Product Habits - The rebirth of SaaS

AI is Changing Quickly

There is a growing sentiment that AI is changing so fast it's hard to come up with an idea that will stand the test of time. It's worth shifting our focus to using the nascent stages of AI development as a learning opportunity. AI will be an integrated part of our lives, so it's best to get comfortable with it now rather than later. Here are three ways you can operate in AI right now. 

Lessons Learned from Coaching 30+ Leaders

Andrew Capland has coached 35 heads of growth over the past few years. He says the same handful of challenges keeps popping up. A few of the ones I've seen most commonly are not getting key stakeholders aligned on strategy and not prioritizing more systematically. Check out the full explanation of all five challenges and recommendations for circumventing them. 

How Creative AI Models Will Transform Us

Large language models (LLMs) will revolutionize every industry, from medicine to law. When used thoughtfully, the potential for innovation is sky-high. But it also comes with the possibility of catastrophic risk. This is an excellent overview of how LLMs are already transforming our lives and labor markets. 

Stages of LLM Product Development

Most of what I'm reading about AI is conceptual. This read goes a few layers deeper, highlighting the engineering and product management challenges of building an LLM. You'll go through five stages in the building process—here's what you should consider during each one. 

What I Learned as a Product Designer at Apple

Apple is a dream place to work for many designers. Andrea Pacheco spent a year at the company, calling it a life-changing experience. She recently shared the top 10 lessons she will continue to carry with her as a product designer. These are some of the ones that stuck out to me:

• Great design takes you far; excellent communication takes you further.
• It's better to be a high-output generator than a strategic thinker.
• Simplicity is hard, but when you get it, it's beautiful. 

Pixar's Fascinating History

Before they made movies, Pixar made software and hardware. But in 1992, some employees attended a three-day storytelling seminar that changed the company's future. Here's the back story about what they learned and how it impacted the way Pixar started writing and developing movies. 

Tech Is Cooling Off, but B2B SaaS Is Not

It's a challenging time for the tech industry, but one segment that has shown continued growth is B2B SaaS. Boston Consulting Group put together a playbook of what top companies are doing to continue their development. It covers everything from sales funnel automation to channel segmentation. Grab your copy here.

The Rebirth of Software as a Service

This article is a must-read if a subscription model is vital to your company's growth plans. It explains why SaaS was the fastest-growing business model for a long time and how it set the standard for sustainable growth principles. One of the distinguishing factors is that the SaaS customer life cycle looks more like a bowtie than a traditional funnel.