Prospective

prospective

My name is Marina Chernyshova. I have seven years of experience in Product and UX/UI design, working with complex web and mobile apps. Through my experience, I have been working with different teams, and I've learned that the development of any tech product relies heavily on the effective collaboration between Product Designers (PD) and Product Managers (PM). It is often discussed that poor communication can significantly damage a product. Lack of feedback, different understanding of the problem, and missed agreements lead to an increase in development time and the release of unfinished features. I have summarized several practical tips that have significantly helped me in my work. I hope they will be valuable for you as well. TIP N1: Twice a week syncs In my experience, it is pointless to meet each day because it is difficult to make significant progress. But when the workload is tough, having a meeting once a week also is not enough, so meeting twice a week seems to be the optimal solution. It doesn’t mean that you don’t communicate at all the rest of the time. You can use different software or platforms for collaboration, such as Slack, write comments on a Jira issue, or use tools like Figma and Miro. This approach is more time-efficient and serves as a form of written agreement. TIP N2: Action items after each sync Since the syncs are not daily, there are usually quite a lot of issues discussed, and it is easy to miss some agreements. I make it a rule to post a brief list of our agreements and action items to my corporate Slack channel after each sync. It is also a valuable practice for the PM to read this list carefully later and acknowledge that everything is okay. TIP N3: Compiled introductory notes If there are any user quotes, reviews, requests, analytics, published research papers, and expert articles connected with the investigated problem, it would be helpful for both - Designer and Product Manager to see them all stored in one place before starting work. It can be anything that suits you best: a Jira issue, a Google doc, a presentation, a Confluence page, or a Miro board. TIP N4: Clearly defined problem strongly recommend that Product Designers and Product Managers put their best efforts into collaboration and work on formulating the problem together. The main point is to clearly define the problem and return to this formulation when validating design solutions. A phrase like “The users from Company X want it to work like in Product Y” does not provide a sufficient understanding of the problem that needs to be solved; it rather looks like a solution suggestion. Personally, I do not mind when a PM offers possible solutions; the main thing is that it should not be in an ultimate form, and it’s better to have it accompanied by an explanation. TIP N5: Common preliminary research It can be done by both sides and even better together. For example, a Designer does a competitor analysis, and a PM organizes interviews with customers. It's great when a designer can also attend these interviews, but the meeting recording or summary can be very useful too. It is also essential to ensure that the results of this research are stored somewhere in the system and are available at any time. TIP N6: Visual evidence of your point of view It works for both sides, too. The examples for that might be: User flow records of other products (Mobbin Pageflow)
Screenshots of the reviews of your own and other products
Fragments of recordings of customer interviews
Screenshots of the support requests
Diagrams like mind maps, CJM, persona cards
Screenshots from Amplitude and Google Analytics, etc. Since both designers and the PMs collaborate quite closely and less formally than they communicate with the leadership team, they often forget about the rules while presenting their solutions to each other. It is unnecessary to make a full presentation every time; however, a short explanation of a conclusion helps a lot with ensuring productive communication. It doesn’t mean I don't trust a PM solely based on verbal communication, but when I'm shown the visual arguments, it feels more convincing. As a designer, I find visual information more impactful since visual materials are better perceived by us. Also, while delivering a short presentation, a designer or a PM may notice something that was mistakenly overlooked before and offer a fresh approach to the solution of the problem. Conclusion: It's clear that Product Management and Product Design are two critical roles that must work closely together to create successful products. I think effective collaboration is possible with a different distribution of roles; it all depends on the agreement within the team. But in any case, it’s very important to define and record all main agreements and always try to convey your idea to your colleague as unambiguously and visibly as possible. Clear communication and mutual understanding are essential to avoid misinterpretations and ensure that everyone is aligned toward the same goals. My name is Marina Chernyshova. I have seven years of experience in Product and UX/UI design, working with complex web and mobile apps. Through my experience, I have been working with different teams, and I've learned that the development of any tech product relies heavily on the effective collaboration between Product Designers (PD) and Product Managers (PM). It is often discussed that poor communication can significantly damage a product. Lack of feedback, different understanding of the problem, and missed agreements lead to an increase in development time and the release of unfinished features. I have summarized several practical tips that have significantly helped me in my work. I hope they will be valuable for you as well. TIP N1: Twice a week syncs In my experience, it is pointless to meet each day because it is difficult to make significant progress. But when the workload is tough, having a meeting once a week also is not enough, so meeting twice a week seems to be the optimal solution. It doesn’t mean that you don’t communicate at all the rest of the time. You can use different software or platforms for collaboration, such as Slack, write comments on a Jira issue, or use tools like Figma and Miro. This approach is more time-efficient and serves as a form of written agreement. TIP N2: Action items after each sync Since the syncs are not daily, there are usually quite a lot of issues discussed, and it is easy to miss some agreements. I make it a rule to post a brief list of our agreements and action items to my corporate Slack channel after each sync. It is also a valuable practice for the PM to read this list carefully later and acknowledge that everything is okay. TIP N3: Compiled introductory notes If there are any user quotes, reviews, requests, analytics, published research papers, and expert articles connected with the investigated problem, it would be helpful for both - Designer and Product Manager to see them all stored in one place before starting work. It can be anything that suits you best: a Jira issue, a Google doc, a presentation, a Confluence page, or a Miro board. TIP N4: Clearly defined problem strongly recommend that Product Designers and Product Managers put their best efforts into collaboration and work on formulating the problem together. The main point is to clearly define the problem and return to this formulation when validating design solutions. A phrase like “The users from Company X want it to work like in Product Y” does not provide a sufficient understanding of the problem that needs to be solved; it rather looks like a solution suggestion. Personally, I do not mind when a PM offers possible solutions; the main thing is that it should not be in an ultimate form, and it’s better to have it accompanied by an explanation. TIP N5: Common preliminary research It can be done by both sides and even better together. For example, a Designer does a competitor analysis, and a PM organizes interviews with customers. It's great when a designer can also attend these interviews, but the meeting recording or summary can be very useful too. It is also essential to ensure that the results of this research are stored somewhere in the system and are available at any time. TIP N6: Visual evidence of your point of view It works for both sides, too. The examples for that might be: User flow records of other products (Mobbin Pageflow) Screenshots of the reviews of your own and other products Fragments of recordings of customer interviews Screenshots of the support requests Diagrams like mind maps, CJM, persona cards Screenshots from Amplitude and Google Analytics, etc. User flow records of other products (Mobbin Pageflow) Screenshots of the reviews of your own and other products Fragments of recordings of customer interviews Screenshots of the support requests Diagrams like mind maps, CJM, persona cards Screenshots from Amplitude and Google Analytics, etc. Since both designers and the PMs collaborate quite closely and less formally than they communicate with the leadership team, they often forget about the rules while presenting their solutions to each other. It is unnecessary to make a full presentation every time; however, a short explanation of a conclusion helps a lot with ensuring productive communication. It doesn’t mean I don't trust a PM solely based on verbal communication, but when I'm shown the visual arguments, it feels more convincing. As a designer, I find visual information more impactful since visual materials are better perceived by us. Also, while delivering a short presentation, a designer or a PM may notice something that was mistakenly overlooked before and offer a fresh approach to the solution of the problem. Conclusion: It's clear that Product Management and Product Design are two critical roles that must work closely together to create successful products. I think effective collaboration is possible with a different distribution of roles; it all depends on the agreement within the team. But in any case, it’s very important to define and record all main agreements and always try to convey your idea to your colleague as unambiguously and visibly as possible. Clear communication and mutual understanding are essential to avoid misinterpretations and ensure that everyone is aligned toward the same goals.

