Five adages and how to apply them as a Product Manager

17 Jul 2024, by Calum Shepherd

I spotted these adages on the web a few days back.

These all resonated with me instantly, and not just because one of them is from my favourite movie of all time!

• Murphy’s Law
• Gilbert’s Law
• Kidlin’s Law
• Wilson’s Law
• Falkland’s Law

Read on to find out more about each and how to apply them.

Murphy’s law

“Murphy’s law is an adage that is typically stated as: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” In some formulations, it is extended to “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time””

Sounds gloomy.

I remember this one from Interstellar, and it’s stuck with me ever since.

• If you have worked in the software industry for some time, you know everything isn’t plain sailing. There’s so much within your control, but a whole lot more is dependent upon others playing their part (e.g., usable designs, reliable code, etc.).
• Conduct sufficient planning to consider major edge cases or potential problems. Discuss designs and implementations with engineering, considering the customer perspective to help mitigate issues.
• When things do go wrong, tackle them with positive energy and engage the right people. You can view it as a frustrating failure or an opportunity to learn—positivity and proactivity are important.

Gilbert’s Law

“The biggest problem with any task or job is that no one tells you what and how to do it.”

Also the name of my father in-law.

Gilbert’s Law is why it’s crucial to be incredibly organised as a Product Manager.

• Don’t dive into new work without a plan. Take five minutes to think through what’s required to get from problem to solution. You might already have some product development principles to follow, and you can adjust these as necessary.

Planning can take five minutes or a bit longer—know your plan and communicate it to the relevant individuals.

Kidlin’s Law

“If you write the problem down clearly, then the matter is half solved”

I don’t know where this one comes from, but I love it.

• If you have read How to Create Tech Products Customers Love, you know the importance of properly assessing opportunities. The first thing you are asked to tackle for this basic write-up is a clear, succinct problem statement. It’s actually one of the hardest things you will ever write when tackling a new problem.
• Don’t let people push you into an instantaneous solution. You’ll end up iterating a solution further and further away from the actual problem, which will remain unknown. Play back your understanding of the problem to your colleagues and customers. Is this exactly what we wish to solve? Is it specific enough?

Once you have done the above, you can confidently begin to iterate on solutions to solve it. You’ll discover a few things along the way, and that’s OK.

Wilson’s Law

“Wealth is not an immediate goal but a byproduct of prioritising knowledge and intelligence”

Now, you might think this one is a little silly. The more you get paid, the wealthier you become. But there are two aspects to consider here.

• You become more employable the more experienced you become in the right areas. Take on new challenges, push boundaries, and new avenues for success will open up to you. When they do, people will be more willing to pay you suitably.
• Wealth doesn’t just come in the form of money. I have taken various roles over the years that were more about the product and people than anything else. Also, life is short—family is important. Don’t sacrifice an endless amount of time at their expense.

Falkland’s Law

“Think about the things that are absolutely necessary”

This is huge.

• When you have narrowed in on a specific problem, it’s easy to be drawn into a world of other problems that may or may not be related. You’ve got to be focused. If you can solve a broader range of problems through a bigger solution, fine, but that’s not what you set out to do—be clear about that. Often these are problems for another day, not today. And there we have it.

There we have it. Five adages and how to apply each of these as a Product Manager!