Product & Design Playbooks

Build lean, opinionated products using the 37signals philosophy from Getting Real, Rework, and Shape Up. Use when the user mentions "Getting Real", "Rework", "Shape Up", "37signals", "Basecamp method", "six-week cycle…

Create uncontested market space using value innovation instead of competing head-to-head. Use when the user mentions "blue ocean", "red ocean", "strategy canvas", "ERRC framework", "value innovation", "non-customers",…

Structure software around the Dependency Rule: source code dependencies point inward from frameworks to use cases to entities. Use when the user mentions "architecture layers", "dependency rule", "ports and adapters",…

Write readable, maintainable code through disciplined naming, small functions, and clean error handling. Use when the user mentions "code review", "naming conventions", "function too long", "code smells", "readable co…

Start and scale networked products using Andrew Chen''s "The Cold Start Problem" framework for network effects. Use when the user mentions "network effects", "chicken and egg", "cold start", "two-sided marketplace", "…

Engineer word-of-mouth and virality using the STEPPS framework (Social Currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical Value, Stories). Use when the user mentions "go viral", "word of mouth", "shareable content", "soci…

Build a weekly cadence of customer touchpoints using Opportunity Solution Trees, assumption mapping, and interview snapshots. Use when the user mentions "continuous discovery", "opportunity solution tree", "weekly int…

Audit websites and landing pages for conversion issues and design evidence-based A/B tests. Use when the user mentions "landing page isnt converting", "conversion rate", "A/B test", "why visitors leave", "objection ha…

Navigate the technology adoption lifecycle from early adopters to mainstream market. Use when the user mentions "crossing the chasm", "beachhead segment", "whole product", "early adopters vs. mainstream", "tech go-to-…

Design data systems by understanding storage engines, replication, partitioning, transactions, and consistency models. Use when the user mentions "database choice", "replication lag", "partitioning strategy", "consist…

Apply foundational design principles: affordances, signifiers, constraints, feedback, and conceptual models. Use when the user mentions "why is this confusing", "affordance", "error prevention", "discoverability", "hu…

Run a structured 5-day process to prototype, test, and validate product ideas with real users. Use when the user mentions "design sprint", "validate in a week", "rapid prototype", "test with users", "de-risk before bu…

Model software around the business domain using bounded contexts, aggregates, and ubiquitous language. Use when the user mentions "domain modeling", "bounded context", "aggregate root", "ubiquitous language", "anti-co…

Design motivation systems using Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose (AMP) for products and teams. Use when the user mentions "intrinsic motivation", "gamification isnt working", "team incentives", "autonomy", "mastery", "p…

Formulate and audit real strategy using Richard Rumelt''s "Good Strategy Bad Strategy": an honest diagnosis, a guiding policy, and coherent action instead of goals, vision, and wishful thinking. Use when the user ment…

Manage for output using Andrew S. Grove''s "High Output Management": a manager''s output is their organization''s output, raised by choosing high-leverage activities. Use when the user mentions "high output management…

Optimize web performance through network protocols, resource loading, and browser rendering internals. Use when the user mentions "page load speed", "Core Web Vitals", "HTTP/2", "resource hints", "network latency", "r…

Design habit-forming product loops using the Hook Model (Trigger, Action, Variable Reward, Investment). Use when the user mentions "users arent coming back", "engagement loops", "habit formation", "push notifications"…

Create irresistible offers using the Value Equation, bonus stacking, risk-reversing guarantees, and ethical scarcity. Use when the user mentions "pricing strategy", "irresistible offer", "bonuses and guarantees", "val…

Diagnose and fix retention problems using behavior design (B=MAP). Use when the user mentions "users drop off", "activation rate", "onboarding friction", "retention metrics", "why users dont complete", "churn analysis…

Apply the six principles of ethical persuasion (reciprocity, commitment, social proof, authority, liking, scarcity) to product design, copy, and sales. Use when the user mentions "social proof", "persuasive copy", "wh…

Build empowered product teams using discovery and delivery dual-track. Use when the user mentions "product discovery", "empowered teams", "feature factory", "product roadmap", "opportunity assessment", "product vision…

Design native iOS interfaces following Apple Human Interface Guidelines. Use when the user mentions "iPhone app", "iPad layout", "SwiftUI", "UIKit", "Dynamic Island", "safe areas", "HIG compliance", "SF Symbols", "hap…

Discover what customers truly need by analyzing the "job" they hire your product to do. Use when the user mentions "customer discovery", "why customers churn", "what job does this solve", "competing against luck", "pr…

Choose and audit startup metrics using Alistair Croll and Benjamin Yoskovitz''s "Lean Analytics: Use Data to Build a Better Startup Faster". Use when the user mentions "what metrics should we track", "KPIs", "north st…