A Guide for Collaboration and Building a Great Product: Product designer prospective

Hi Daniel, welcome to our series “Behind the Startup.” Please tell us about yourself and the story behind ? Ishan Pandey: WiseStamp So I’m Daniel, the head of marketing at WiseStamp.com. WiseStamp is an email signature management tool. We help businesses make beautiful signatures and unify their brand overall their email communications company-wide. We do this by giving them centralized control over the email signatures of the entire organization. Daniel Zweig: In what ways can email signatures boost a Company’s growth especially in today’s time and day wherein all sectors are bustling with the huge competition due to multiple players trying to pitch their ideas? Ishan Pandey: Every day, the typical office worker sends 40 emails. Every day, you have 40 opportunities to sell yourself and your firm in the individual emails you send. Daniel Zweig: Many individuals approach their email signatures as an afterthought, resulting in a huge potential loss. Those signatures are an opportunity for you to make it obvious who you are, make it simple for others to contact you, and provide them with a place to go to learn more about you, your company, or a project you’re working on. You’re not getting the benefit of the chance to connect and interact with the individuals you’re emailing if you only include your name and a point or two of contact information in your signature. What to Include in an Email Signature: 1.	First and Last Name 2.	Affiliation Info (Such as Job Title and Department) 3.	Secondary Contact Information 4.	Social Profile Icons 5.	Call to Action 6.	Booking Links 7.	Industry Disclaimer or Legal Requirements 8.	Photo or Logo 9.	Pronouns 1. Your name should always be included in electronic communication, just as it should be in snail mail contact, so that the receiver of your letter knows whom it came from. This shows up as the first line of text in the email signature. Initials and surname: 2. Your affiliation information should be included right after your name. Your work title, business or organisation connections, and/or department affiliations are all possibilities. Of course, as you develop a connection with the receiver, your name should become its own pull, but offering this information adds context to the dialogue and your part in it. Furthermore, being a part of a bigger group gives you greater credibility, particularly if the organisation is well-known—this aids in capturing your readers’ attention and convincing them to take your message seriously. Affiliation Details (Such as Job Title and Department): 3. Secondary contact information is also necessary so that the receiver knows how to reach you in the future. Phone numbers, fax numbers, and any other mode of contact you wish to promote are examples of secondary information. If you don’t want to give out your direct number, you may use this as a chance to promote your own website, which is a passive method to open the lines of contact without being bombarded with outreach if you don’t want to. Information on Secondary Contacts: 4. Your social media presence is an important aspect of your personal brand because it helps you establish a following in your sector and tells others what you care about. What people publish and how they depict themselves may reveal a lot about them. Icons for Social Profiles: That’s why including links to your social media profiles in your email signature is a terrific idea. It not only helps people discover new methods to contact and follow you, but it also promotes your own brand. What’s better? If you publish links to your online material on social media, it may assist increase traffic to it. If you do use social icons in your signature, make sure your accounts are up to date and filled with intriguing, relevant material. (In other words, if you haven’t tweeted in six months, Twitter could be a good option.) Why not just use text links instead of social network icons? Because icons are easier to recognise for anyone scanning your signature — and they will stand out from the rest of the text. According to NeoMam Studios’ study, colour-enhanced images raise a person’s inclination to read the remainder of the text by 80%. That’s a significant advantage. Plus, icons save a lot of space in a spot where you could be cramming a lot of data. Even if you have a large number of social media accounts, try to keep your icon count to five or six. Concentrate your efforts on the accounts that are most important to the growth of your company or the development of your personal brand. If you must include a lot of social network icons, attempt to reduce the amount of other material as much as possible to keep your design from being too cluttered. 5. A call-to-action is one of the smartest things you can do in your email signature. The greatest email signature CTAs are straightforward, current, non-obtrusive, and consistent with your email style, making them look more like a postscript than a sales pitch. Choose a CTA that corresponds to one of your current business objectives and update it if those objectives change. Invitation to Take Action: 6. To prevent the transmission of private information, several businesses, such as legal, financial, and insurance, have special standards on email use and etiquette. As a result, you may wish to check what restrictions your sector has in place and put a caution concerning email transfers in your signature. Examples of email disclaimers may be found at Mail-Signatures, like this one: Legal Requirements or Industry Disclaimer: “This email contains sensitive information and is only meant for the recipient named in the message. Sharing any portion of this communication with a third party without the sender’s explicit permission is strictly prohibited. If you got this communication by accident, please respond to it and delete it as soon as possible so that this does not happen again.” 7. : A picture is a terrific way to add some personality to your email signature. Consider using a professional picture in your signature if you want to add a personal touch so that people who have never seen you may identify your name with your face. Alternatively, you may include the company’s logo in the email to increase brand recognition. A photograph or a logo 9. : While not popular in email signatures and definitely not needed, including your preferred pronouns in your signature might be useful, particularly when contacting someone you’ve never met. It also removes any uncertainty if your name is seen as gender-neutral. Pronouns The human population has been greatly affected by the global Covid-19 outbreak, from businesses and healthcare providers to merchants and professionals. Do you think the pandemic has hastened the implementation of digital signatures across all sectors? Ishan Pandey: Working remotely has been the new normal since the Covid-19 epidemic. This presents a new set of issues for financial institutions, which are required by law to keep records and assure business continuity. In this setting, it is critical for financial institutions to be able to continue to conduct legitimate and enforceable transactions, preserve electronic records with full evidential value, and meet their regulatory record-keeping needs utilising electronic methods. Daniel Zweig: Despite a moment of tremendous social and economic worry, the proper deployment of technical measures, such as email signatures, has made everyone’s life at work easier, and we think that such measures will continue to be implemented. Workplace productivity and efficiency have skyrocketed, making us more competitive even after the present epidemic has passed. One of the most disregarded parts of a well-rounded marketing campaign is email signatures. How can businesses utilise this modern marketing technique properly and, most importantly, how can they be made aware of the benefits of a well-crafted email signature? Ishan Pandey: Here is a guide on how to write email signatures: Daniel Zweig: 1.	Your name, affiliation, and supplementary contact information should all be highlighted. 2.	Colours should be basic and consistent. 3.	Make use of the design hierarchy. 4.	Make connections that can be tracked. 5.	Make use of dividers. 6.	Your phone number should include an international prefix. 7.	Make your design responsive to mobile devices. 1. Your name appears first, as you would expect. Your affiliation and other ways to contact you should be included right after your name. Make your name, affiliation, and supplementary contact information as prominent as possible: Your affiliation might be your work title, your firm, potential school, or any comparable group that you think your receivers would find useful. Of course, your name should ultimately stand on its own, but choosing a more well-known brand name — and even its logo — assures that your readers notice you and take your message seriously. It’s also crucial to have secondary contact information. You may not want to advertise your personal phone number, but you may use this chance to promote your personal website, which is a passive method to open the channels of contact without being inundated with unsolicited calls. 2. When it comes to branding, consistency is key, and your email signature is no exception. Adding colour to your email signature will make it stand out from the rest of your message. If you do decide to utilise colour, keep it to one or two colours in addition to the dark text. Use a limited palette of colours that are both basic and consistent: 3. It’s all about delivering your facts in a way that’s easy to understand. Since your email signature is more likely to be a list of facts than a fascinating tale, you’ll want to employ hierarchy to draw readers’ attention to the information they should read first. Make use of the design hierarchy: Suppose you include your CTA and social network symbols in your email signature, along with a few links. Is anybody, however, really clicking on them? 4. Make links trackable: Make the links in your signature trackable, just like any other link in your emails, to see whether they’re drawing traffic and having an effect. 5. Apple’s iMobile accounted for 46 percent of all email opens in June 2018, according to Litmus. Furthermore, mobile users check their email three times as often as non-mobile users. Create a mobile-friendly design: You’ll want to keep mobile users in mind while drafting emails, including your email signature, as the number of individuals who read email on mobile devices grows. Making your email signature’s design simple to see and clickable for mobile users is one of the most important ways to make it mobile-friendly. This is where the concept of scale comes into play. Make sure your text is big enough to read on tiny mobile displays and that your links and buttons are large enough to touch with their fingers. Please tell us a little bit about the B2B model adopted by email signature companies? Ishan Pandey: For sure, to give you an example, WiseStamp simplifies into less than an hour a task that can take a business ten hours to implement otherwise. Our users have to use our email signature generator to create a professional company email signature and integrate their email provider with our system, which is very quick and easy to do. Daniel Zweig: When you think about most small to medium size companies with, let’s say, 35-50 employees, and even more so big companies with hundreds or thousands of employees, emails are always a bit of a wild west. Everyone kind of has their own way of doing it. This means that company emails are not harnessed for focused goals. For example, branding, marketing, or recruiting. Using the email signatures tool, a company can quickly implement a consistent email signature for all the employee’s emails and publish email marketing campaigns, HR campaigns and simple design updates any time, without having to involve anyone other than the admin. Imagine the relief for managers that used to require each of their 1000 employees to update the company signature on their own email. The study of worldwide market research Email Signature Manager extracts includes data on market size and patterns and the causes and characteristics that influence them in the short and long term. What, according to you, has been the major push behind the rising popularity of global company email signatures? Ishan Pandey: In many ways, Covid-19 finished the ongoing digitalization process that occurred in the past few years. As more people are forced to stay at home, they are learning to trust digital transactions online. Moreover, businesses are moving to digital platforms to be able to supply the demand. Daniel Zweig: Email is still by far the most common form of communication between business and their clients. Email is the main tool for customer relationships, support, sending invoices, etc. After Covid, most first impressions occur in email communication, and this created an increased awareness of the need for a more professional looking email. For most people, this means having a great looking email signature, which for them is the digital equivalent of a business card. Professionals frequently complain about their inability to write mails, citing clarity, brevity, and velocity as primary roadblocks. Please share with us a few easy pointers that will help you communicate more effectively while also saving time. Ishan Pandey: Effective communication is the key. More than just sharing information is required for effective communication. For most professionals, I imagine this just means trying to get into the head of the person you’re writing to. Daniel Zweig: To give you an example, for a SaaS company like WiseStamp, which sends over 40 thousand emails each month, it is all about deciphering the emotions and motivations underlying our user data. Effective communication can be a natural inclination. However, sometimes, something goes wrong when we attempt to interact with others. We say one thing, but the other person hears something completely different, resulting in misunderstandings, dissatisfaction, and conflict. This might create issues in your relationships at home, school, and work. Many of us will need to master specific crucial skills in order to communicate more simply and effectively. Learning these skills may deepen your relationships with people, establish more trust and respect, and enhance cooperation, problem-solving, and your general social and emotional health, whether you’re aiming to better communicate with your spouse, children, employer, or colleagues. The following are some of the most common communication roadblocks: You’re more prone to misjudge other people, convey confused or off-putting nonverbal cues, and fall into harmful knee-jerk behaviour when you’re worried or emotionally overloaded. You may learn how to swiftly cool yourself before resuming a discussion to prevent conflict and misconceptions. Stress and irrational emotions: When you’re multitasking, you can’t communicate properly. You’re virtually guaranteed to miss nonverbal signs in a discussion if you’re checking your phone, preparing what you’re going to say next, or daydreaming. To communicate successfully, you must remain focused and avoid distractions. Inability to concentrate: If you can both bend a bit, you may be able to discover a pleasant middle ground that relieves tension for everyone involved. Compromise may be easy for you and beneficial investment for the future of the relationship if you know the other person cares considerably more about an issue than you do. Be willing to make concessions: If necessary, agree to disagree and take a break from the situation so that everyone may relax. If feasible, take a walk outdoors or meditate for a few minutes. Physical activity or finding a quiet spot to recover your equilibrium might help relieve stress immediately. An empathetic statement shows that you care for the other person. Recognize the other person’s position or sentiments before expressing your own demands or opinions. “I understand you’ve had a lot on your plate at work, but I’d want you to make time for us as well.” Practising assertive communication skills: When your initial efforts are unsuccessful, you may use escalating assertion. As time passes, you grow more firm, which may involve laying out the repercussions if your requirements are not satisfied. “If you don’t follow the deal, I’ll be obliged to take legal action against you,” for example. To help you gain confidence, practise assertiveness in low-risk circumstances. Alternatively, see if you can practise assertiveness methods on friends or family members first. Disclaimer: The purpose of this article is to remove informational asymmetry existing today in our digital markets by performing due diligence by asking the right questions and equipping readers with better opinions to make informed decisions. The material does not constitute any investment, financial, or legal advice. Please do your research before investing in any digital assets or tokens, etc. The writer does not have any vested interest in the company.

