How first principles changed my approach to problem-solving (+ my AI prompt).

Learn how to shift your perspective and leverage AI to build innovative solutions.

Thank you for reading The Product Courier.
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If you're new here, welcome! I’m Toni.
With Lucas, we are product & marketing experts for startups.
We share actionable tips to help you deliver better work and speed up your career, by leveraging A.I. and other tools.

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In this 26th edition, I will share some thoughts about AI voice assistants and how to leverage AI to develop your “first principles thinking”.

But first, let us thank this week’s sponsor: Klue.

Klue is organizing the Compete Week event on October 28-30, and you might not want to miss this:

👉 Oct 28-30, In-Person in Vancouver or Virtually
👉 For Product Marketing and Competitive Intelligence teams
👉 Lots of talks with the best minds in the industry to make you a better product marketer.
👉 2 days to learn how to get sh*t done with actionable value - not fluffy theory.

Seats are limited, so save yours now!

Thank you Klue for sponsoring our newsletter. ❤️

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News of the week. 📰

OpenAI releases advanced voice mode for ChatGPT.

OpenAI rolled out a new "advanced voice mode” for ChatGPT Plus users.

This new feature turns ChatGPT into a voice-activated assistant, allowing you to have natural, spoken conversations with the AI.
It is way more advanced than the previous voice mode or what you might have experienced with Alexa or Siri.
It feels more natural and the assistant can vary tones, emotions, or pace.

Here is an example of the advanced voice mode capabilities:

Why it matters:

From my experience, this conversational voice mode makes using AI much more intuitive and efficient:

• I can brainstorm ideas back and forth with ChatGPT as a sparring partner without the feeling of talking to a robot.

• I analyze and discuss user feedback with the AI in a natural way.

• I can get insights on a framework or a topic like I would listen to a podcast.

• I listen to takeaways from a report or user interviews while commuting.

How to access it:

• You must have a ChatGPT Plus or Teams account.
  You can also access a limited preview to test it on the Free version.
  It is not yet available to European users.

• Download and launch the iOS/Android ChatGPT App.

• In the Chat interface, click on the icon to launch it.

  

• Speak your query or command.

What do you think, is it a breakthrough for AI interactions or just a shiny object?
Let me know in the comments.

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Community Polls. 📊

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Your weekly tutorial. 🧰

How first principles thinking changed my approach to problem-solving (+ my AI prompt).

“The most dangerous phrase in the language is - we've always done it this way.”
Grace Hopper

✅ First principles thinking is a powerful problem-solving approach for PMs.
✅ Learn 4 concrete ways to apply first principles thinking to product challenges.
✅ AI can help you go deeper in your first principles approach.
✅ Get an actionable AI prompt to apply first principles thinking to any product.

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As a product manager, I am constantly faced with complex problems and the need to make critical decisions. And I usually have (very) limited time to make those decisions.

So, like everyone, I naturally rely on assumptions, copy what others have done, or think of the problem based on past experiences.

But a year ago, reading an article about Elon Musk and SpaceX, I learned about the concept of “first principles thinking”.
It completely changed my approach to problem-solving.

Let’s dig into this approach for product management and show how you can use AI to change your perspective and apply deeper thinking to any product challenge.

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What is “first principles thinking”?

First principles thinking is a problem-solving approach that involves breaking down a complex problem into its most basic elements and then rebuilding a solution from the ground up.

Think of it like this:
You're not just following a recipe.
You're understanding why each ingredient matters.
Then you can create your own dish.

Elon Musk is a well-known advocate of this approach. He describes it as:

“boiling things down to the most fundamental truths and then reasoning up from there."

The concept of first principles dates back to Aristotle, as "the first basis from which a thing is known".
In modern times, it's particularly powerful in areas where innovation is crucial, such as product development and technology.

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How Does It Work?

Here's a simple process:

1. Look at your problem.

2. Ask "Why?" a lot. Keep going until you hit the core truths.

3. Forget what everyone else is doing.

4. Use these basic truths to build new solutions.

A real-world example: SpaceX 🚀
Here's how Elon Musk used first principles thinking to build SpaceX:

• Problem: Sending rockets to space is too expensive.

• Common thinking: "That’s how everyone has built rockets since the 50s.”

• Elon Musk's approach:

  • What makes a rocket and how does it work?

  • Can we build rockets ourselves for less?

• Result: SpaceX built rockets for 20% of the usual cost and made them reusable.

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Why it matters for product managers.

First principles thinking can be a game-changer for product teams :

• You'll solve the right problems.

• You'll break free from "how it's always been done".

• You'll create truly new stuff.

• You'll make better decisions.

• You'll inspire your team to think differently.

Let's explore actionable ways you can apply first principles thinking to your product management challenges.

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4 ways to apply first principles as a PM.

First principles thinking is a shift in your mindset and the way you approach problems. These are 4 cases where you can apply it.