I return to Instagram's original product principles often when building products:
1. Community first
2. Do the simple thing first
3. Do fewer things better
4. Ride the wave
You can apply them by asking these questions:
1. Community first
2. Do the simple thing first
3. Do fewer things better
4. Ride the wave
You can apply them by asking these questions:
1/ Community first
1. What job are customers hiring my product for?
2. Does this product help my customers or just my company?
3. How are customers hacking my product to do a job?
1. What job are customers hiring my product for?
2. Does this product help my customers or just my company?
3. How are customers hacking my product to do a job?
2/ For example:
In 2013, Instagram's fraud detection algorithm flagged an account for uploading and deleting hundreds of photos.
It turns out that this account was a store that was using photos to sell products.
Commerce is now a big bet for the platform.
In 2013, Instagram's fraud detection algorithm flagged an account for uploading and deleting hundreds of photos.
It turns out that this account was a store that was using photos to sell products.
Commerce is now a big bet for the platform.
3/ Do the simple thing first
1. What's the most important customer benefit?
2. Am I focused on delivering this benefit above all else?
3. Is my product delivering this benefit in the simplest way possible?
1. What's the most important customer benefit?
2. Am I focused on delivering this benefit above all else?
3. Is my product delivering this benefit in the simplest way possible?
4/ For example:
The first Instagram ads were run using a physical whiteboard that listed the advertisers and time the ads should appear.
This solution helped the team quickly validate if advertisers wanted to run ads in the first place (this was a long time ago).
The first Instagram ads were run using a physical whiteboard that listed the advertisers and time the ads should appear.
This solution helped the team quickly validate if advertisers wanted to run ads in the first place (this was a long time ago).
5/ Do fewer things better
1. Am I going the extra mile to craft a delightful customer experience?
2. Am I focused on shipping the one or two features that truly matter?
1. Am I going the extra mile to craft a delightful customer experience?
2. Am I focused on shipping the one or two features that truly matter?
6/ For example:
In 2010, uploading photos took forever due to slow connection speeds.
Instagram started uploading a photo when the user was still writing a description, which made the upload feel instant vs. other photo apps.
In 2010, uploading photos took forever due to slow connection speeds.
Instagram started uploading a photo when the user was still writing a description, which made the upload feel instant vs. other photo apps.
7/ Ride the wave
1. Is my product riding a major wave of change in the industry?
2. Am I catching this wave at just the right moment (not too early or late)?
3. Have I questioned long-held assumptions when riding this wave?
1. Is my product riding a major wave of change in the industry?
2. Am I catching this wave at just the right moment (not too early or late)?
3. Have I questioned long-held assumptions when riding this wave?
8/ For example:
Instagram launched Stories to copy Snapchat but more importantly, it was part of a major wave of giving people a quick, low-pressure way to share their lives visually.
Instagram launched Stories to copy Snapchat but more importantly, it was part of a major wave of giving people a quick, low-pressure way to share their lives visually.
9/ To recap, the principles are:
1. Community first
2. Do the simple thing first
3. Do fewer things better
4. Ride the wave
I go into more detail in this post:
creatoreconomy.so/p/four-product…
1. Community first
2. Do the simple thing first
3. Do fewer things better
4. Ride the wave
I go into more detail in this post:
creatoreconomy.so/p/four-product…
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