A curated set of cognitive tools that product managers can leverage to gain strategic clarity throughout the product lifecycle.
The Map Is Not The Territory
Our mental models and abstractions are not the same as reality itself - maintain awareness of this gap
Circle of Competence
Focus on domains where you have expertise while being aware of your knowledge boundaries
First Principles Thinking
Break down complex problems into fundamental truths to find innovative solutions
Relativity
Our perceptions and judgments are shaped by our unique vantage points and frames of reference
Reciprocity
The principle that social interactions are based on giving and receiving in equal measure
Thermodynamics
Understanding how energy, entropy, and order/disorder principles apply to systems and life
Feedback Loops
How system outputs influence inputs, driving cycles of growth or decay in product development
Bottlenecks
Critical constraints that limit system performance, regardless of other improvements
Churn
Balancing user attrition with acquisition to maintain sustainable growth