How Do Product Managers Capture Ideas?

Michael Ray Hopkin wrote recently about the importance of capturing ideas:

Ideas are the fuel for great products. [...] The more ideas you capture the more likely you are to get the perfect new product or feature. Many times ideas will seem silly or absolutely unobtainable; write them down anyway. Over time circumstances change, technology improves and opportunities appear that you do not expect.

The conversation only lightly touched on the mechanics of capturing ideas, and knowingly avoided the sometimes difficult and awkward process of sorting ideas, so I thought we’d talk about the former today and the latter next time.

Product Management Joke: The Three Envelopes

A new Product Manager finds a note and three envelopes on his desk. The note is from his predecessor, and it says, “I’ve left you three envelopes. If you encounter a problem you can’t resolve, open one of the envelopes…”

The Pinedale Shopping Mall Has Just Been Bombed By Live Turkeys! Or, How To Make Micromanagement Work For You

Yesterday: We recapped the classic WKRP episode “Turkeys Away”, where the bumbling station manager comes up with a Thanksgiving Day promotion involving live turkeys, and a helicopter.

Today: We’ll use that story recap as a springboard into this week’s topic: Micromanagement, and its implications for product managers.

People being micromanaged can improve their situations.
Usually, before turkeys start crashing to the ground like bags of wet cement.

WKRP "Turkeys Away" … In 10 Screencaps Or Less

Today: We’re recapping “Turkeys Away”, the beloved Thanksgiving Day episode of seventies sitcom WKRP In Cincinnati… in 10 Panels Or Less™.

Tomorrow: We’ll use this story recap as a springboard into this week’s topic: Micromanagement.

< SPOILER WARNING >
Key plot points from this 30-year-old sitcom are pictured herein. You have been warned!
< / SPOILER WARNING >

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Attention PMs: Your Alleged Concern For The Environment Does Not Justify Charging Customers Extra To Receive A Paper Statement

This December, Virgin Mobile begins charging customers a $2.20 Paper Bill Charge.

That’s right: If you want to continue receiving a paper bill from Virgin Mobile, rather than switch to electronic billing, you’ll be charged $26.40 extra per year for the privilege of receiving your bill by mail.

After considering a number of factors, including rising costs for paper, printing, and postage, the environmental impacts associated with printing paper bills, and the wishes of our Dark Master, we’ve decided to charge customers who would like to receive a paper bill…

Electronic billing is becoming pervasive. Those who don’t convert are being punished. Worse, they’re also being condescended to by a number of companies masking price hikes behind concern for the environment.

Guess what? Your alleged concern for the environment alone does not justify charging customers extra to receive paper statements. And a pox upon any product manager who doesn’t try to stem that tide.

Today's Product Management Haiku: Launch Disaster

No clear goals for launch
No cross-functional launch team
Blamestorm imminent