High Performance PM Mindset

What You Learned Today

1. V-D-F Framework – Desirability, Viability, Feasibility
2. PM “Jobs” Venn – Shape · Ship · Sync → outcomes, not output
3. Five High-Performance Mindsets – Customer Obsession, Bias for Action, First-Principles, Systems Thinking, Adaptability & Ownership
4. Real-world Case Bursts – Spotify, Netflix, Instagram Stories, SpaceX, Airbnb, Flipkart
5. Skill-Set vs Mind-Set – tools can be taught; mindsets must be trained
6. Transition Tips – moving from task-oriented IC roles to outcome-oriented PM work
7. Hands-on next steps (reading list, mini-exercise)

1️⃣ Why the V-D-F Lens Matters

Sphere	Guiding Question	Spotify Illustration
Desirability	Do users want this?	Huge catalog, discovery, social playlists
Feasibility	Can we build it?	Low-latency streaming, recommendation engine
Viability	Will it sustain?	Freemium→Premium, licensing/CAC-vs-LTV math

Sweet-spot = Impact — success lives at the intersection.

2️⃣ From Framework to PM “Jobs”

PM Job (3 S’s)	Core Actions	V-D-F Tie-In
Shape	Strategy, roadmap, market sensing	Fuels Desirability
Ship	Sprint planning, releases	Executes Feasibility
Sync	Align eng, design, biz & customers	Protects Viability

Great PMs own outcomes, not features.

3️⃣ Five High-Performance Mindsets

#	Mindset & Tagline	Real-World Snap-Shot (from lecture)
1	Customer Obsession – users > stakeholders	Netflix pivoted to streaming vs DVD doubts
2	Bias for Action – ship, then refine	Instagram launched Stories in 8 months
3	First-Principles – start at atoms	SpaceX cut rocket cost 10× by DIY build
4	Systems Thinking – features must talk	Airbnb melded ID-checks, 2-way reviews, escrow
5	Adaptability & Ownership – thrive in chaos	Airbnb’s COVID cancellation & safety tooling

4️⃣ Skill-Set ≠ Mind-Set

Dimension	Skill-Set (teachable)	Mind-Set (cultivated)
Nature	Tools, ceremonies (Jira, A/B)	Lenses & behaviours (1-5 above)
Change Rate	Evolves with tech	Evolves with reflection & experience

5️⃣ Case Bursts – Frameworks in Action

Scenario	Key Insight	Impact Lift
Netflix → Streaming	Desirability over legacy profit	Global subs 260 M +
Instagram Stories vs Snapchat	Bias for Action vs perfectionism	200 M DAU in 1 yr
SpaceX Cost Drop	First-Principles over supplier dogma	Launch cost ↓ 10×
Flipkart COD Discounts	First-Principles on returns economics	Pre-paid adoption ↑
Airbnb COVID Response	Adaptability + trust-system tweak	GMV recovery post-pandemic

6️⃣ Student Exercise

Pick any digital product you love.

1. Map its V-D-F; mark the weakest sphere.
2. Choose one mindset (1-5) and describe—in ≤ 100 words—how you’d apply it to strengthen that sphere.
3. List one success metric you’d watch after shipping.

7️⃣ Reading & Resource Shelf

Title / Link (free PDFs online)	Why It Helps
Inspired – Marty Cagan	Shaping & customer value
Lean Customer Development – C. Alvarez	Interview & insight skills
Working Backwards – Bryar & Carr	Amazon’s “start with press-release”
Lenny’s Newsletter	Ongoing PM case studies

8️⃣ Key Take-Aways

• Impact = Desirability ∩ Feasibility ∩ Viability.
• Mindsets multiply skill-sets; they’re your career moat.
• Speed matters only when tethered to user value.
• Frameworks are guard-rails, not cages—iterate with courage.
  

🔥 What is Product Management?

IMPACT = Driving Value, Feasibility, and Business through Mindset + Skillset

Framework	Question	Spotify Example
Desirability	क्या लोग इसे चाहते हैं?	- Access to unlimited music

• Personalized recommendations

• Cross-device streaming

• Playlist sharing |
  | Feasibility | क्या हम इसे बना सकते हैं? | - Real-time streaming infra

• Recommendation algorithm

• Music library management

• Scalable backend infra |
  | Viability | क्या ये sustainable business बन सकता है? | - Freemium model

• Premium subscriptions

• Licensing deals

• Artist & infra costs covered by revenue |

🧠 PM बनने के लिए चाहिए – Mindsets + Skillsets

Aspect	Skillset 🛠	Mindset 🧠
Definition	Functional abilities: Tools, Analytics, A/B Testing, Roadmapping	Thinking approach: Customer-first, ownership, long-term thinking
Focus	Execution & Performance – What you do	Strategic & Empathetic Thinking – How you do it
Developed via	Tools, training, courses	Experience, introspection, company culture
Spotify PM	Uses SQL, runs A/B tests, understands monetization strategies	Thinks customer-first, prioritizes impact, avoids fluff

