You’ve been filing bug reports your entire digital life—you just didn’t know it.

Ever notice how the most powerful question in product management is also the favorite of three-year-olds, philosophy professors, and 90s boy bands?

In the rush to add new features and capabilities, product teams often overlook a fundamental truth: how you build and deliver is as important as what you build and deliver.

As I logged into my favorite MMORPG last weekend, something struck me: while I haven’t touched Microsoft Word’s release notes in years (or ever), I was eagerly devouring every detail of this game’s latest update.

McKinsey’s recent article “The missing data link: Five practical lessons to scale your data products” has hit on something I’ve been advocating for years: treating data as a product rather than a project or resource. While I’m typically wary of consultancy research (aren’t we all?), this piece validates much of what we’ve observed in the field about the transformative power of data product thinking.

Technical complexity is the enemy of shared understanding. When presenting complex product concepts, data analyses, or system architectures, the gap between your expertise and your audience’s comprehension can quickly become a chasm.

We’ve all seen it—-companies rushing to slap “AI-powered” on their marketing materials while implementing little more than basic automation or, worse, glorified if/then statements. The current marketplace is brimming with products that tout AI capabilities but deliver minimal value beyond the initial novelty.

A decade ago, I challenged development teams to create “joy in 15 seconds.” Back then, it was revolutionary to expect enterprise software to deliver immediate satisfaction. Today, it’s table stakes. The modern user—conditioned by TikTok’s instant dopamine hits and Amazon’s one-click purchases—demands even faster gratification from every digital experience, including workplace tools.

In a world where both technical expertise and human development are critical for success, the most effective product leaders recognize that mentorship amplifies rather than replaces their technical capabilities.

Work Smarter, Not Harder