Julie Zhuo Great designers are strong at 'product thinking.' | vladzely.zip

Julie Zhuo

Great designers are strong at "product thinking." This is a key aspect of many design interviews, as well as many PM or VC ones. But what exactly is product thinking? And how does one get good at it?

My definition is simple: Do you have good instincts about what makes a product useful and well-loved by people? More than that, could you design toward that outcome?

Being good at this means you generally have...

1) Curiosity about how people think and behave
2) Understanding of why various products are popular/unpopular
3) A habit of analyzing new products
4) An eye for seeing good/bad user experiences

The very best product thinkers I know are insatiable about understanding why things work. They love to discuss their favorite services, but not just what they like/dislike; they also consider the broader landscape of why a product might work for an audience that *isn't* them.

To improve your product thinking, the most important qualities are observation and curiosity. Observe why you or the people you know respond the way you do. Dissect cultural phenomena. Read books on human psychology. Track:

1) how many new features/products/services do you?
2) how many conversations / reflections do you have on why something works?