Problem Notes
Short explorations of problems — why they matter, why common solutions fail, and how they might be reframed.
Unfinished thinking is welcome.
- Duolingo Is Built for the User Who Came for the Activity
Duolingo's engagement system assumes a user who came for the activity. In India, more new users are coming for the outcome.
- Product Management Is a Mindset, Not a Role
Product management is talked about as a job. It's a mindset for deciding under uncertainty, and the mindset is broader than the role that named it.
- Why PMs Might Be Best-Placed to Build Alone
Everyone's celebrating engineers and designers as the new solo builders. The PM, mocked for lacking a craft, was practicing one all along.
- Why the PM Role Narrows as AI Expands
When AI can do the coordination work, what's the PM role actually for? The easy takes miss it.
- Why Ed-Tech Keeps Choosing Engagement Over Learning
Learning is the stated goal of every ed-tech company. Why does engagement keep winning?