Product Thinking Newsletter - February Edition
Maybe it’s the coffee machine staging a mutiny, reminding me of version control. Or perhaps it’s the nightly battle to get dinner on the table, which feels more like failed user testing than a family meal. Whatever the catalyst, it got me thinking: what if we applied product thinking to life?
What if grocery shopping was a user journey, relationships were sprints, and toddler meltdowns were beta tests? By viewing life’s chaos as a product in perpetual development, we gather feedback, refine our approach, and deploy fresh features with every hiccup. It’s a playful lens that keeps us curious and primed for continuous improvement.
Approaching everyday scenarios through a product lens encourages deliberate examination of needs, goals, and outcomes. When we treat interactions and personal growth like a product under development, we focus on defining clear objectives, gathering feedback, and iterating based on what we learn. This perspective shifts us from passively navigating situations to actively refining our actions. Each experience becomes a chance to identify desired results, measure progress, and adjust strategies for better outcomes.
With that mindset, a conversation is no longer just a dialogue; it’s a moment to test ideas, uncover insights, and improve communication. A relationship becomes a dynamic project where empathy, alignment, and shared vision evolve over time. Instead of random encounters, life’s elements start resembling prototypes that gain value through consistent upgrades. By harnessing product thinking, we transform challenges into opportunities, creating a more purposeful and informed path forward.
We’ve got some great content this month, but before we do that, let’s do this…
The Month in Tech and Product History: February Edition
Now, onto the content.
Thanks again, everyone, and remember, be kind.
February's Content
Welcome to the Looking Glass 2025. Unlike many tech trend reports, Thoughtworks’ Looking Glass is not intended to shine a light on the latest buzzwords. Instead, we take a long term look at the technology horizons and explore what that means for businesses. What are the things you need to know about now, and what’s likely to be important in the longer term. The Looking Glass enables you to understand and interpret emerging technologies so you can make sound, strategic choices for your organization.
Truly successful products are reveled in as much as they are relied upon, sometimes making them feel like they’re woven into the fabric of the user’s life. But accomplishing this requires more than just building a product that people can use – it’s about building a product that people WANT to use. If you’re in the business of building things, you’ve probably asked yourself, “do people want or need what I’m building?” And this is a good question to ask – but desirability is more than just a box to be checked and forgotten.
Before leaving the house, you grab an umbrella and coat after the woman on the morning news says to expect afternoon rain. You notice a long line of people waiting outside a new restaurant on your way home from work, and the next day call and make a reservation. Unsure of what to do on a Friday night, you decide to watch a movie or show, selecting from what’s “currently trending.” What do the above have in common? They’re all examples of Social Proof and its influence.