How To Draft Emails That Convert Prospectives Into Clients

A field that is bringing alot of commotion and noise is Artificial Intelligence. But something that really fascinates me is a subset of that field known as Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) or the holy grail of Artificial Intelligence. Many of today’s machine learning or deep learning algorithms would be classified as Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI). I believe many of these algorithms are rapidly proliferating at the back end of most technologies we currently use from ride-sharing apps to social media and to other applications. And I believe that will continue to happen at an exponential pace until many specific tasks can be done better by algorithms than by humans. In fact even many of today’s deep learning algorithms or forms of ANI are starting to overwhelm our human capacities and are already taking over the world by storm. Deep Learning has applications throughout multiple sectors and industries and is already having an outsize impact with multiple shock waves already taking place on the future of work, jobs, society, our communication networks and our economy. AI pioneer Geoff Hinton: “Deep learning is going to be able to do everything” Furthermore, a subset of deep learning known as reinforcement learning is used for the creation of self-driving cars, advanced robotics, and is beating humans at various games such as Chess and Go. Deep Reinforcement Algorithms are a step closer toward possible Artificial General Intelligence. To learn more about the intricacies involved in neural networks in Deep Reinforcement Learning Algorithms please read the following medium article: Introduction to Reinforcement Learning In 2016, Alphabet’s DeepMind came out with AlphaGo, an AI which consistently . One year later, the subsidiary went on to refine its work, creating AlphaGo Zero. Where its predecessor learned to play Go by observing amateur and professional matches, AlphaGo Zero mastered the ancient game by simply . DeepMind then created AlphaZero, which could play Go, chess and shogi with a single algorithm. What tied all those AIs together is that they knew the rules of the games they had to master going into their training. beat the best human Go players playing against itself DeepMind recently announced that MuZero (the successor of AlphaZero and AlphaGo) masters Go, chess, shogi and Atari , thanks to its ability to plan winning strategies in unknown environments unlike DeepMind’s previous algorithms which MuZero was either as good as or outperformed. MuZero is an example of the state of the art of Reinforcement Learning or General Purpose Algorithms and is a step closer toward Artificial General Intelligence. without needing to be told the rules MuZero: Mastering Go, chess, shogi and Atari without rules I believe we can use these gamechanging exponential technologies to realign society in a more positive direction and to use these exponential technologies to augment us in more creative, innovative and engaging human work rather than just solely replacing us by automating much of the mundane tasks that humans don’t like doing anyway. I also believe that we will see tremendous breakthroughs faster than we expected in artificial intelligence and that the applications will have broad and massive implications in transforming and redefining every single sector, industry and even job role in our economy. It will change everything and have massive positive and negative implications for society. We are aware of many of the negative impacts artificial intelligence is having on society from a misinformation crisis to addictive “Infinite-Scroll” Algorithmic Feeds on Social Media Platforms, which polarize society and divide people worsening their mental health. However there will be many positive implications as well. Although automation can be seen as a negative, I believe it will also be more positive because humanity will be liberated and won’t have to work mundane jobs. When we don’t have to work for a living because the robots and artificial intelligence take care of everything we don’t like doing anyways so we can become more creative, empathetic and human again. We can make the future of work empowering and human again, live lives of abundance, meaning and purpose. World Economic Forum report says machines will do 50 percent of all work by 2025 As a practical example of the massive positive implications that Artificial Intelligence will have on industries and thus our lives, the subsidiary of Alphabet, DeepMind’s latest version of it’s AI system AlphaFold can now make accurate predictions of what shape a protein will form based on its sequence of amino acids. It solved the protein folding problem. I did some further digging into what this all meant, the significance of this scientific discovery and what the applications are for the future. In other words it can compute the 3D structure of protein molecules. Interactions between chemicals known as amino acids make the protein fold, as it finds its shape out of almost limitless possibilities. For decades, scientists have been trying to find a method to reliably determine a protein’s structure just from its sequence of amino acids. DeepMind trained AlphaFold on the sequences and structures of 100,000+ proteins mapped out by scientists around the world. It can now accurately predict a protein’s shape from its sequence of amino acids — unlocking key information that many have sought to understand for years. 50-year mystery of protein folding solved by AI This is the type of breakthrough in AI and computing that can revolutionize an entire scientific field like biology by vastly accelerating medical research, drug discovery and drug design curing previously thought intractable diseases, which can make the quality of our health and lives vastly better. DeepMind solves 50-year-old ‘grand challenge’ with protein folding A.I. AlphaFold: a solution to a 50-year-old grand challenge in biology DeepMind’s AI set to transform research by solving protein structures DeepMind: From the Lab to the World – Intel on AI – Season 2, Episode 13 However, the holy grail of Artificial Intelligence or Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is still subject to speculation. However, it fascinates me that there are many players in this field specifically. These players are OpenAI, Stanford HAI, SingularityNet Blockchain and Google DeepMind as well as other Research Universities and Corporations throughout the world (mainly US and China) as well as Individual Technologists such as John Carmack. Many of them are employing different models to try to model an AGI from hierarchical models to evolutionary models from neuroscience. Although we don’t know if achieving Artificial General Intelligence is even possible, when it would be possible and what it would like if it were possible, I believe there is a higher likelihood than we may perceive that Artificial General Intelligence does become possible and even probable much sooner than we may imagine. The reason is because we have exponential curves in other emerging deep technologies and research fields as well such as Blockchain, Nanotechnology, Genomics, Biotech, Neuroscience, Neuromorphic Computing and Quantum Computing and supporting paradigms such as IoT, Big Data, and Cloud Computing along with traditional Deep Learning Advancements. Advances in one of these paradigms leads to advances in all of them and creates an upward cycle of accelerating returns in which it is very likely that we will have Artificial General Intelligence. This is my personal speculation, but personally, I believe Artificial General Intelligence will be realized within the next 2–5 years (might sound over-optimistic but that’s the deceptive nature of the exponential growth we are seeing in computing and AI) based off exponentially increasing advances in deep technologies that I mentioned above and based off what leading experts in the AGI field such as Ben Goertzel, John Carmack and Ray Kurzweil, Greg Brockman are saying as well as what others are saying such as Elon Musk, Sam Harris, Peter Diamandis, Masayoshi Son, Jensen Huang, Michio Kaku, Max Tegmark, Nick Bostrom, and Yuval Noah Harari as well as the exponential progress in Science, Technology and Engineering (STEM) we are seeing unfold everyday in deep technologies. Dawn of a New Computing Era, The Fifth Wave of Computing, Technological Singularity, Nvidia’s Arm Acquisition Sam Altman of Y Combinator and OpenAI has said that we are already seeing a possible early precursor to Artificial General Intelligence with . Azeem Azhar probed him more about the technology, applications, regulation and governance of GPT3 in the hands of OpenAI on his Exponential View Podcast. Open AI’s GPT3 natural language processing (NLP) transformer model How GPT-3 Is Shaping Our AI Future | Exponential View with Azeem Azhar Meet GPT-3. It Has Learned to Code (and Blog and Argue). Towards Data Science | Will The Latest AI Kill Coding? OneZero | Experimenting With GPT-3 Felt Like Witnessing a Technological Revolution OpenAI’s GPT-3 moves us closer to realising computers that write their own code Using deep-learning techniques, GPT-3’s creators on nearly all the public text created by humanity through October 2019. This included the entirety of Wikipedia, tens of millions of books, and over one trillion words posted to Twitter, other social networks, and the public internet. trained the system The end result is an artificial intelligence system that has access to a massive chunk of the thoughts, facts, and opinions that humans have ever put into words and published — as well as the ability to generalize from these sources, find connections between them, and process them mathematically. During its training, GPT-3 identified over 175 billion parameters by which it understands and processes human words and ideas. MIT’s described the system as “ .” Technology Review shockingly good GPT-3 will spark an additional wave of no-code and AutoML tools. Many would-be employers will opt for these tools rather than hire expensive programmers. Even Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter and Square said that software engineers especially at the entry-level will be replaced by many AI tools, and GPT3 is certainly one of the more generalized AI tools which is exciting technologists and scientists all over. We are getting much closer to potential artificial general intelligence with tools like GPT3 along with No-code, Low-code and AutoML tools because theses are all examples of software which can teach itself or self-learning software! The ethical, philosophical, societal and economic questions of Artificial General Intelligence are starting to become more glaring now as we see the impact Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI) and the Machine Learning/Deep Learning algorithms are having on the world at an exponential rate. However, I believe as we enter challenging times socially, societally, geopolitically and economically, that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and STEM research will help much more than hurt and inspire and excite us as humans to dream more about the future. Although at times I and probably many others are worried for good reason about what implications this as well as other exponential technologies and the impact exponential change will have in a relatively short amount of time generally will mean for the human species and that our current systems will not be able to really function in their current form at all in the wake of this sort of exponential disruption. For example, business, commerce, regulation and human purpose in the age of hyperautomation or hyperdisruption of most of our current jobs. I also find myself excited about the positive possibilities of developing these systems. That maybe we can bring about a world of abundance, that we can work and develop more meaningful and interesting jobs, that we can reorient our society toward different economic systems, government and businesses toward human needs and bring about more wealth, equality and futuristic possibility of the sci-fi implications these systems can have. For example, problems that we have with scarcity of resources, poor governance and climate change and that we need to deal with sooner than later. We will be able to cure all disease, make people live longer, healthier, hopeful and wealthier lives, create enormous amounts of wealth (so that we can become more human, empathetic and creative again and let the advanced robotics and artificial intelligence handle all the mundane work), improve infrastructure and create a Sci-Fi Future that is hopeful and compelling. And we would need hyperscalar solutions like Supercomputing, Quantum Computing and Artificial General Intelligence to hyperscalar problems that we are facing now as a human civilization such as dealing with the Covid19 pandemic and Climate Change. I also believe that we can’t predict what all the positive and negative externalities of AGI will be. There are definitely alot of risks involved but there are always risks with game changing technologies and we can’t predict what the world will look like in the future just how people in the past couldn’t predict what the world would look like today. But I think more people need to be thinking about these issues, curious about these issues, talking about these issues because the way our society works today is going to be disrupted at an exponentially increasing rate of technological disruption anyways. And if people can think about this from not just a pessimistic and dystopian worldview where what happens if everything goes wrong and not just a positive and utopian worldview where what happens if everything goes right, but like most things in life to a more balanced measure where we consider the pros and cons in a measured and rational way. The future is now, the singularity is near and science fiction is becoming science fact.

