Comments on: Protozoa and Product Management

By: measuring things on web sites

measuring things on web sites — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:52:57 +0000

[...] friends know I’m a fan of using the scientific method to improve web sites: iterate fast, disprove invalid assumptions quickly, etc. I believe making web [...]

By: Upside of the Downturn « the cornice

Upside of the Downturn « the cornice — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:04:30 +0000

[...] as it sounds. Failing can be a good thing. Especially when it is done quickly and efficiently. In a previous post, I drew a parallel between evolutionary biology and product management. Looking at the current [...]

By: Weekly Reader: 11Aug08 » The Productologist

Weekly Reader: 11Aug08 » The Productologist — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:33:48 +0000

[...] Protozoa and Product Management [The Cornice] [...]

By: Rick Pal

Rick Pal — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:26:49 +0000

One of the best blog posts I’ve read in a long time Kent. Eloquently said — I couldn’t agree more with the lessons. And timely too given some decisions that I’ve been involved with recently. Your right, nature truly is badass PM.

By: Vijay Goel, M.D.

Vijay Goel, M.D. — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:58:28 +0000

Kent,
Great analogy…it’s amazing how much natural systems (ecosystems, physiology) and business mirror each other.

To your point on #3, it’s not just that you need to better lock into your surroundings, its that you need to adapt as they change. Example: light background, white moths win. Add pollution and soot and dark moths win. Understanding where external conditions make previous success factors turn into liabilities is a huge issue– its why constant testing is so important, even after you’ve gained traction.

Its also interesting in that biologically, attraction tends to be based on characteristics counter to survival (e.g., big rooster plume, bright colors, etc), highlighting that there is margin for error in that partner’s genes. Beware the signals of attraction today that leave you more vulnerable to predators tomorrow…