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  • The meeting is about helping you shape a new way or a different path. It's about letting everybody be heard. It's about discussing and having real discussions about what has worked in the past and what the new direction is.

    In today's Circuit Breaker episode, Bob and Greg look at a tool they use frequently: the Gut Check. Bob recalls a consumer packaged goods company that ran into legal and patent issues while developing a product. The team had to hold a "Gut Check" meeting. Discover how this meeting proved very useful. They will explain why a Gut Check is a powerful tool, but also why it can be dangerous if not used properly.

    You will understand why Gut Check meetings should not be held on a regular basis, but only when significant changes are coming and when there are tradeoffs that require input from all stakeholders, among other considerations. They'll also have an annoucnemnt to make about this season of the Circuit Breaker show.

    Join Bob and Greg for this thought-provoking discussion on a "gut check" meeting.

     

    Enjoy! 

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    An example of a Gut Check.The dangers of a Gut Check meeting.Why Gut Check meetings are helpful in startups.The purpose and role of a Gut Check.And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

  • “Make sure you're comfortable learning and describing the things you don't know rather than trying to articulate what you do know and finding a way to verify only what you do know. There is no such thing as a completely red line or a completely green line.”

    In today's Circuit Breaker episode, Bob and Greg delve into the "green line" vs. the "red line." This reflects contrasting approaches to product development. Bob will recount his research on this topic in Japan when he was a member of the Ford team. You'll understand the mindset difference in product development between the US and Japan.

    They'll talk about one of Taguchi's methods, Design of Experiments. You'll discover the "green line" and the "red line" main takeaways. This includes, among other things, determining the cause of a product failure rather than bearing personal responsibility and not settling for the unknowns. You'll also learn why redline projects have more going on as they get closer to launch than greenline projects, which have more going on at the beginning.

     

    Join Bob and Greg for this thought-provoking discussion on "green line" and "red line" development.

     

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    What are the "red line" and "green line," and why is it important?How to discover the unknown.The importance of continuous learning.How do you know if you're on the "green line" or the "red line?"How do you get from the red line to the green line?And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

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  • If I were to change anything, it would be to make sure that students understand why they're there and what progress they're trying to make. That will actually help set the curriculum in the right way for how much and what they should be learning.

    In today's Circuit Breaker episode, Bob and Greg explore an interesting topic from an audience member: How would the curriculum in business schools change if JTBD was more widely understood? You'll learn what changes they'd propose to integrate the JTBD context into business school.

    Bob will explain why JTBD should be introduced as a supplement to the curriculum rather than being the core of it. You'll learn about the downsides of full learning and the impact of Bob's book Choosing College. You'll also learn why Bob abhors the term "best practices."

    Join Bob and Greg for this thought-provoking discussion on JTBD in business school.

     

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    Why the case-based approach is the best teaching style.Understanding who, when, where, and why can transform the way you process information.The key thing JTBD teaches us. Why it’s your responsibility as a student to understand the different contexts. And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

    Choosing College: How to Make Better Learning Decisions Throughout Your Life

  • Most of the time the process assumes linearity, like step one, step two, step three, step four, but in reality sometimes there is iteration. And there are phases of work as opposed to steps of work.

    In today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg address a current trend they've noticed in their interactions with customers, balancing the pendulum between process-driven product development and practice. Learn more about process-driven product development.

    This topic traces back to some of Bob's early work in Japan. You'll discover the Japanese perspective on process and how it has been implemented differently in the US. Making the pendulum straight in the middle is no guarantee of success either. They will discuss how to find the "sweet spot" that allows flexibility between process and practice. You'll identify what kind of manager is needed to balance process and practice.

    They'll dissect Edwards Deming's notion, that says, "If you can't describe what you do as a process, you don't know what you're doing"

    Join Bob and Greg for this stimulating discussion on the boundaries of practice and process.

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    The pendulum between process-driven product development and practice.Why the process alone is no guarantee of success.The implications of becoming overly rigorous with the process or practice too rigorously.Capacity and capability in the process.What makes execution difficult?Process and practice go hand in hand.And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

  • Listening is about actually understanding where people are going and what they are trying to do. You need to listen very carefully not only to what they are saying, but how they are saying it.

    On today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg address one of their guiding principles, listening, particularly in the context of JTBD. You'll learn about the orientation of the language as they expound more about listening for intent.

    Bob will discuss why he is not the biggest fan of small talk. They often argue with their office lawyer over whether words or intent is more important. You'll find out why Greg believes intent precedes words. They will share different office scenarios to demonstrate how they apply their listening skills.

    You will discover why they have multiple people listen when theyconduct interviews and what they mean by hypothesis-building research as opposed to hypothesis-proving research. Bob will also tie in Dr. Taguchi's concept of the signal-to-noise ratio.

    Join Bob and Greg for this thought-provoking discussion about listening and words vs intent.