💡 Mindsets Every Product Manager Must Have

1️⃣ Customer Obsession > Stakeholder Pressure

Case: Netflix's DVD → Streaming Pivot

Stakeholder Objections	Netflix’s Customer-First Decisions
Investors: Infra cost too high	Invested in streaming infra even before broadband was common
Finance team: DVD biz cannibalization	Focused on long-term streaming growth
Content partners: Rights issue	Negotiated new models, then made original content
Users: Slow internet	Started with small library (1000 titles), scaled later

2️⃣ Bias for Action > Analysis Paralysis

Case: Instagram Stories Launch (vs Snapchat)

Steps Taken	Outcome
Decisive move to counter Snapchat	Built core feature in 8 months
Launched MVP version first	Post-launch features added via data
Didn’t wait for perfection	200M daily active users in months

📌 Action लेना ज़्यादा ज़रूरी है जब stakes high हों — PMs को bold but thoughtful risk लेना आता है।

3️⃣ First Principles Thinking > Copying Best Practices

Case: SpaceX Rocket Cost

Traditional Thinking	First Principles Thinking
"Rocket expensive hi hote hain"	“Rockets kin materials se bante hain?”
Accept vendor costs	“Raw material sirf 2% cost ka hai”
Outsource everything	“Hum khud banayein aur reuse karein”

🎯 PMs को bhi same करना है – root cause तक जाकर solution banana, ना कि सिर्फ follow करना।

4️⃣ Systems Thinking > Linear Fixes

Case: Airbnb Trust System during COVID

Linear Fixes	System Thinking Solutions
Add user verification	✅ ID + phone verification, social profiles
Add reviews	✅ 2-way review system
Just improve UX	✅ Secure payments, messaging, insurance

🧠 PM ने सिर्फ एक feature नहीं, पूरा system redesign किया जिससे user ka trust बना रहे।

5️⃣ Ownership & Adaptability > Task Execution

From	To
“What do I need to do?”	“What needs to happen?”
Task completion	Outcome ownership
Comfort with clarity	Adaptability in ambiguity

💡 Great PMs चीज़ें पूरी करने में नहीं, result लाने में interested होते हैं।

✅ Attendance & LMS

Q: Attendance कैसे track होता है?
📌 Zoom webinar जो LMS से linked है – उससे attendance auto-record होती है।
कोई manual action नहीं चाहिए।

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🛠️ Tools for Product Managers

Q: PMs के लिए जरूरी tools कौनसे हैं?

Category	Tools
User Research	Google Forms, Typeform, SurveyMonkey
Prototyping	Figma, Balsamiq
Task Management	Jira, Trello, Notion
Analytics	Google Analytics, Mixpanel
Collaboration	Slack, Miro, Zoom

Q: क्या ये tools चलाने के लिए high-end laptop चाहिए?
❌ नहीं!
✔️ 4–8GB RAM वाला basic system काफी है।
⚠️ Internet speed > System specs

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📘 Concepts – Feasibility, Viability, Outcomes

Q: Feasibility vs Viability?

• Feasibility = हम बना सकते हैं क्या? (Tech, timeline, team)

• Viability = हमें बनाना चाहिए क्या? (Revenue, business fit)

Q: Output vs Outcome?

• Output = Delivered चीज़ (e.g. नया feature)

• Outcome = उसका impact (e.g. engagement बढ़ा?)

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🔄 A/B Testing, Beta Launch, Analytics (Simple Language)

A/B Testing:
दो version compare करो (e.g. लाल vs नीला बटन) → जो better perform करे वो रखो।

Beta Launch:
Product पहले छोटे group को दो → feedback लो।

Usage Analytics:
User क्या क्लिक कर रहे हैं, कहाँ रुक रहे हैं, कितना time दे रहे हैं – ये सब track करना।

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🤝 Stakeholder Management

Q: Stakeholder management क्या होता है?
👥 All parties (devs, users, leaders) को align करना – ताकि decision-making smooth हो।

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🧪 User Research & Validation

Q: अगर user base नहीं है, तो survey या research कैसे करें?

• Social media, forums, physical communities का use करो

• Example: Shopping app बना रहे हो तो age-group के लोगों से बात करो

Q: Feature desirable है या नहीं, कैसे validate करें?

• User interviews

• A/B testing

• Beta Launch

• Retention और engagement जैसे metrics

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🧠 Mindset – Unlearn & Relearn

Q: Unlearn & Relearn का मतलब?
👉 पुरानी rigid सोच छोड़ना (e.g. waterfall model)
👉 और नई agile, user-centric approach adopt करना

Example:
Waterfall से agile में shift करना = Unlearn → Relearn

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🔬 First Principles Thinking

Q: First-principles = Originality?
✔️ Yes – Problem को basics में तोड़कर zero से solution बनाना
Example: SpaceX ने rocket cost दुबारा सोचकर कम की।

Q: क्या ये experimentation है?
❌ Not exactly
✅ लेकिन experimentation part हो सकता है
Core = “सच्चाई की जड़ तक जाना”