Raj, Author at RajeshMathur

Numbers don’t lie, but you need to know the context

by Raj | Sep 13, 2023 | Critical Thinking, Measurement, Metrics | 0 comments

Numbers can fool people. They often do.

Product delivery teams get hung up on metrics.

Management gets fixated on numbers.

Questions like “how long will it take”, “how many lines of code”, “how many test cases”, “how many bugs”, “how long will you take to fix / test it”, are not useful.

Numbers are like sock puppets. They don’t tell a story for themselves and they certainly don’t talk for themselves.

It’s people who interpret the numbers. They “choose” how they want to interpret them.

For example:

A 3 week development cycle can be too short or too long depending on the context.

A list of 500 bugs can be humongous or can be “Phew! Only 500 bugs!”.

Without context, numbers will almost always fool people. Because then it will depend on people how they interpret those numbers.

For example:

A salesperson who is too keen to get something on the market to achieve their target will be too anxious to see a long list of bugs.

While a product manager who knows the complexity of the product and the basis of the bugs will be receptive to the same list of bugs without any worries.

So, next time you come across a metric, ask for the context.

Ask what those numbers mean and what they represent.

Ask what will happen if they are much lower or extremely high.

Try to seek the underlying complexity that lies behind the illusion of simplicity.

Maybe it’s the illusion of simplicity that fools us, and not the numbers.

What matters is to find out what needs to be found out before jumping on the conclusions.

Lessons that we can learn from inventor Marconi’s journey

by Raj | Sep 12, 2023 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

This post is about the lessons that we can learn from inventor G. Marconi’s journey of inventing radio. This style of writing is relatively new for me, and you can say that this is an experiment that I am running. Let’s see what feedback I get and what lessons I learn from that.)

There is one invention that we can’t live without.

And its inventor was a 20 years old homeschooled kid.

Without this invention, we would not have the advancement that we have in the world.

Looks like schools are overrated!

This inventor was G. Marconi and his invention was the radio.

Or, correctly put “radio-wave based wireless telegraph system”.

If you are a founder, product person or innovator, read on!

There are many lessons in this post.

Marconi was born in a rich family.

He did not attend formal school, and learned Maths, Physics and Chemistry at home through private tutors.

He was privileged, but he was also passionate.

You can’t excel in anything without passion, let alone invent new things.

Marconi was inquisitive.

He learned the theories of electricity from a high school Physics teacher, who became his mentor.

His curiosity led him to renowned Physicist, Augusto Righi who was a pioneer of electromagnetism and the first one (with J.C. Bose) to generate microwaves.

Marconi was bold.

He asked permission for attending Righi’s lectures, use his library and his lab at the University.

Did he get all? Yes.

If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

As I noted above, Marconi was resourceful. He utilized whatever was accessible to him.

Through Righi, he came across Hertz’s work on electromagnetic radiation. This was something that interested Marconi and motivated him to explore more.

In Hertz’s work, Marconi found something that other inventors weren’t focusing on.

He might have found his niche.

And he was not even 20 years old. Plus, Internet or wifi were not invented yet.

Even as a child, he ran a lot of experiments.

That’s what inventors, startup founders and people in product do.

Experiments teach us a lot, and when they fail then failure teaches us a lot.

Experiments also help us validate our hypotheses.

It took Marconi a few years, but his experiments on radio waves finally became fruitful.

In 1894, he successfully tested a radio transmitter.

We know Marconi as the inventor of the radio, but he clearly had an entrepreneurial spirit.

What did we learn here:

Success can take time, but nothing can beat passion, curiosity, courage, resourcefulness, and hard work.

I am sure that inventing the radio was not all smooth sailing for Marconi, but who said that life of an entrepreneur or inventor is easy?

How to manage multiple projects: a few tips

by Raj | Sep 10, 2023 | Delivery Leading, Project management | 0 comments

Managing timelines for multiple projects can be challenging, but with the right strategies and tools, it becomes more manageable. I have been managing multiple projects for a while and it can become chaotic if you are not in control. The idea is to stay on top of things smartly by employing systems. Any process you use must work for you and not the other way round.

Managing multiple projects means managing stakeholders, customers, team members, products, timelines, roadmaps etc. At times, it does feel like herding cats, but it also brings a sense of achievement once you deliver outcomes.

Things don’t always go as planned, but that’s part of the game. It is about learning, practicing and adapting. You want to create visibility for yourself and others so that things do not fall through the cracks.

Secondly, your relationship with people will pay you more than behaving like a tyrant. For that, communication and respect an important role. Don’t be a jerk!