The Overview of Prospective DL Algorithms: Ready-to-Use Solutions and Predictions for Future

As organisations’ strategic positions continue to change drastically in light of the pandemic, business survival has become the number one priority and reason to invest in . All enterprise ecosystems focus on one thing when it comes to injecting cash into new strategic operations - return on investment. The returns generated on the initial investment of emerging technologies are the driving factor behind implementing them. Its monetary value should be higher than the initial cash injection, and its business value should promise its survival. emerging technologies VR, AR, and MR technology content investment VR, AR and MR technology content investment worldwide 2016 - 2019: (Statista) Before investing in the emerging , virtual and mixed reality, it’s imperative to understand the value of each one, and how they can improve efficiencies, increase the likelihood of survival, and importantly, generate returns. Therefore, the most appealing option between critically depends on your business goals. Let’s take a look at what each one has to offer. technologies of augmented AR, VR, and MR Augmented Reality Augmented reality (AR) is an emerging technology, but it’s nothing new. In fact, most people are likely to have interacted with AR in some capacity in their everyday lives. In short, AR generates digital elements that are superimposed onto a user’s view of the real world through a mobile or AR-enabled device. Think Snapchat filters, Google Maps navigation, and more recently, ‘ ’ features on mobile apps that let prospective customers envisage their own use of a product before they even leave the house. try before you buy AR takes traditional media far beyond conventional screens and even magazine coverage. Photographic images, video content, and computer-generated graphics - which sometimes provide a 360-degree view within the user’s field of vision - as a new communication and interaction medium that can be used across your company. From marketing and sales to communications and , AR is all about augmenting or enhancing the world in which we live by generating real-time and useful digital data as and when we need it. In fact, there are few markets whereby data visualization isn’t key, and AR delivered a comprehensive way to manage, manipulate and visualize data across all settings. user experience Blurring the line between digital and reality with AR There are two main ways in which a business can bring AR experiences to life; the first, is through portable devices, and the second, is via smart glasses and AR headsets. Portable AR AR is unsurprisingly the most accessible technology on the market since people can use their smartphones and tablets to access AR apps. The means that AR is within the reach of virtually everyone. AR apps utilize the phone camera to capture the real world, and virtual objects are then overlaid on the view. ubiquity of mobile devices Smart glasses and AR headsets The other way to create AR experiences is to use specialist or AR-enabled headsets to project digital data, graphics, and images right into the user’s eyesight. Unlike VR, this technology doesn’t fully immerse the user into a new world but provides convenient real-time data as and when they need it. smart glasses The necessary hardware is minimal and the costs of developing an app are effective, the returns on generating consumer interest in your product or service could be high using AR. Use cases for developing and , for instance, extend from marketing, to customer service, employee training and internal data management. Keeping costs relatively low with augmented reality broadens the scope for high monetary return. AR app Virtual reality Similar to AR, virtual reality depends on the software that generates digital elements and merges them with the real world. Less ubiquitous than AR, but a rising star, virtual reality is set to transform the way millions of companies do business. In short, VR is an artificial digital environment that completely replaces the real world. Within a VR environment, users experience artificial sounds, sights, and feel - just as though they were in the real world. They can move around this environment and interact with objects in it. Special VR headsets are used to immerse users into virtual reality. For instance, and standalone headsets. PC-connected headsets Computer-supported VR headsets These VR headsets are connected to a computer that generates the virtual experience. Thanks to the huge processing power of computers today, the digital worlds they create are realistic and persuasive. As such, PC-connected VR may well be the most engaging of its kind. Some of the most popular and business-adopted include , Samsung , and . HTC Vive Odyssey Oculus Quest Standalone VR headsets As things stand, PC-connected VR headsets don’t exactly fall within the budgets of many businesses. Using a standalone VR headset offers another way to experience VR. Most of which, only require a smartphone screen to provide the virtual experience. Once again, thanks to the ubiquity of mobile phones, all a user has to commit to is inserting their smartphone into a VR headset to enjoy. Some examples include Samsung Gear, Google Daydream and . Google Cardboard Since standalone devices are a lot more common and affordable, VR is made an option for virtually any business. It is naturally more useful and thus the most appealing option for businesses who want to create an immersive experience - either for their customers or employees. AR and VR data visualiasaion Both VR and AR are excellent tools for data visualization. There’s no doubt that some people may still prefer the good old-fashioned Excel spreadsheet for dumpster diving through data; most of us are welcoming in new methods of graphic representation. Visualizing data in 3D allows users to uncover trends and foresee patterns that are difficult if not impossible to detect by looking at 2D datasets. has been taken up by startup Pasadena that created a platform called Virtualitics. It’s an immersive platform that combines machine learning, big data, and VR. Artificial intelligence identifies key insights in the data, simply requiring users to drag and drop to run different routines like smart mapping. The software then generates immersive data visualizations that can be accessed to view on desktop, or with VR in a collaborative virtual space. AR/VR data visualization Mixed reality Now the difference between augmented reality and virtual reality is clearer, there should be mentioned the other type of digital reality available. The overlays digital content onto the real environment - just as with AR - but is anchored to and interacts with the environment too. In many ways, MR is a more immersive and interactive type of AR. hybrid nature of mixed reality Mixed reality goes a step further by enabling the user to see and interact with a completely virtual environment overlaid on the real world around them. For instance, a user can immerse themselves in a totally digital environment whilst still being in their room. To avoid bumping into real-life physical objects, an MR headset must be able to track the real world and adjust the virtual environment. In fact, some types of VR have the capacity to track and trace the physical environment too. too can be delivered through different types of devices, including holographic devices and immersive devices. Holographic headsets have translucent glasses that allow the user to see their surroundings. As per the name, virtual experiences are generated through holograms - which is how Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 works. Mixed reality Immersive devices do not sport translucent glasses, but completely block out the real world, and use cameras for tracking. MR offers a host of opportunities for businesses and the possibilities are endless. Bring data to life by creating a visual representation of abstract data that’s beyond the limited cognitive abilities of the human brain. Incorporate MR into the design, productivity, and training. For instance, the Australian airline Qantas deployed its to reduce the time it takes to assess and repair grounded aircraft. MR superimposed electrical wiring onto the MR goggles to allow engineers to identify the problem without having to disable the body of the plane to find out. mixed reality solution

