I believe that sometimes you just have to start something even if you aren’t prepared. You may never be prepared and no one gets it right on the first try anyway. It’s how I started this site. I wanted to capture what I was learning and thinking on my journey to build the Innovate Practice at 3Pillar. There was no plan or grand vision, I hoped that some how I could find my voice and the audience I wanted to serve.
Recently I have been feeling like it was time to step my game up and that was confirmed with some helpful and direct feedback from my CEO David DeWolf. He challenged me to come up with my value proposition using this frame work: I help X, to do Y so that Z.
Read more about David’s framework
I’ve had some trouble coming up with an answer so I pulled out my sketchbook and did my own little workshop session when my newborn was napping. (Side note: Workshops are way more effective with my 3Pillar team and clients than my little girl at the moment but I have high hopes for the future).
What struck me as I looked at the results is that I only wrote down one goal to “help make the right product for the business and customers.” As I thought about it more I realized this has been my goal throughout my entire career from my first online game on. Who I work with has changed and how I help constantly evolves but this hasn’t and I like that a lot.
I’m still struggling a bit with who and how. I often tell my clients that they should pick a direction and see how customers respond so I’m going to take my own advice. I help product people to create a simple, testable strategy so that they create the right product for the customer and business.
Let’s see how that goes for a bit. I very much hope that I can help you make products that your customers want to use and help your business. I look forward to a lively conversation.
Image: Something I roughed out in Photoshop