Here are ten effective tips to help you handle timelines on multiple projects simultaneously:

Tip	Description	Tools/How
Prioritize Projects	Identify and rank projects based on importance to your organization’s goals. Allocate resources accordingly.	Use a prioritization matrix or a simple ranking system. Business value based prioritisation is often useful.
Create a Master Schedule	Develop a comprehensive schedule with all project timelines and milestones.	Utilize project management software or a spreadsheet. A visual representation will help you stay on top of things.
Break Down Tasks	Divide projects into smaller, manageable tasks or phases (batches) for better tracking and resource allocation.	Create a breakdown structure for each project.
Set Realistic Deadlines	Establish achievable deadlines for tasks and projects, considering potential delays and unforeseen issues.	Estimation is almost always wrong, but it can be useful if used as a guideline. Secondly, estimation done by people who will do the work is more reliable.
Use a Project Management Tool	Employ software like Asana, Trello, or Microsoft Project for task and resource tracking, and collaboration.	Train your team on the chosen tool for effective use. Drive the tool, and don’t let the tool drive you.
Delegate Responsibility	Assign specific responsibilities to team members and communicate expectations and deadlines clearly.	Implement a responsibility assignment matrix (RAM). Again, use that to guide the delivery, and not to performance manage people.
Regularly Review and Adjust	Hold regular project meetings to review progress, identify issues, and make necessary timeline adjustments. But don’t create a meeting tsunami.	Create a meeting schedule and stick to it. Have a clear agenda to keep the meetings short and on topic.
Resource Allocation	Monitor and allocate resources, including personnel, budget, and equipment, based on project priorities.	Use tools that work for you.
Time Blocking	Dedicate specific blocks of time in your calendar for each project to improve focus and reduce multitasking.	Use calendar or time management apps to schedule blocks.
Risk Management	Identify potential project risks and develop contingency plans to mitigate their impact on timelines.	Conduct risk assessments and document mitigation strategies.

Remember that effective communication and collaboration with your team are crucial for successful delivery/project management. Keep stakeholders informed of progress, challenges, and changes to timelines. Make things visible as much as you can. Additionally, flexibility and adaptability are key as project priorities and requirements may unfold and evolve over time.

Leadership lessons from the story of Frappuccino

by Raj | Mar 22, 2023 | Leadership, Management | 0 comments

I read the autobiography of Starbucks’ CEO Howard Shultz recently. Even though the book was published in 1997, it was clear to me that Shultz was ahead of his time in his management thinking.

I learned and gathered many lessons from the book, but the story of Frappuccino intrigued me. Sharing what I learned about it.

It is one of the Starbucks’ most popular and iconic drinks. It contributes almost $2 billion to Starbucks revenue.

Yet, it almost got rejected by the company.

Starbucks had previously declined requests for blended cold drinks. CEO and Chairman Howard Schultz was hesitant to introduce a blended drink that didn’t involve traditional espresso shots. He was worried it would dilute the company’s coffee-focused brand image. The initial recipe for the Frappuccino was a simple blend of coffee, milk, and sugar. Shultz found this blend awful, as it had a chalky, pasty taste.
Obviously, he opposed it.

Yet, as a good leader he was open for ideas and agreed to let the team test it with customers. After few experiments Frappuccino was launched in the summer of 1995 as a seasonal item in Starbucks stores in California. The drink became an instant hit and was soon offered year-round at all Starbucks locations across the US and later to be distributed bottled by PepsiCo.

Leadership lessons:

1. Brand and quality matters:
Shultz was right to be apprehensive.

His apprehension about the drink reflects his commitment to maintaining Starbucks’ brand identity and upholding the company’s high standards for coffee quality.

2. Trust:
Shultz trusted his team, and the employees trusted the management team.

This trust was the reason that a barista thought of creating a new drink and cared for what customers were asking for.

He could have done his 9-5 job.

3. A culture of safety:
A few store employees had started experimenting with the drink long before they reached out to Shultz with the new drink idea.

They did not ask for permission.

Employees knew that it was okay to make mistakes.

4. A culture of innovation:
Customers asked for a cold drink.

Employees listened to them, tried a new blend, and management supported.

Frappuccino’s success shows the innovation and adapting to changing consumer preferences.

In his book “Pour Your Heart into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time” Shultz wrote:
The drink’s success is a testament to the collaborative efforts of the company’s employees and their dedication to creating new and innovative products.

Their culture has been a key factor in Starbucks’ growth and success over the years.

This post is still a work in progress. I need to refine it further. So don’t get annoyed that it has come to an abrupt end. 🙂

How a neighbour taught me a quick lesson in divergent mindset, and gifted me 12 books too

by Raj | Feb 15, 2023 | Coaching, Critical Thinking | 0 comments

I learned a great lesson from my neighbour (and got these books as gift).

Numbers don’t lie, but you need to know the context

Lessons that we can learn from inventor Marconi’s journey

How to manage multiple projects: a few tips

Leadership lessons from the story of Frappuccino

How a neighbour taught me a quick lesson in divergent mindset, and gifted me 12 books too

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