TODAY'S PRESSURE POINTS

Anthony Pierri says you have to decide what kind of game you are playing. You can sell in a market that already exists, where people know what they’re buying and already have money set aside. But you will face big competitors. Or you can create something new for a problem people are solving in messy ways. There is less competition, but you have to teach people why they need it.

DEEP CUT: Many teams get stuck because they try to play both games at the same time. If you enter a big market, you have to stand out. If you create a new one, you have to explain it clearly. The key is picking one game and sticking to it.

Calvin Arterberry says product teams should track outcomes, not just outputs. Shipping features is not the same as creating value. He explains that teams should use different kinds of metrics like leading, behavioral, lagging, qualitative, and business metrics to see if the product is truly helping users and the company grow.

DEEP CUT: Many teams celebrate what they shipped instead of what changed. Real progress shows up in behavior, results, and feedback. When you connect your metrics to real business and user outcomes, your work stops being “cool design” and starts being proof.

Sol Mesz observes that companies classify design in one of three ways: as a cost, an expense, or an investment. This label shapes budget decisions and determines whether design is seen as strategic or optional. Product-driven companies often treat design as a cost tied to building value, while service organizations view it as an operational expense.

DEEP CUT: Don't waste energy debating labels; understand how your organization already sees design and speak its language. 

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