The Most Prospective Emerging Technologies to Invest: VR, AR, MR Compared in Detail

A primer to understand how technology is poised to disrupt law Note: Below content is informed by online research, reading, and interviewing law practitioners. Resources can be found at end of the article. Background Emerging technologies such as mobile, data analytics, and machine learning had started affecting industries and customers beyond urban consumers and tech-savvy enterprises over the last decade. Retail and healthcare are examples of domains that have benefited significantly from this trend. Yet, there remain industries where technology has only started to a breakthrough in a meaningful way. Law is one such industry. I wanted to identify opportunities for technology to create a meaningful impact and started researching. Being an outsider, I’d to: develop a basic understanding of the field and state of technology adoption understand the ecosystem and market, especially in India’s context This article deals primarily with the first point. A follow-up article may detail out insights from the market. Need for legaltech If you’re inclined to read about the importance of law in society, a Google search is a good enough starting point. Hence, I’ll skip talking about that. What is legaltech then? as the use of technology and software to provide legal services and support the legal industry. It’s similar in spirit to how Fintech and Healthtech have augmented their respective industries and continue to do so. Unlike them, the law has been significantly slow on the uptake. This is due to resistance from a traditionally conservative industry mixed with a lack of understanding and interest from technologists. Wikipedia defines it Conversations about technology implementation in law often drift towards replacing lawyers. That line of thought misses the point entirely. Instead, legaltech’s biggest promises are: augmenting work of law practitioners and subsequently improving their quality of professional life expanding access to legal services and justice for ordinary citizens and small businesses Technology can help lower costs and increase efficiency. This can lead to a positive-sum outcome for all participants. Breaking down law Don’t worry, we aren’t going to do anything illegal. What we’ll do is categorize participants and work in the legal industry. Harry Surden, in a at Stanford Law, identified three types of legaltech users: talk about AI and Law Administrators of law Practitioners of law Users of law In terms of work, a distinction that’s useful is one between the practice of law and the provision of legal services. The defines the practice of law as “the application of legal principles and judgment with regard to the circumstances or objectives of a person that require the knowledge and skill of a person trained in the law.” That’s a mouthful, ain’t it? Simply put, that’s work that requires legal education and expertise. Legal advisory, lawsuits, and negotiations are examples of such work. American Bar Association In contrast to the practice of law, legal services require a low level of legal knowledge. Non-lawyers can perform such tasks too. These include company incorporation, patent filing, or rental agreements. Even amongst practitioners, litigation and corporate law is a high-level distinction. Prologue — technology in law Before moving on to legaltech, it makes sense to look at how non-specialized software is having an effect on the field. The below examples are specific to India and may not necessarily apply elsewhere. The use of video conferencing has exploded over the last few months due to the COVID-19 crisis. Many law firms and corporate teams had started embracing it prior to that. Cisco Webex came up multiple times during interviews. For litigators, it has been an abrupt transition that’s taking some time to get used to. Judiciary is struggling with network infrastructure issues amidst the pandemic. Bandwidth issues plague e-courts and online hearings. The office suite is used extensively for tasks such as legal document drafting. Microsoft teams may be a path of least resistance for those looking to move to the cloud for collaboration. The last point above around the adoption of cloud collaboration software is interesting. It could be an example of a makeshift solution taking hold of the market until more specialized software comes in. Then again, only time will tell. Legaltech in action Legaltech, the way we define it, is concerned with applications that directly affect the practice of law and the provision of legal services. , a database of legaltech companies, comprises 9 categories. Those categories along with some examples are listed below. Stanford CodeX Techindex — Connect various market participants (lawyers, students, users) with each other Examples: , Marketplace Upcounsel Vakilsearch — Help customization and automation of various aspects related to legal documents Example: Document automation Legito — Help streamline processes, optimize workflows, and foster collaboration on an individual and team level Example: Practice management Clio — Organize legal information and make it accessible Examples: , , Legal Research Casetext Manupatra Indiankanoon — Provide legal classes or training to students or practitioners looking for continuous education opportunities Legal Education — Helps parties resolve small cases through online mediation, arbitration, or even without third-party intervention and hence, increase access to justice Examples: , Online Dispute Resolution Sama Presolv360 — Helps a legal party procure information in an electronic format from other relevant parties for purpose of legal proceedings E-discovery — Generate legal insights and predict outcomes from documents and data Example: Analytics Lex Machina — Monitor, track and ensure compliance with relevant regulations Example: Compliance Arachnys An about legaltech business models that I’d come across offers a more comprehensive categorization of legaltech companies. Below is an insightful chart of the same. independent report Not a conclusion There’s a need for stakeholder collaboration on multiple levels for legaltech to realize its promise. Judiciary should be provided with adequate infrastructure. Law practitioners and technologists should work together to build legaltech solutions. Legal education needs to prepare the upcoming workforce for industry developments. If venture capital infusion is any measure, legaltech has in the west. India, on the other hand, is only getting started. Startups in the space are few and far between. The state of tech and is still not as robust. Promising initiatives such as those run by not-for-profit and , India’s legaltech incubator, point to a positive future though. started to take off in recent years data in the judiciary Agami Prarambh The next decade should see technology permeate law in a meaningful way. The COVID pandemic will accelerate adoption. Here’s hoping that this development increases access to justice and improves the life of stakeholders. References and resources - a great resource for keeping up with the global legaltech ecosystem Artifical Lawyer blog - a great resource for those interested in the Indian legaltech ecosystem Agami Youtube channel - a great resource for keeping up with the Indian legaltech ecosystem Indian LegalTech blog Stanford Codex website Artificial Intelligence and Law – An Overview and History by Harry Surden at Stanford Law Business models in LegalTech companies - e-book The State of data in the judicial sector by Civic Data Lab AI in Law and Legal Practice – A Comprehensive View of 35 Current Applications If this topic interests you or if you have an interesting project that we can collaborate on, please feel free to reach out on Twitter , LinkedIn , or mail (akashtndn [at] gmail [dot] com). Previously published at https://www.akashtandon.in/technology/2020-06-16-legaltech-a-10000-feet-overview/