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    How to hone your listening skills.Why active listening is a two-way street.The importance of being aware of one's own biases.Why companies hire them to conduct interviews.  And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

  • It's a tool that you have to respect. But you need to realize that ChatGPT can only give you so much. It's only going to regurgitate what's already there; it's not going to help you actually come up with new thoughts.

    In today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg will delve into Chat GPT and express their concerns and fears about it. You'll understand the intricacies of using Chat GPT for a JTBD interview or book summary. Bob will explain Clayton Christensen's theory of disruption as Greg shares how he distorted the context of that theory. You'll discover situations where Chat GPT can be helpful. Is Chat GPT a shortcut, or do we actually create more work with it? Bob will discuss why Chat GPT is a great tool for prototyping to learn but not for JTBD.

    Greg will talk about considering using Chat GPT to write his mother's obituary after she recently passed away. Also, someone uploaded their interview on Chat GPT; you'll learn why this could be misleading and take information out of context.

    Join Bob and Greg for this thought-provoking discussion about ChatGPT.

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    How to use Chat GPT.The theory of disruptive innovation.What they like about Chat GPT.The danger of using Chat GPT to outsource thinking.And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

  • Demand is demand, and supply is your supply. And you must match the two. Only when both sides match can you make a product. 

    In today's Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg unpack the milkshake story, or what their competitors call "the milkshake marketing myth." They'll explore how the fast food restaurant was able to increase sales of milkshakes and review the entire process. Fun fact: This happened almost 30 years ago. You'll learn why switching the milkshake from ice cream to yogurt increased sales.

    This is the most recognizable application of the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) theory. You'll discover why this is the case as you get an introduction to Clayton Christensen's concept of "disruptive innovation." Bob and Greg will talk about the tests and interviews they conducted and why the franchisees rejected the project. They will also explain why it's the job of people in innovation to design their supply to fit the demand.

     

    Join us for this thought-provoking discussion.

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    The first step in JTBD.Why do you need to match both the demand and supply side? What creates demand?The importance of having a third party in your company. Similar examples to the milkshake story.And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

  • Progress is when an F1 and an F2 are greater than an F3 and an F4. So push and pull are greater than habits and anxieties. In today's Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg discuss why New Year's resolutions or new habits are hard to maintain as well as their frameworks for achieving and maintaining them. As a first step, they address the forces of progress before moving on to effective strategies. These include making the change smaller, matching it to your motivation and building a time wall. You'll will be introduced to the concept of "outcome vs. output"

    Bob will share his weight loss journey, his two key metrics and how these strategies have worked for him. You'll understand why these strategies don't work for everyone and why you need to find out for yourself which one is right for you, depending on your personality.

     

    Join us for this thought-provoking discussion.

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    Aspirational goals versus progressThe force of progress is not stagnant; it’s dynamic.How to make your goals more attainable The importance of building a time wallAnd so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

  • If I paint the picture for you, I'm convincing. If you paint the picture for me and answer my questions, you create your own context. On today's Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg tackle the myth of convincing and how it leads to buyer's remorse as they talk about selling new ideas. Bob describes a case from the past where convincing someone completely failed.

    You'll understand why it's difficult for people to change and how you can help people understand the context they're in without convincing them. You'll learn why they hate prefabricated presentations and why it's important to understand and recognize the forces of progress. They'll go into detail about the tactical steps you should take when selling a new idea, namely understanding why you want to change, finding out who to talk to and developing a plan. You'll discover their different perspectives on selling and why the sales process doesn't end with a "yes". Greg will explain what he calls "fake interactions" and why every conversation is an interview. You'll discover why they want to be more transparent with their clients.

    Join us for this thought-provoking discussion.

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    How do you sell new ideas?The difference between convincing people and helping them see progress.The importance of understanding your anxieties.Why marketing, sales and customer success need to be aligned.The two types of unknowns.How to develop a plan.And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Re-Wired Group Website

  • Empathetic perspective and trade-offs kind of go hand in hand. In today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg continue their discussion of Bob's book, focusing specifically on trade-offs. You'll learn how empathetic perspective and trade-offs intertwine, for example, by understanding and emulating consumer trade-offs when designing a product.

    Greg will explain why you need to understand both the demand and supply sides as well as your technical capabilities to gain sufficient perspective on the trade-offs you need to make. You'll understand how JTBD helps with trade-offs and why it's important to be flexible even if you have built a time wall.

    Bob will share his different reference points for measuring progress. You'll also learn about the milkshake analogy, which illustrates the importance of open communication between developers and managers so that developers can formulate the trade-offs for executives. They will disclose when it is best and worst to consider trade-offs during the product development process. They will also discuss how the other four building blocks - an empathetic perspective, uncovering demand, causal structures, and prototyping to learn - make it easier to make trade-offs.

