The Main Thing

It's the most wonderful time of the year - performance reviews!

Feedback can really help people identify where they should focus because we can all make improvements. But the annual performance reviews are often less about improving performance and more about a way to explain who gets a bonus and who doesn't.

If the goal is performance improvement then more timely feedback is much better as it enables employees to adjust and improve their performance continuously rather than once a year.

And speaking of bonuses, unfortunately, research in behavioural economics and psychology suggests that bonuses are not an effective way of motivating people in tasks requiring cognitive skills and creative thinking (e.g. software development). And what's worse is the negative effect of missing a bonus results in a larger hit on motivation than the impact of receiving a bonus. It's a net negative!

But there is some good news. If you can enable a team to work autonomously and give bonuses based on their outcomes the research backs this up as being highly motivating. Another win for cross-functional teams.

* Scroll down to see last week’s poll results.

This Weeks Updates

Enabling the Team

15 Principles For Managing Up by Wes Kao
Everything is easier when you have a great relationship with your boss. Here's how to help your manager get what they need, so you get what you want.

Rethinking the Status Quo of Annual Performance Reviews by Marc-Peter Pijper
Discover a new perspective on performance management that transforms workplace dynamics.

Product Direction

What is the right amount of 'Strategic Ambiguity'? by Chris Butler
Ambiguity allows for communication drift and experimentation but too much ambiguity can lack direction. It’s a balancing act.

Alternatives To Product Managers by Marty Cagan
Marty responds to Brian Chesky’s recent interview and outlines some different approaches to product management without product managers.

Continuous Discovery

The State of UX in 2024 by Fabricio Teixeira and Caio Braga
Automation, uncertain market, commoditization of design, greater financial focus and increasing public distrust. 2024 is going to be wild!

How to Start with User Research Without Dedicated Researchers on the Team by Airtime UX Team
Learn how to kickstart user research, even without dedicated researchers so you can unlock valuable insights for your projects.

Continuous Design

Assumption Testing: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started by Teresa Torres
We jump to solutions far too quickly. Teresa shares how we can test our guesses to drive more effective product development.

Get More Out Of Design Reviews by Andrew Duckworth
Andrew gives a structured approach to analysing a design and preparing feedback for designers.

Continuous Delivery

Value Engineering and Build vs. Rent by Rich Mironov
We always have a bias to build but renting means we can devote more of our effort to market differentiators.

An Actionable Framework for Understanding and Improving Developer Experience by Michaela Greiler, Margaret-Anne Storey and Abi Noda
Through interviews with 21 developers, this study uncovers factors influencing DX, strategies for improvement and coping mechanisms.

JOB OF THE WEEK

Senior Product Director
🏬 Mews
📌 Full-Time, Remote, Europe

About Mews
With a mission to make hospitality remarkable. Mews was founded by ex-hoteliers who saw the need for hospitality to embrace technology.

See role details here

New Video Release This Week

Design, development and process frameworks can lighten the burden on teams and increase innovation but you need flexibility, adaptability and buy-in to get it right. Want to know more? 👇👇👇

The Results of Last Week’s Poll

The question was: How is your organization adapting to the industry’s shift toward efficiency and profitability?
Users responded:

There seems to be a lot of tightening of belts going on. Recruitment is on hold, and teams are looking at ways to improve performance and reduce costs. Let’s see if things change in the new year.