LegalTech - An Overview and Prospective Future

The job market for IT professionals is in a unique position. On one hand, IT companies are still thriving and changing with technology, and they always will be. On the other hand, the rest of the world is trying to catch up. See, technology has made a way for all sorts of companies to streamline their operations. An IT professional may have a wider range of job options than ever before! So, from that angle, anyone in the industry is in luck. However, with great power comes great responsibility. It’s still important to not underestimate the job market and what someone might be looking for in an IT professional, especially with technology progressing so rapidly. If you’re looking for an IT job this year, here are some things to think about. More Variety Does Not Mean Less Importance or Work The skills you’ve learned as an IT professional or studying IT in the first place now apply to just about every field you can think of. For instance, even tax professionals are messing around with big data, according to . Your skill set gives you an entryway to high-paying fields that are still adapting to the world of big data. a recent article from Villanova University However, that doesn’t mean that the jobs are any less important or that you’ll be able to slack off. The requirements and job description of each position are more important than ever. For instance, if you’re looking to become an , a bachelor’s degree is practically required. As with any standard IT job, you can bet that working with a tax professional, like the example mentioned above, will also require a bachelor’s degree; it may be even more important because you’re dealing with other people’s money at that point! information systems manager While more jobs may feel like more pressure, it’s no excuse to take things less seriously. Make sure not to underestimate your options. Employers are looking for the best person for the job — give them just that. Preparing Before the Interview Is an Ongoing Process Like any other job or field, it’s important to prepare for a job interview before stepping into the actual situation. This can be difficult to do, as no two interviews are created equal. It can sometimes feel like playing a sport against a team that plays with different rules than you’re used to and which you’ve never seen played. But no worries! Luckily, many have gone before you. It’d be wise to take some cues from them. It’s often good to start with your personal skills before a job interview. If you’re at a loss where to start, put your tech savvy to work and by scouring the web for resources that help prepare you for and teach you to compose yourself correctly in these situations. This will help with the formalities and small talk of a new interview. In addition to this, do not be surprised if interviewers ask some unconventional interview questions to get a feel for who you are — . commonly asked interview questions that’s how they plan on finding the best candidate Always study the occupational specifics as well before entering a job interview, in addition to the generic questions. Absolutely go to the company’s website and study their work, their clients, their history, and their values, because you will most likely be quizzed about that. Along the lines of IT specifically, things like , which in the past, can be a quick refresher on current IT trends. Do not underestimate your relevancy; technology is always changing and it’s important that you are up to date. For other industries, study not only the job you’re applying for but news surrounding the industries at hand. 30 Seconds of Interviews Hackernoon has recommended Avoiding Simple Mistakes So you’ve tried to prepare for any questions and topics that an interviewer may throw your way, as you should. However, before closing the book on these prospective job tips talk about etiquette for a second. When you’re in the heat of the battle (the interview), it can be intimidating and you can forget things of importance. So think about them now to avoid doing so. For instance, if you should code during the application process, make a point to show what you’re doing, and not to get ahead of yourself. . Being overeager may prove you want the job, but it isn’t professional. This is for an IT-specific job, of course. The idea of not acting overeager and staying levelheaded is a good rule of thumb for any interview. Don’t start coding before your interviewer has given you the green light No matter where you’re applying though, keep in mind that you are interviewing for a high-tech position as an IT professional. The people interviewing you are going to be looking for an intelligent thinker. Try not to be too short with your words and answer things as specifically as you can without fluff. If you do this, you’ll come off as someone of character and intelligence, rather than short spoken and uninteresting.

Prospective Job Hunt and Interview Tips for IT Professionals in 2019

10 Strategic Investment Questions Angels ask prospective founders: Pitching to investors is a daunting experience and more often than not ,the investor wants to know more about the person than the product . Here are some of the questions that you should practice to answer before you walk into any pitching session irrespective of your geographical location or whether you are pitching for $10000 or $10M . Do you or anyone on your team have any previous experience in this field ? Have you failed or succeeded before ? What did you learn from these experiences ? Why are you the best person to deliver this product to market ? What is your pain threshold ie how far are you willing to go to succeed ? Who else is doing this and why now? Where do you see this company in 5 years time ? Who else is on your team and why should people join your revolution ? What motivates you both personally and professionally ? Why would you take investment from us? Who else is your preferred investor? How well do you know this market ? This is not an exhaustive list but it encapsulates everything an angel should know about a prospective investee to decide whether to go further and dig deeper. Most Angels follow their gut instincts but they also ask qualifying questions about the person and the company that they are about to invest in . Feel free to add more questions in the comments below . This is part of our 2016 educational series of blog posts designed to demystify the process of #HowtoPitchtoInvestors . Our friends at have also put together a more detailed list ,check it out Startupmanufactory here

