February 2019

February 28, 2019


February 21, 2019

How to build product/market fit

How Superhuman built an engine to find product/market fit. Ask your early users: “how would you feel if you could no longer use the product?” Focus on the “very disappointed” group. These are your biggest proponents, they will tell you why your product is important.

This reminds me of finding a beachhead from Crossing the Chasm.

I also really liked this piece of advice:

Our next step was somewhat counterintuitive: we decided to politely pass over the feedback from users who would not be disappointed if they could no longer use the product.

This batch of not disappointed users should not impact your product strategy in any way. They’ll request distracting features, present ill-fitting use cases and probably be very vocal, all before they churn out and leave you with a mangled, muddled roadmap. As surprising or painful as it may seem, don’t act on their feedback — it will lead you astray on your quest for product/market fit.

Ilya

February 20, 2019


February 9, 2019

  • ScienceDaily: How do genes get new jobs? Wasp venom offers new insights. Adaptions require new or changed functions of genes. One way this could happen is for a gene to be copied and the copy taking on a new function.

    However, by studying tiny parasitic Jewel Wasps and their rapidly changing venom repertoires, the Werren Lab at the University of Rochester has uncovered a different process that may be widespread in other species as well.

    The process involves co-opting single copy genes to take on new functions. In some cases, these genes appear to continue their previous function as well, in other parts of the wasp’s anatomy besides the venom gland.

    “It is almost as if they are now moonlighting,” says John (Jack) Werren, professor of biology. “They’ve got a day job, and then take on a night job as well. Over time, if the night job works out, they may give up the day job and evolve as a venom specialist. However, in other cases we have found that they stop moonlighting as venom genes but appear to retain their day job.”


February 8, 2019


February 6, 2019


February 3, 2019