    Join us for this thought-provoking discussion.

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    The definition of trade-offsHow empathetic perspective and trade-offs intertwineThe importance of setting realistic expectations and benchmarks on your time wallIntegrating the four building blocks to make trade-offsThe evolution of Bob's and Greg's 20-year partnershipAnd so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

  • Cause and effect is something that affects every area of our lives, even if we aren't aware of it. This is particularly true in innovation. On today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg dive into a subject covered in Bob's book, "Learning to Build," namely causal structures, and why they represent one of the five bedrock skills every innovator must possess. They discuss correlation versus causation, as well as the differences between iterating, innovating, and inventing.

    They also discuss what's coming next for Bob's book, including a course based off the training in the book coming in 2023.

    Join Bob and Greg for this thought-provoking and timely discussion.

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    Why causal structures are one of the bedrock skills that an innovator should have.The importance of thinking about cause and effect in relation to a product?Understanding the interdependence between inputs and outputs.The primary difference between innovating and iterating.And so much more...

    Resources:

    Learning to Build book

    The Rewired Group Website

  • Technical benchmarking is usually done on the supply side, and consumer benchmarking is done on the demand side. On today's Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg talk about benchmarking and how it works as a kind of prototyping to find a common language for marketing, sales and developing a better product. You'll learn about technical benchmarking and customer benchmarking and how they are used at different times for different purposes, yet blend seamlessly. You will learn about the importance of technical and customer benchmarking. Bob's perspective as an engineer and product developer will help you understand technical benchmarking and its two roles. Bob will also discuss the QFT method and how it relates to benchmarking.

    Greg will explain why he calls consumer benchmarking "contextual benchmarking" You will learn about the process of consumer benchmarking and why most companies are better at technical benchmarking than customer benchmarking. They'll explain why you need a third party for benchmarking to move your business forward. You will learn how benchmarking leads to more Jobs To Be Done. Greg will talk about how he has seen benchmarking go wrong.

    Join Bob and Greg for this thought-provoking and timely discussion.

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    The different types of benchmarkingCan you do technical benchmarking in a school?Why benchmarking is not the same as concept testingWhy do technical experts need to be involved in consumer benchmarking?How important it is to build a competitive set when purchasing And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

  • I don't need to sell my product; I need to help people buy it. On today's Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg discuss their book Demand-Side Sales. They will talk about why they wrote it, and what they learned from it. They'll also talk about what they believe to be the most difficult challenge for people implementing demand-side sales. Bob will give his perspective on between getting the first yes or no, which is more important in sales. You will learn what progress means in Jobs to Be Done and why it is so important in sales. You will discover why you, as a salesperson,  actually need to be a therapist. They'll discuss the problem of feature-benefit selling and how to make it more effective.

    You'll discover why it is difficult to apply demand-side sales to companies that have not done Jobs To Be Done. They will share how difficult it was for them to do Jobs To Be Done as well and how contracting with another company changed their sales and marketing processes. They will provide insights into the two demand-side sales courses that are yet to be launched.

    Join Bob and Greg for this thought-provoking and timely discussion.

     

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    Why are there no sales professors? The mindset shift that most salespeople need In sales, is it more important to get the first yes or the first no?The value of understanding Jobs To Be Done when doing demand-side salesDo most companies know why customers buy their product?Why you need to hire someone to do Jobs To Be DoneTidbits about the demand-side sales coursesAnd so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

  • When you do a survey or ask a customer in a very generic way, "Why did you buy this?" and they say, "On impulse," that's just a way to shut you down. On today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg unravel impulse buys. They talk about the classic mattress, the interview with Brian Walker where he explains why buying a mattress was an impulse buy for him. This topic is covered in more detail in Competing Against Luck and Demand Side Sales 101. From a business perspective, you will see why classifying your products as impulse buys is a bad idea: It's a form of laziness. Greg will use an analogy to show how quickly people can make decisions.

    You'll learn why you should not stop when you hear the word "impulse buy". It's time to dig deeper and your job is to help people remember why. Greg will explain if Bob is an impulse buyer. You will also find out why Bob bought the rare Ohio State University medal as well as all of their efforts to get Bob to minimize his purchases. You will understand why people use shopping websites.

    Join us for this thought-provoking discussion.

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    Is there such a thing as an impulse buy?Why classifying your product as an impulse purchase is a form of laziness. How quickly humans can make decisions.The two main categories with impulse buying Why irrational becomes rational with context.And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

  • Restocking is all about consistency, and shopping is when I have an anomaly. On today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg go over the difference between "restocking" and "shopping" and show you how to get your customers into the habit of buying. You'll learn how to change the design of your product to make it more impactful, and that doing so may be harmful. If you have a top-selling product and change the packaging to make it better, are you really making it better or making it harder for people to find? They'll also talk about advertising and developing a more context-driven product. You'll learn how their shopping-restocking framework incorporates an empathetic perspective.

