12 steps to making better products

For me to reflect on as my career progresses

Inspired by Joel Spolsky’s 12 steps…

Do not consider yourself an expert

• Spend at least 1 day a month with the users of your product
• Spend at least 2 days a week with the people building your product
• Work collaboratively to improve your ideas and gain new ideas from colleagues

Focus on the important

• All of your effort should be directed towards providing for what your users need — or improving the people that do
• Pick appropriate battles to fight
• Spend less than 25% of your time in meetings

Remove all assumptions

• Get user feedback to validate every user experience decision
• Question how you work and introduce change regularly (at least weekly)
• Push back against vanity projects with no user need

Constantly look for self improvement

• Write blog posts, even if only you read them
• Seek out authors that validate your views, and also look for differing views
• Always be on the lookout for people to learn from