10 Strategic Investment Questions Angels ask prospective founders:

What Do Product Managers Do? I get this question several times. From aspiring Product Managers, professionals who want to make a move to product management, students, friends, and even my mom (as she struggles to explain to others what her daughter does). As glorified as it may sound, and as most definitions would describe a Product Manager as being the ‘CEO of the product!’, I think it is the most misunderstood interpretation of the level of direct authority this role possesses. Of course, as a PM, you get to shape the product vision and strategy to drive it toward success, but as they say, it takes a village, and as I like to put it, a product manager is like a shepherd, who will drive the herd toward taking products to greener pastures. And although the role varies in different organizations, In simple terms, A product manager helps develop product strategy, partners with executives/stakeholders on how to deliver and take it to market and manages people/resources to execute on that vision. I can understand why it has taken so long for people to get familiar with this new role, as the title ‘Product Manager’ did not exist until perhaps a decade ago. It is basically a ‘jack of all trades’ kind of a role, which varies according to the company size, the user audience, the industry, and the stage at which the product is in its lifecycle. More than the roles and responsibilities, I would like to elaborate on some of the core competencies that a PM possesses and skills he or she applies, in their day-to-day jobs. Core Competencies for a PM These are the skills that differentiate a good PM from a stellar PM: Ability to Define a Vision: Any product starts with setting a vision, that is in line with the overall vision for the company. A mission statement about what you want your product to be. A product manager sets the direction for where the product is going and what it will deliver in the future. For example, Google’s vision is “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Slack’s product vision is “transforming work, building better communication, and creating greater transparency.” This is not simply a tagline or a marketing statement; it is a culture that every person working at these companies abides by. Setting a strategic vision requires a solid understanding of the business, the company goals, and the customer’s needs. Understanding Product-Market Fit: This is one of the most critical pieces in terms of knowledge areas for a PM, as it involves understanding the market, defining the problem statement, and then building a product that solves this problem. ‘Achieving product-market fit’ from the beginning and iterating on it throughout the product development process is key to being a successful product manager. Business Modeling: While the vision tells you why the product should be made, the business case tells you how the product will create value, monetize on that value, and be a sustainable growing business. For this, a PM sets short-term and long-term goals, defines the growth path, and the revenue streams, and identifies the resources to achieve the product vision. I like Alex Osterwalder’s Business Model Canvas as a template to put together some of these details. Experimentation and Hypothesis Testing: You must have heard of taking a ‘data-driven approach’ to making decisions. Well, there is no dearth today of tools and mechanisms for product managers to gather data and feedback. The main issue is to sift through this data and identify the metrics that really matter. One of the skills of a PM is to frame a hypothesis for a particular observation, run experiments to test the hypothesis, and then effectively measure the outcome by deriving KPIs that objectively validate the assumptions and will eventually help drive decisions. Taking the example of Slack in their early days, they were trying to prove its utility to users. One of the hypotheses was ‘eliminating the use of email’. The team started asking prospective clients to spend an entire day without email, only using Slack for all communications. The experiment was a success and the Slack team was able to demonstrate how effective the tool was in breaking people away from their email and enabling productivity. Prioritization Ask any PM what is that one competency that he or she is forever trying to master, and the answer most often will be prioritization skills! You have a great set of ideas and requests gathered from users, sales, product support, developers, etc. Evaluating these against the right set of criteria to know what to work on first, is according to me the most important skill that needs to be developed and honed over time. There are many prioritization frameworks and techniques, including the RICE method, ICE scoring, and the KANO method, to name a few. As a good prioritization example, Slack focused on a few things that were most important to their product vision: Search: The team knew that users needed to not worry about labeling and storing documents and had to focus their roadmap to build this capability, one that Gmail and Google, had set high standards for. Synchronization: The problem with every other enterprise productivity tool was the need for the user to be able to pick up from where he left off after switching devices. This is what became one of Slack’s biggest differentiators. Simple file-sharing: Slack wanted to make it super easy to drag-drop files and paste images which was in line with its focus on building an intuitive UI.
Although these features may seem rudimentary, Slack identified and prioritized these, as an attempt to build something that would be an important change for the audience who were used to cumbersome experiences through other competitive tools. Design Thinking A PM typically works very closely with a product designer to ensure the features presented to the user, serve the functionality in the way they are designed for. In order to design experiences and user interfaces, a PM should have a thorough understanding of the user journey and how users will consume the product capabilities. As a good resource, I found the Lean UX helpful in sharing techniques to incorporate design into agile product development. Metrics and Measurement More often than not, PMs are faced with the challenge of weighing the information assimilated from a variety of sources in order to make product decisions. As you build your hypothesis and begin to test, you will need to understand the opportunities for feedback, what to measure, and how to measure. Being proficient in these metrics measurement methodologies is a core skill to develop as a PM. This includes qualitative testing (e.g., usability testing or session monitoring) or quantitative (traffic analysis or user engagement tracking). There are also other forms of comparative measurement such as A/B testing, multi-variate testing, etc. Sticking to the same example of Slack, when they were tackling their next set of goals, performed a bunch of qualitative interviews with their largest accounts to test the hypothesis that they weren’t serving those larger teams as well as they could. Some of the questions asked were — How do you use Slack? Who uses it within the organization? What do they use it for? What other tools do you use, and how does Slack fit into that? Using the feedback gathered, Slack then made several changes to its feature set for larger teams (e.g., creating a different set of default notifications to avoid ping fatigue) Besides these core skills, there are other personal or as I call them, fundamental proficiencies that truly differentiate a good PM from an expert, seasoned product person. These include leadership, planning, cross-functional collaboration, stakeholder management, and relationship building which are as vital to becoming a successful product manager as the core competencies covered above. What Do Product Managers Do? I get this question several times. From aspiring Product Managers, professionals who want to make a move to product management, students, friends, and even my mom (as she struggles to explain to others what her daughter does). As glorified as it may sound, and as most definitions would describe a Product Manager as being the ‘CEO of the product!’, I think it is the most misunderstood interpretation of the level of direct authority this role possesses. Of course, as a PM, you get to shape the product vision and strategy to drive it toward success, but as they say, it takes a village, and as I like to put it, a product manager is like a shepherd, who will drive the herd toward taking products to greener pastures. And although the role varies in different organizations, In simple terms, A product manager helps develop product strategy, partners with executives/stakeholders on how to deliver and take it to market and manages people/resources to execute on that vision. A product manager helps develop product strategy, partners with executives/stakeholders on how to deliver and take it to market and manages people/resources to execute on that vision. I can understand why it has taken so long for people to get familiar with this new role, as the title ‘Product Manager’ did not exist until perhaps a decade ago. It is basically a ‘jack of all trades’ kind of a role, which varies according to the company size, the user audience, the industry, and the stage at which the product is in its lifecycle. More than the roles and responsibilities, I would like to elaborate on some of the core competencies that a PM possesses and skills he or she applies, in their day-to-day jobs. Core Competencies for a PM These are the skills that differentiate a good PM from a stellar PM: Ability to Define a Vision: Ability to Define a Vision: Any product starts with setting a vision, that is in line with the overall vision for the company. A mission statement about what you want your product to be. A product manager sets the direction for where the product is going and what it will deliver in the future. For example, Google’s vision is “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Slack’s product vision is “transforming work, building better communication, and creating greater transparency.” This is not simply a tagline or a marketing statement; it is a culture that every person working at these companies abides by. Setting a strategic vision requires a solid understanding of the business, the company goals, and the customer’s needs. Understanding Product-Market Fit : Understanding Product-Market Fit This is one of the most critical pieces in terms of knowledge areas for a PM, as it involves understanding the market, defining the problem statement, and then building a product that solves this problem. ‘Achieving product-market fit’ from the beginning and iterating on it throughout the product development process is key to being a successful product manager. Business Modeling : Business Modeling While the vision tells you why the product should be made, the business case tells you how the product will create value, monetize on that value, and be a sustainable growing business. For this, a PM sets short-term and long-term goals, defines the growth path, and the revenue streams, and identifies the resources to achieve the product vision. I like Alex Osterwalder’s Business Model Canvas as a template to put together some of these details. Business Model Canvas Experimentation and Hypothesis Testing: Experimentation and Hypothesis Testing: You must have heard of taking a ‘data-driven approach’ to making decisions. Well, there is no dearth today of tools and mechanisms for product managers to gather data and feedback. The main issue is to sift through this data and identify the metrics that really matter. One of the skills of a PM is to frame a hypothesis for a particular observation, run experiments to test the hypothesis, and then effectively measure the outcome by deriving KPIs that objectively validate the assumptions and will eventually help drive decisions. Taking the example of Slack in their early days, they were trying to prove its utility to users. One of the hypotheses was ‘eliminating the use of email’. The team started asking prospective clients to spend an entire day without email, only using Slack for all communications. The experiment was a success and the Slack team was able to demonstrate how effective the tool was in breaking people away from their email and enabling productivity. Prioritization Prioritization Ask any PM what is that one competency that he or she is forever trying to master, and the answer most often will be prioritization skills! You have a great set of ideas and requests gathered from users, sales, product support, developers, etc. Evaluating these against the right set of criteria to know what to work on first, is according to me the most important skill that needs to be developed and honed over time. There are many prioritization frameworks and techniques, including the RICE method , ICE scoring , and the KANO method , to name a few. RICE method ICE scoring KANO method As a good prioritization example, Slack focused on a few things that were most important to their product vision: Search: The team knew that users needed to not worry about labeling and storing documents and had to focus their roadmap to build this capability, one that Gmail and Google, had set high standards for. Search: The team knew that users needed to not worry about labeling and storing documents and had to focus their roadmap to build this capability, one that Gmail and Google, had set high standards for. Search: Synchronization: The problem with every other enterprise productivity tool was the need for the user to be able to pick up from where he left off after switching devices. This is what became one of Slack’s biggest differentiators. Synchronization: The problem with every other enterprise productivity tool was the need for the user to be able to pick up from where he left off after switching devices. This is what became one of Slack’s biggest differentiators. Synchronization: Simple file-sharing: Slack wanted to make it super easy to drag-drop files and paste images which was in line with its focus on building an intuitive UI.
Although these features may seem rudimentary, Slack identified and prioritized these, as an attempt to build something that would be an important change for the audience who were used to cumbersome experiences through other competitive tools. Simple file-sharing: Slack wanted to make it super easy to drag-drop files and paste images which was in line with its focus on building an intuitive UI. Although these features may seem rudimentary, Slack identified and prioritized these, as an attempt to build something that would be an important change for the audience who were used to cumbersome experiences through other competitive tools. Simple file-sharing: Slack wanted to make it super easy to drag-drop files and paste images which was in line with its focus on building an intuitive UI. Simple file-sharing: Although these features may seem rudimentary, Slack identified and prioritized these, as an attempt to build something that would be an important change for the audience who were used to cumbersome experiences through other competitive tools. Design Thinking Design Thinking A PM typically works very closely with a product designer to ensure the features presented to the user, serve the functionality in the way they are designed for. In order to design experiences and user interfaces, a PM should have a thorough understanding of the user journey and how users will consume the product capabilities. As a good resource, I found the Lean UX helpful in sharing techniques to incorporate design into agile product development. Metrics and Measurement Metrics and Measurement More often than not, PMs are faced with the challenge of weighing the information assimilated from a variety of sources in order to make product decisions. As you build your hypothesis and begin to test, you will need to understand the opportunities for feedback, what to measure, and how to measure. Being proficient in these metrics measurement methodologies is a core skill to develop as a PM. This includes qualitative testing (e.g., usability testing or session monitoring) or quantitative (traffic analysis or user engagement tracking). There are also other forms of comparative measurement such as A/B testing, multi-variate testing, etc. Sticking to the same example of Slack, when they were tackling their next set of goals, performed a bunch of qualitative interviews with their largest accounts to test the hypothesis that they weren’t serving those larger teams as well as they could. Some of the questions asked were — How do you use Slack? Who uses it within the organization? What do they use it for? What other tools do you use, and how does Slack fit into that? Using the feedback gathered, Slack then made several changes to its feature set for larger teams (e.g., creating a different set of default notifications to avoid ping fatigue) Besides these core skills, there are other personal or as I call them, fundamental proficiencies that truly differentiate a good PM from an expert, seasoned product person. These include leadership, planning, cross-functional collaboration, stakeholder management, and relationship building which are as vital to becoming a successful product manager as the core competencies covered above.