    You'll hear Bob's narrative about switching shampoos and how it fits into their shopping-restocking framework. They'll explain how you set up criteria for a Job To Be Done when you are in shopping mode. You will also understand why you should not rely on a product being "out of stock" to generate new sales. They will define the terms "restocking" and "shopping."

    Join Bob and Greg for this thought-provoking and timely discussion.

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    The difference between restocking and shopping?Why restocking is all about habitHow you can use Jobs To Be Done when shopping and in advertising The importance of empathetic perceptive What the consequences are if you alter your product while someone is restockingAnd so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

  • Really good innovators and entrepreneurs have this ability to see things and connect the dots between different views. They are empathetic because they do not judge what it is. Rather, they ask themselves, What is it? And what can we do with it? On today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg talk about the empathetic perspective in Bob's new book, Learning to Build. Bob will explain why he does not like personas and why you need them. You'll discover why the empathetic perspective is more art than science. You'll also learn why you need diverse perspectives on your team and how different worldviews are connected.

    When Bob wrote his book, he studied a lot of good innovators and entrepreneurs. You'll learn how they anticipate problems before they happen. Greg will address the most difficult aspect of having an empathetic view of people. He will also talk about his experience working in an independent living facility. You will learn why it is easier to practice an empathetic perspective in a group setting than alone. You will see why Greg is known as "Bob's Whisperer" You will also learn the steps you need to take to adopt an empathetic perspective.

    You will discover several skills that are part of an empathetic perspective. Bob will explore some of the obstacles that prevent us from adopting an empathetic perspective. You will learn how Greg maintains an empathic stance with Bob and what is the most important thing you can take away from an empathic perspective.

    Join us for this thought-provoking discussion.

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    What is an empathetic perspective?A teaser of a future episodeHow good innovators and entrepreneurs see problems before they arise The importance of being able to put yourself in someone else's roleThe importance of empathetic perspective in the workplace.Why Bob always asks unconventional questionsAnd so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website

  • We do a postmortem on the podcast to help us frame what we're going to do in season two.

    In today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, we reflect on a tool we frequently use, the postmortem, and present some thoughts on the season that just ended.

    You'll learn about the unexpected growth Bob and Greg have achieved.

    You'll learn what strategies they plan to use to increase growth next season.

    Join us for this fascinating and thought-provoking discussion!

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show: 

    Bob's mastery of the postmortem and when he employs it.Some of Bob and Greg's struggling moments in the first season. Hints at the possible themes for season two.And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website (https://therewiredgroup.com/)

    The Postmortem PDF https://bit.ly/3yfSzfs

  • I see prototyping as a tool that I can use on both the supply and demand sides.

    In today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, we take a closer look at one of the skills Bob discusses in his book Prototyping to learn. 

    Bob distinguishes between divergent and convergent prototypes and the contexts in which both can be used.

    You'll learn about the dimensions of prototyping. 

    You'll learn why 80% of the code generated by some software companies doesn't make it into the product.

    Bob explains why A/B testing is the most ineffective way to test anything.

    Join us for this fascinating and thought-provoking discussion!

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show: 

    The difference between the demand side and the supply side.

    About the role of prototypes.

    Questions to ask yourself to understand what prototypes you need.

    Is A/B testing prototyping? 

    And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website (https://therewiredgroup.com/)

  • When we are at a very early stage of the development process, it is very difficult to get big data.

    In today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, we take a look at Big Data to show you how to develop better products.

    You'll learn why Big Data is not the answer, but only part of the answer. 

    Bob will talk about design of experiments. 

    You will discover why it is very important to look at the market in context. 

    Bob will share the projects they have worked on to help with Big Data.

    Join us for this riveting discussion.

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    The impact of Big Data on innovation. Where you can leverage Big Data.Why over-reliance on Big Data is detrimental. The importance of clustering data rather than segmenting it. And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website (https://therewiredgroup.com/)

    Todd Rose | The End of Average

    Thomas Kuhn | The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

  • “When you're actually in the B2B space, you need to satisfy both the consumer and the customer.”

    In today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg discuss the distinction between a customer and a consumer and how you can distinguish the two. 

    Bob will also explain the difference between big hires and small hires.

    You'll discover a unique scenario where 'Jobs To Be Done' are in conflict. 

    You'll learn how to determine the overlap between the customer and the consumer.  

    Bob will reveal his approach when dealing with clients.

    Join us for this insightful discussion about approaching your business from a customer-consumer perspective

    Enjoy!

    What You'll Learn in this Show:

    Identifying who needs to make progress for you to sell more.The importance of aligning both the consumer and the customer. How making trade-offs ensures customer and consumer satisfaction.And so much more...

    Resources:

    The Rewired Group Website (https://therewiredgroup.com/)