Summary:
A product manager typically starts by writing an internal press release announcing the finished product. If the benefits listed don't sound very interesting or exciting to customers, perhaps it shouldn't be built. The product manager keeps iterating on the press release. Iterating on a press release is a lot less expensive than iterating on the product itself.

This is a great system

VentureBeat author (who also blogs for the NYT) on how the NYT uses WordPress, division of labor and good editors to run a high-quality, efficient, large-scale blogging arm. It's not rocket science, but it is interesting to see it in action.

"Here’s a self-enforcing protocol for determining property tax: the homeowner decides the value of the property and calculates the resultant tax, and the government can either accept the tax or buy the home for that price. Sounds unrealistic, but the Greek government implemented exactly that system for the taxation of antiquities."

"Oh, it’s easy, just a quick http call". Features bring friends.

Managers partition their day into many small, distinct chunks, usually by the hour. A maker (creative professional) needs larger chunks of time in order to be productive. This is why meetings can be so difficult.

Brief informal narratives of how decisions and opinions are arrived at provide a great common ground to work from.

"A resume can get you not-rejected, a cover letter gets you hired."

Design View by Andy Rutledge. Great essay on managing the design process to keep the finished product from being watered down.

"He’s got the power to turn off your mic, turn off your spotlight, or create a feedback loop so loud it could induce seizures. You may have the eyes of the crowd on you, but the sound guy has all the power. [...] Every time a CEO criticizes a subordinate in front of others, every programmer that mocks the designer who’s trying to make their code usable, every high mucky-muck who depends on the people below to make their promises come true... they should all remember this lesson."

Web based address book/CRM by 37signals

Great ideas for interacting with clients, small teams through both the graceful and the awkward.

Teachers losing it, students sabotaging their education. The feedback loop of saying, not doing.

Good good good stuff. These guys are on the ball.

Why some people excel and others don't. (Hint: the answer is not "God-given talent.") Article postulates people's mindsets are growth or fixed. "Growth" people view life as a series of challenges and opportunities for improving. "Fixed" mindsets believe