situation today
● 31 days until
zombies arrive
● 20 people
● Morale is ok
Need to go:
● Cure for zombies
● Keep up morale
● Best chance for
success
● Fastest learning