Design MVPs, validated learning experiments, and pivot-or-persevere decisions using Build-Measure-Learn. Use when the user mentions "MVP scope", "validated learning", "pivot or persevere", "vanity metrics", "test assu…

Apply lean thinking to UX: hypothesis-driven design, collaborative sketching, and rapid experiments instead of heavy deliverables. Use when the user mentions "Lean UX", "design hypothesis", "UX experiment", "collabora…

Craft messages that are understood, remembered, and drive action using the SUCCESs checklist (Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Stories). Use when the user mentions "make it memorable", "sticky messag…

Design the small details -- triggers, rules, feedback, loops and modes -- that separate good products from great ones. Use when the user mentions "microinteraction", "button feedback", "loading state", "toggle design"…

Talk to customers without leading them using Mom Test rules: discuss their life not your idea, ask about specifics in the past, and talk less. Use when the user mentions "customer interviews", "validate my idea", "use…

Design products and pricing around validated willingness to pay using Madhavan Ramanujam & Georg Tacke''s "Monetizing Innovation". Use when the user mentions "pricing", "how much should we charge", "willingness to pay…

Prepare and execute negotiations using tactical empathy, calibrated questions, and the Ackerman method. Use when the user mentions "salary negotiation", "contract terms", "handling objections", "mirroring and labeling…

Define product positioning by mapping competitive alternatives, unique attributes, and best-fit customers to the right market category. Use when the user mentions "positioning", "competitive alternatives", "how to pos…

Build a complete marketing plan covering the full customer journey from stranger to raving fan. Use when the user mentions "marketing plan", "target market", "USP", "lead nurture", "customer lifetime value", "referral…

Apply meta-principles of software craftsmanship: DRY, orthogonality, tracer bullets, and design by contract. Use when the user mentions "best practices", "pragmatic approach", "broken windows", "tracer bullet", "softw…

Build a scalable outbound B2B sales process with specialized roles (SDR, AE, CSM). Use when the user mentions "outbound sales", "Cold Calling 2.0", "prospecting emails", "sales pipeline", "SDR process", "B2B SaaS sale…

Apply named refactoring transformations to improve code structure without changing behavior. Use when the user mentions "refactor this", "code smells", "extract method", "replace conditional", "technical debt", "move …

Audit and fix visual hierarchy, spacing, color, and depth in web UIs. Use when the user mentions "my UI looks off", "fix the design", "Tailwind styling", "color palette", "visual hierarchy", "design system", "spacing …

Build production-ready systems with stability patterns: circuit breakers, bulkheads, timeouts, and retry logic. Use when the user mentions "production outage", "circuit breaker", "timeout strategy", "deployment pipeli…

Build quiz and assessment funnels that generate qualified leads at 30-50% conversion. Use when the user mentions "lead magnet", "quiz funnel", "assessment tool", "lead generation", "score-based segmentation", "interac…

Manage software complexity through deep modules, information hiding, and strategic programming. Use when the user mentions "module design", "API too complex", "shallow class", "complexity budget", "strategic vs tactic…

Review designs, products, and features with Steve Jobs'' standards: ruthless simplicity, focus, and end-to-end excellence. Use when the user mentions "Steve Jobs review", "design review", "product review", "what would…

Clarify brand messaging using narrative structure that positions the customer as hero. Use when the user mentions "brand message", "website copy", "elevator pitch", "one-liner", "messaging isnt resonating", "brand scr…

Design scalable distributed systems using structured approaches for load balancing, caching, database scaling, and message queues. Use when the user mentions "system design", "scale this", "high availability", "rate l…

Organize business and technology teams for fast flow using Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais''s "Team Topologies". Use when the user mentions "team topologies", "Conway''s law", "platform team", "stream-aligned team", "…

Create award-winning, immersive web experiences at the level of Awwwards-featured agencies. Use when the user mentions "premium website", "portfolio site", "scroll animations", "Awwwards quality", "brand experience", …

Implement the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to align vision and execution across a company. Use when the user mentions "EOS", "V/TO", "quarterly rocks", "Level 10 meetings", "accountability chart", "IDS proce…

Evaluate and improve interface usability using heuristic analysis. Use when the user mentions "usability audit", "UX review", "users are confused", "heuristic evaluation", "form usability", "navigation problems", "Nie…

Select, pair, and implement typefaces for web projects. Use when the user mentions "font pairing", "which typeface", "line height", "responsive typography", "web font loading", "type hierarchy", "variable fonts", "FOU…

Safely change and test untested codebases using Michael C. Feathers'' "Working Effectively with Legacy Code". Use when the user mentions "legacy code", "no tests", "untested codebase", "how do I test this", "seams", "…