Messi, Estimating, Heatwaves, AI, and House of Suns
Monthly Wrap from June
Another month, another host of great articles, listens, books and other finds from Product Thinking and around the internet. Here’s what you may have missed.
Product Thinking
Why We're So Bad At Estimating
We, as humans, are bad at estimating. I remodeled our laundry room a little while ago. It was a project that I had on my list for a long time, so I was excited to get it done. We didn’t have any storage in that room, and too much wasted space, so it seemed like a good project.
Lessons in Thinking Long Term
You probably remember the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The uncertainty, the fear, the shift to working remotely. And if you tried to buy certain items, like masks or toilet paper, you may have faced aisles of empty shelves (like this photo I took in March 2020).
The Alignment Problem: Machine Learning and Human Values
The book The Alignment Problem by Brian Christian has been on my reading list for a while now. It came up again in a Product by Design podcast interview I was doing as we discussed the implications of AI, good and bad. And with my own increased interest in AI (don’t forget to read and share the
Other Articles
Heatwaves could trigger energy shortages across two-thirds of North America
It amazes me we can’t seem to figure out solutions to these problems. Or we know the solutions, but don’t have the fortitude to fix anything. From droughts to heatwaves to flooding to snowstorms.
Two-thirds of North America could face electricity shortages when temperatures spike this summer. The warning came from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) today, which cited an analysis by the nonprofit North American Electric Reliability Corporation.
The Unique Contract That Convinced Lionel Messi To Join MLS
I’m a big soccer fan. And there is no greater player than Leo Messi. So I joined every soccer fan this month in celebrating his coming to America. It is a huge deal, not just for fans and soccer, but for him.
And the way his deal was structured might just change sports forever. Players, who are the center of sports, may start to take more ownership stakes, especially when they are superstars:
Messi’s roster spot will be exempt from MLS salary rules
Messi will receive a revenue share from all new MLS Season Pass subscribers on Apple TV+. Apple will pay this directly — the company’s recently announced 4-part docuseries on Lionel Messi is also rumored to be part of the deal.
Messi will receive a profit share with Adidas for any increases in profit Adidas generates from Messi being in MLS, which makes a lot of sense considering Messi has been with Adidas since 2006 and signed a lifetime contract with the brand in 2017.
Messi will have an option for part-ownership in Inter Miami CF upon retirement.
Good Listens
Focusing on Customer Experience and Building Value
When is a product done? When should you build vs buy? Join me on this episode of Product by Design as he speaks with Brad Hawkins, Chief Solutions Officer at ServicePower as we discuss product development, user experience, AI, and more.
AI Tools and Personalized Marketing - A Conversation with Omneky
Get ready for an exciting episode of Product by Design! Host Kyle Evans welcomes Hikari Senju and Matt Swalley from Omneky to talk about their AI marketing platform. Along with discussing their backgrounds, we share our views on the changing AI environment and the potential exponential growth in technology.
Revolutionizing Meetings: The Power of AI
In this episode of Product by Design, host Kyle Evans welcomes Artem Koren from Sembly.ai. Join them as they explore the revolutionary and ever-evolving world of AI and its application in meetings. Artem, the Chief Product Officer and co-founder at Sembly.ai, shares his background in technology and management consulting, and how the idea for Sembly.ai was born.
Books
House of Suns
I can’t say enough good things about this book. Some books just leave you wishing there was more, and this was one of those. I wanted it to be longer, I wanted a series to go with it, I just wanted the story to keep going. And when I finished it, I didn’t want to dive into another book so it could just linger a little longer in memory.
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Interesting Finds
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