What happens when software eats the world? Industry veterans Paul Ford and Rich Ziade chat with their friends about technology, design, and business from a distinctly East Coast point of view. Decades of experience inform their no-BS, quick-witted patter about what digital transformation really means. Created by Postlight, the digital product studio they co-founded in New York City.
If youve ever struggled to build software in a large organization, you know how many obstacles can get in the way. To help you through the process, look no further than Catalyst, Postlights new whitepaper. This week Paul and Rich discuss the whitepaper and the different organizational aspects of shipping software that are often overlooked. Be sure to join us on November 12 at our live (remote) recording of the Postlight Podcast where we'll talk about all things Catalyst and give more insights on...
Postlight is going to Kindergarten! Its been a wild ride these past five years and weve learned a lot. This week we share some useful lessons that weve learned since our inception. We talk about the importance of being generous, keeping your contracts short, keeping your employees happy and never forgetting that revenue comes first. Heres to five more happy years! Links: Postlight - Driven By Strategy, Wired To Deliver Also, we're hosting a Postlight Podcast Live (remotely, obviously) on Novembe...
Flying is all about giving up control, trusting your instruments and staying the course. This week Paul and Rich break down the similarities between piloting a plane and piloting a company. We talk about the concept of instrument flying and explain why navigating cross winds in a plane is not so different from an agency navigating their business. Links: Microsoft Flight Simulator
As someone who has worked both in Silicon Valley and in The White House, Jason Goldman has a unique perspective on tech regulation. This week he shares his thoughts on the rise of monolithic social media platforms and how theyve been used to advance political agendas and promote hate. He shares what hes learned about regulation while working in the White House and reminds us that theres hope in younger generations. Links: Jason Goldman Twitter Dune Pod Podcast Blogger Potential Policy Proposals ...
It feels like every week a new software as a service project management tool pops up. This week we discuss if these spreadsheet-like project management tools can act as a good template for shipping products. We discuss the power dynamics related to project management and talk about whether these notification driven tools are actually effective or if they are instead just a bit annoying. Links: Monday.com Pendo Todoist NPR: All Things Considered Smartsheet Asana Dash for Slack Airtable Postlight ...
This week Paul & Rich discuss whats in a name, or more specifically a job description. We read some recent job postings and try to understand how tech culture got to the point of needing DevSecOps and Happiness Engineers. We talk about how the industry creates specialized skills and share our experience evolving within our own jobs. Links: Techmeme Memeorandom Mediagazer WeSmirch...
Its 2020. You can buy just about anything on your phone, you can do banking on your phone, so why cant you vote on your phone? This week, Paul & Rich discuss the various security concerns that could come with online voting. We talk about the possible vulnerabilities in an online system and the danger of removing the people, checks and balances that come with traditional voting. Most importantly, be sure to go vote! Links: Register to Vote
Microsoft used to be all about Windows but in recent years weve seen a huge transformation in the company. They went from thinking monolithically to branching out and making new connections with users on several different devices. This week we break down how Microsofts failures and new leadership led to a more diversified list of products and how humility helped them move forward. Links: Wreckfest Witcher Flight Simulator X-Plane Introducing Mailchimp Developer...
Weve been seeing a lot of questionable data being thrown around recently think Trumps interview with Jonathan Swan. As the election approaches, we cant help but notice how data is being used to manipulate people. This week we dive into conspiracy thinking and talk about how tech today is being used to spread what were once fringe opinions to the masses. Links: The Paranoid Style in American Politics - Richard Hofstadter How to Lie with Statistics - Darrell Huff...
There are two types of tech stakeholders, the detente and the dreamer. One is more reactive and is just trying to keep the peace while the other loves the possibility and potential in innovating. So which is best? Do you focus on stability and mitigating risk or do you make big bold moves? This week we discuss these two types of stakeholders and talk about the best ways to pitch software investments to CEOs and CFOs, which is no small feat. Links: The Dreamer and the Diplomat: Who Buys Software ...
We recently launched a huge project with New Yorks public transit system, The MTA. Like the transit system the project was big and complex. This week we are joined by Product Manager Jojo Giltsoff who kept the MTA project running smoothly. She shares her tips and tools for managing big and busy teams and projects. She also teaches us how to find a healthy balance between being hypercritical and being an advocate for your team and explains why you should be writing down all the positive things pe...
Paul tells us about his new project, Ephemeralist, a web page that gives your brain a break from the heaviness of social media. It pulls archives from places like the MoMA and the Smithsonian, and allows you to scroll through historyfrom books and fossils, to pictures of donkeys from the 1700s. We go through Paul's experience with hosting his new project on Google Cloud and how these massive hosting platforms have become increasingly convoluted and geared towards engineers. Links: Ephemeralist G...
Enterprise software is a behemoth. Its expensive, confusing and takes forever to learn. On this weeks episode of Postlight Podcast, Paul & Rich continue to break down why enterprise software is such a mess. We get into this confusing world of caked-on features and mysterious sales pitches. Links: Dont Let the Backlog Drive Your Product - Rich Ziade Introducing Mailchimp Developer - Postlight...
In the wise words of Elbert Hubbard logic is a tool for furthering prejudice. On this weeks episode of the Postlight Podcast, Paul & Rich unpack this quote and talk about how best to communicate facts and logic. We share some tips on how to communicate facts in a way that actually engages people and talk about why using rhetoric rather than fact is a better way to get your point across. And in the end, we of course tie this all back to software.