Demystifying the Role of a Product Manager: Beyond the 'CEO of the Product' Perception

Surveying the Evolution and Future Trajectory of Generative AI - Abstract and Introduction

AST SpaceMobile has spent much of 2024 showcasing the rate of growth that wouldn’t seem out of place next to an Nvidia ticker last year, but is the innovative stock destined for further greatness? Much like Nvidia, AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS) is a market leader in an emerging market that has the potential to transform our relationship with technology. The company is pioneering satellite smartphone coverage, which would pave the way for users to continually access a strong signal no matter where they are. Founded in Texas in 2017, the company finally launched its Block 1 first five Bluebird satellites on September 12, 2024. The launch has represented the first step towards AST SpaceMobile becoming the world’s first satellite-based cellular broadband network. As a result, ASTS rallied 489% between January and September 2024. Although achieving global network coverage through satellite will take a $5 billion investment and 168 satellites to achieve, investors appear confident that they’re buying into a stock with significant potential. Crucially, AST SpaceMobile has already entered a series of partnerships with globally renowned network operators like Vodafone, Telefonica, Orange, AT&T, and Verizon in a move that could see its technology reach around 3 billion users. Despite this, ASTS remains a highly speculative stock, and such significant price rallies already this year are rightly cause for concern among investors who may be mulling its addition to their portfolios. So, what’s to come from AST SpaceMobile in the future? Buying Into Ambition Delving into AST SpaceMobile’s fundamentals, the company’s Q2 2024 earnings reported sales of $900,000 with a loss of $0.51 cents per share, falling well short of analyst estimates of $0.22 losses. With the help of a strategic $100 million investment from Verizon during the quarter, AST ended the quarter with $287.6 million in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash in addition to $51.5 million of additional liquidity available through a secured credit facility. This serves as a timely reminder that we’re looking at an extremely speculative stock, and its exponential growth in 2024 represents investors buying into the company’s industry ambitions at scale. Until the launch of its satellites on September 12, 2024, AST SpaceMobile didn’t even have a functional service. With at least 95 satellites needed to provide the level of service the company hopes to offer and a projected cost of $400 million to build and launch its next 20 satellites alone, ASTS is a stock that still has many question markets hanging over it. Although the company experienced losses per share in its Q2 2024 results, B. Riley Securities analyst Mike Crawford increased his ASTS price target from $15 to $26. Now, with the stock briefly peaking at $38.60, what’s next for AST SpaceMobile? Cautious Optimism Ahead With AST SpaceMobile already working on building its next 17 satellites with a view to delivering full-scale text, voice, and data services throughout the United States in the coming years, analyst estimates suggest that the company will generate $6 million in 2024 before jumping to $74 million in 2025. This suggests that ASTS has a strong platform for future growth, but there’s a concern that the stock is already growing to represent a value that’s not going to be achieved for many more years. With an enterprise value of around $4 billion today, purchasing the stock at its current level suggests that investors will be paying for revenue that’s unlikely to be realized until at least 2027. Considering that SpaceX’s Starlink service could, in the future, shift to cellular services, there may not be much of a margin for competition within AST SpaceMobile’s current Wall Street value. However, the successful launch of its first five satellites means that ASTS is finally in a position to begin delivering on its promise. With the connectivity implications of satellite cellular networks, it seems inevitable that this will be the next major frontier for smartphones, and AST’s current position as an innovator and market leader makes its current value seem like a bargain, considering its addressable network of 3 billion users. “The company is on track to reach profitability by 2027, with annual revenue projected to grow to $35 billion by 2032,” explained Maxim Manturov, head of investment research at Freedom24. “If AST SpaceMobile can leverage its first mover advantage, it has the potential to become the next Starlink, transforming the landscape of global Internet connectivity and telecommunications.” “The company's ability to provide ubiquitous mobile broadband services via satellite without the need for specialized equipment makes it a potential leader in the emerging telecommunications industry.” Is ASTS a Buy for Investors? AST SpaceMobile is a high-risk opportunity that investors have been quick to embrace, making its price a little less attractive for its potential upside in years to come. However, the stock remains one of the biggest innovators in an industry that’s heavily utilized worldwide. The prospective use cases could mean that AST products become part of daily life for smartphone users globally, making its current price seem like a bargain opportunity. The challenge of becoming profitable and the threat of competition from Starlink could dampen its prospects, but AST SpaceMobile has plenty of potential to transform the communication landscape at scale. For investors with a risk appetite, this could make one of 2024’s biggest Wall Street stars a great prospect for years to come. AST SpaceMobile has spent much of 2024 showcasing the rate of growth that wouldn’t seem out of place next to an Nvidia ticker last year, but is the innovative stock destined for further greatness? Much like Nvidia, AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS) is a market leader in an emerging market that has the potential to transform our relationship with technology. The company is pioneering satellite smartphone coverage, which would pave the way for users to continually access a strong signal no matter where they are. Founded in Texas in 2017, the company finally launched its Block 1 first five Bluebird satellites on September 12, 2024. The launch has represented the first step towards AST SpaceMobile becoming the world’s first satellite-based cellular broadband network. As a result, ASTS rallied 489% between January and September 2024. Although achieving global network coverage through satellite will take a $5 billion investment and 168 satellites to achieve , investors appear confident that they’re buying into a stock with significant potential. 168 satellites to achieve 168 satellites to achieve buying into a stock Crucially, AST SpaceMobile has already entered a series of partnerships with globally renowned network operators like Vodafone, Telefonica, Orange, AT&T, and Verizon in a move that could see its technology reach around 3 billion users. Despite this, ASTS remains a highly speculative stock, and such significant price rallies already this year are rightly cause for concern among investors who may be mulling its addition to their portfolios. So, what’s to come from AST SpaceMobile in the future? Buying Into Ambition Delving into AST SpaceMobile’s fundamentals, the company’s Q2 2024 earnings reported sales of $900,000 with a loss of $0.51 cents per share, falling well short of analyst estimates of $0.22 losses. reported sales of $900,000 reported sales of $900,000 With the help of a strategic $100 million investment from Verizon during the quarter, AST ended the quarter with $287.6 million in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash in addition to $51.5 million of additional liquidity available through a secured credit facility. This serves as a timely reminder that we’re looking at an extremely speculative stock, and its exponential growth in 2024 represents investors buying into the company’s industry ambitions at scale. Until the launch of its satellites on September 12, 2024, AST SpaceMobile didn’t even have a functional service. With at least 95 satellites needed to provide the level of service the company hopes to offer and a projected cost of $400 million to build and launch its next 20 satellites alone, ASTS is a stock that still has many question markets hanging over it. projected cost of $400 million projected cost of $400 million Although the company experienced losses per share in its Q2 2024 results, B. Riley Securities analyst Mike Crawford increased his ASTS price target from $15 to $26 . Now, with the stock briefly peaking at $38.60, what’s next for AST SpaceMobile? from $15 to $26 from $15 to $26 Cautious Optimism Ahead With AST SpaceMobile already working on building its next 17 satellites with a view to delivering full-scale text, voice, and data services throughout the United States in the coming years, analyst estimates suggest that the company will generate $6 million in 2024 before jumping to $74 million in 2025. This suggests that ASTS has a strong platform for future growth, but there’s a concern that the stock is already growing to represent a value that’s not going to be achieved for many more years. not going to be achieved not going to be achieved With an enterprise value of around $4 billion today, purchasing the stock at its current level suggests that investors will be paying for revenue that’s unlikely to be realized until at least 2027. Considering that SpaceX’s Starlink service could, in the future, shift to cellular services, there may not be much of a margin for competition within AST SpaceMobile’s current Wall Street value. However, the successful launch of its first five satellites means that ASTS is finally in a position to begin delivering on its promise. With the connectivity implications of satellite cellular networks, it seems inevitable that this will be the next major frontier for smartphones, and AST’s current position as an innovator and market leader makes its current value seem like a bargain, considering its addressable network of 3 billion users. “The company is on track to reach profitability by 2027, with annual revenue projected to grow to $35 billion by 2032,” explained Maxim Manturov, head of investment research at Freedom24. “If AST SpaceMobile can leverage its first mover advantage, it has the potential to become the next Starlink, transforming the landscape of global Internet connectivity and telecommunications.” “The company's ability to provide ubiquitous mobile broadband services via satellite without the need for specialized equipment makes it a potential leader in the emerging telecommunications industry.” Is ASTS a Buy for Investors? AST SpaceMobile is a high-risk opportunity that investors have been quick to embrace, making its price a little less attractive for its potential upside in years to come. However, the stock remains one of the biggest innovators in an industry that’s heavily utilized worldwide. The prospective use cases could mean that AST products become part of daily life for smartphone users globally, making its current price seem like a bargain opportunity. The challenge of becoming profitable and the threat of competition from Starlink could dampen its prospects, but AST SpaceMobile has plenty of potential to transform the communication landscape at scale. For investors with a risk appetite, this could make one of 2024’s biggest Wall Street stars a great prospect for years to come.

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