Let’s start fresh this year with a special edition of the Docket, dedicated to insights and toolkits from future-minded product leaders. Curated by our Head of Solutions Development and Go-to-Market, John Scrugham, we’ve crowdsourced a
that takes a choose-your-own-adventure approach to creating a more valuable product. We’ve included some highlights below, along with observations from Codans who co-authored the guidebook.
The Docket is our version of the staff picks shelf at your local bookstore. Every month, we recommend published docs that we’ve personally read, loved, and copied. See past installments
From John: Research has shown that user-centric companies generate more value and delight with their products. But with more user data than we know what to do with, how do we ensure the right R&D insights are driving meaningful outcomes? Yolaine and Farid have evolved and combined two frameworks—Atomic Research and RICE prioritization—to answer just that. As I personally move more into product (well, solution) development, this guide has been an essential part of my playbook when shipping valuable solutions for Coda clients.
, CTO of Buzzfeed, and Angeli Mehta, Principal Product Manager at JLL
From Justin: Have you ever been in a product update meeting where the conversation veers way off track? Or scoured emails, meetings notes, and Slack channels, looking for a simple project update? Both are frustrating—and a waste of time. The good news is that there’s a better way to keep everyone informed. Peter and Angeli created this tactical guide for writing project updates that don’t suck. I love it, and any PM who wants their team to actually get work done should try this approach.
, Co-founder of Working Backwards LLC, former VP at Amazon
From SiNing: Once I learned about Amazon’s working backwardsconcept, I became an instant fan. The idea of starting with the customer seems almost too simplistic to make it onto a “top PM insights” list. And yet, many launched products fail to prioritize the customer’s needs. This doc helps teams visualize the end-goal—something I’ve personally started applying to all kinds of projects, from launching new campaigns to decluttering my home.
From Jordan: I've spent my whole career working with product teams to improve their processes and eliminate wasted effort. The one thing I often see teams missing is a transparent measurement system, which is essential to both understanding where you are and assessing where you want to be. By setting clear targets for adoption, retention, and satisfaction, team members can more effectively work together to achieve success. If you want start evaluating product releases with your team, you’ll find guidance and concrete examples in this doc.
doc from Shanley if you have found yourself influenced by BookTok, want to be the fifth (!) person to ever solve this puzzle, or wonder what it’s like to cut pages out of a book, guilt-free.