The past 6 months have forced everyone into a new working situation, a situation that could continue for a while yet. This week Paul and Rich share some tips for coping with the ongoing pandemic. We discuss why you should be gathering your team more often and keeping clear and frequent communication about whats happening across the company. We also talk about ways to be a source of stability for your employees and, of course, about the importance of humor. Links: Whimsical Airtable Renderforest...
We regulate cars so why not regulate tech? This week on the Postlight Podcast, Paul & Rich get philosophical. We ask the big questions about how to regulate our own creations and how sometimes infringing on someones freedom can actually be a good thing. After all, without red lights the streets dont work. Links: John Perry Barlow - A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace
In this final episode of our 3 part series, Paul & Rich check back in with Managing Partner Chris LoSacco on the two final mistakes youve likely been making with your product. We talk about the importance of marketing your products within your own organization. Chris also explains his controversial opinion on why you shouldnt be listening to your customers (dont worry its not as scary or irresponsible as it sounds!). Links: Goldman Sachs - Postlight Chris LoSacco...
In Part 2 of this 3 part series, Paul, Rich & Postlight Managing Partner Chris LoSacco talk about two more mistakes youre making with your product, neglecting your tooling and single sourcing your Quality Assurance (QA). We discuss how you can optimize your tooling setup to be more productive and catch errors early in the development process. We also talk about how product managers can help select the right tools and why QA should be baked into the whole process. Links: Clubhouse Basecamp...
Keeping your timeline super flexible may sound like a good idea when developing software, after all software is always changing, but Chris LoSacco is here to tell you why thats a mistake. This week we dig into the 6 common mistakes people make in product development. In Part 1 we go over the first two mistakes, being vague with your timelines and waiting too long to ship. Chris gives some solutions to these common problems and walks you through some tips for structuring a better product release....
When presenting to a client, you may feel inclined to load your pitch deck with information, but overwhelming your audience with information may actually be working against you. This week Rich & Gina give some tips on putting together an effective and persuasive deck. We talk about the importance of simplicity and storytelling and discuss our different methods of rehearsing the pitch. Links: Lifehacker Google Slides - Presentation with Speaker Notes...
We hate to introduce yet another acronym, but this one is worth paying attention to. This week we introduce QORE, Postlights method of evaluating the main components of any projects. We breakdown the 4 letters of the acronym, quality, opportunity, risk and efficiency and show you how keeping track of these can help you produce something you and your clients will be proud of. Use QORE and prosper friends! Links: Postlight Labs
When your company is growing quickly there comes a time when you need to give up some control and hire new leaders and managers. This week we discuss introducing new managers to your company and finding the right fit for your team. We also reluctantly acknowledge that off-site meetings in the woods can actually be beneficial. Links: Blinkist
Big tech continues to dominate the markets. How can their competitors stay alive while keeping up with the speed of innovation? Paul & Rich discuss the double-edged sword of how to find efficiencies. How can we shift away from machine learning that often misses the mark? Start empowering & trusting your people and give them what they need to build tools to find those insights for you. Links Airtable Postlight Case Studies Goldman Sans Font...
Workflow is a seemingly simple process, you assign tasks and move a project down a pipeline. So why then is workflow still so difficult to manage? This week Paul & Rich talk about different workflow tools and how none of them seem quite right for the challenges we are facing today. We discuss the tools that are out there today and the need for better alternatives. Links: Postlight - Black Lives Matter Airtable Trello Todoist Pipefy...
Do social media companies have a responsibility to monitor what people say on their platforms? This week Paul and Rich discuss why Facebook & Twitter should be changing their policies in response to unrest and poor leadership. We discuss the laws that let these companies off the hook and Rich gives us an interesting lesson in free-speech law. Links: Our Routers, Ourselves - Paul Ford for The New Yorker...
Ever wish you could create a custom Slack emoji to send to your co-workers? Well look no further than Textmoji, a new web app from Postlight Labs. Its simple and easy to use and allows you to make text emoji for Slack and Discord for any occasion. Textmoji creator and software engineer Preston Richey joins us to talk about how and why he wanted to create this app and teaches Paul and Rich about a new developer framework. Links: Postlight Labs Textmoji.app Svelte framework Pixi Dash for Slack...
How do you know when its time to rebrand? Last week we launched a new brand and want to tell you all about it. But we also want to share some broader lessons about when and why rebranding is necessary. We share what weve learned over the years about growing a company and evolving a brand to better suit what the company can do, not what its already done. We hope you like our new look! Links: Postlight Postlight Case Study: Goldman Sachs Postlight Case Study: MTA...
Artificial intelligence is all about automating human behavior and that includes bad behavior. How can technologists write software that helps rather than harms? Paul and Rich discuss the rise of apps that encode shady approaches like loan sharking into automated tools, and whether social pressures may eventually right those wrongs or if that change will come too late. Links: Rest of World " This lending app publicly shames you when youre late on loan payments - Morris Kiruga" Lenny Telemarketin...
When was the first time you became aware of the air? As the CEO of a drone transportation company, Star Simpson thinks about flight everyday. She joins the podcast to talk about her startup, ThereCraft, which uses drones to deliver lifesaving supplies to first responders and improves last-mile delivery to remote locations. She reveals a few secrets about engineering her flying vehicles of the future, and discusses whats to come for drone technology. Links: Star Simpson ThereCraft.com Otherlab Ci...
