product-skills

Evaluate product bets and shape pitches using Shape Up's appetite model and Bezos's Type 1/Type 2 decision framework. Use when asked to assess a product bet, evaluate initiative risk, decide resource allocation, or shape a pitch for a new feature or project.

Analyze competitive landscape with feature matrices, positioning maps, and strategic gap analysis. Use when asked to analyze competitors, map the competitive landscape, find differentiation, or evaluate alternatives to a product.

Design hypothesis-driven experiments and A/B tests with proper methodology. Use when asked to design an A/B test, validate a hypothesis, plan an experiment, or set up a test for a product change. Covers hypothesis writing, sample size, and common mistakes.

Prioritize features and backlog items using RICE scoring and Linear's enablers vs blockers lens. Use when asked to rank features, prioritize a backlog, decide what to build next, or evaluate feature requests against each other.

Analyze customer motivations using Jobs-to-be-Done and Forces of Progress. Use when asked about jobs-to-be-done, why customers switch products, what job a product is hired for, or when analyzing the forces that drive or resist product adoption.

Plan product launches with the right tier and coordinated checklists. Use when asked to plan a launch, coordinate a release, prepare for go-to-market, or figure out how to announce a new feature or product. Covers silent, soft, and big-bang launch tiers.

Define product metrics with a North Star, input/output tree, and counter-metrics. Use when asked to define metrics, set up measurement, choose KPIs, pick a north star metric, or build a metrics framework. Prevents vanity metrics and gaming.

Map opportunities using Teresa Torres' Opportunity Solution Trees. Use when asked to identify opportunities, find product gaps, explore new areas, map the solution space, or connect business outcomes to customer needs and testable solutions.

Write structured, opinionated PRDs that engineers actually read. Use when asked to write a PRD, product spec, feature requirements, or product requirements document. Creates concise, evidence-backed specs with clear scope boundaries and measurable success criteria.

Validate whether a problem is worth solving before building anything. Use when asked to validate a problem, assess problem-solution fit, decide whether to build something, or evaluate if a problem is real. Scores problems on frequency, intensity, willingness to pay, and existing workarounds.

Position a product using April Dunford's Obviously Awesome framework. Use when asked to define positioning, articulate differentiation, write a value proposition, or figure out how to position a product in the market. Follows the five-step competitive alternatives approach.

Synthesize user research into actionable insights using atomic research methods. Use when asked to synthesize research, organize user feedback, find patterns in interviews, summarize customer discovery, or turn raw notes into insights and recommendations.

Create outcome-based roadmaps using Now/Next/Later instead of Gantt charts. Use when asked to create a roadmap, plan quarterly, organize milestones, or figure out what to build over the next few months. Anti-date, anti-feature-list, pro-outcome.

Cut scope ruthlessly using Shape Up's appetite-first approach. Use when asked to reduce scope, find the MVP, trim features, ship faster, or figure out what to cut. Applies fixed time variable scope thinking and scope hammering techniques.

Write product strategy documents with real tradeoffs and clear choices. Use when asked to write a product strategy, define strategic direction, create a strategy doc, or articulate where to play and how to win. Built on Playing to Win and Rumelt's Strategy Kernel.

Prepare and conduct user interviews that extract truth, not validation. Use when asked to create an interview guide, prepare for user interviews, plan customer discovery, or talk to users. Built on The Mom Test and YC's Five Questions framework for startup customer development.