book

Capitalizing Your Technology to Disrupt and Dominate Your Markets

by Aviv Ben-Yosef

June 2023

Intermediate to advanced

200 pages

4h 52m

English

Productivity Press

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Oh, We Wanted to Talk about TechScenario A: Short-Leashed TechScenario B: The AbdicationSpotting the DisconnectHow This Limits Your Team TodayThe Motivational PullTragedy of Good IntentionsStop Telling Yourself TheseI Don’t Know How to Manage R&DThey Should Know How to Manage ThemselvesWe’re Too Busy to Take Care of ThemThey Want the AutonomyWhat the Best Looks LikeBreaking SilosFusing Engineers with the BusinessTech as a Strategy, Not a Tech StrategyMaking Time for InnovationSummaryAction ItemsNotes
The Role of Tech Executives in Your CompanyGoing It AloneShort-Term BenefitsLong-Term AdvantagesTalent MaximizationWith Great Responsibility Should Come Great PowerAvoiding Glorified ManagersThe Hard DecisionsR&D GatekeepersResponsibilities of Tech ExecutivesWhat Is Your Technological Edge?How Do You Create This Technology?What Problems Should Technology Solve for Your Customers?How Do You Evangelize Your Technological Value Externally?How Do You Maximize Tech Leverage Internally?Mapping Responsibilities to TitlesThe Different Types of Tech ExecutivesChief Technology OfficerChief Information OfficerChief Product OfficerVice President of EngineeringOther Common RolesHow Many Tech Leaders Does It Take to Create Market Dominance?Action ItemsNote

What’s a Digital Transformation?The “What Year Is It?”The OverhaulThe Dead Letter TransformationA Typical Transformation LifecycleAnalysis and PlanningInitiationExecutionThe Real WorldWhy Transformations FailIll-Conceived BeginningWeak KickoffsThe Sausage FactoryA Long-Expected PartyRighting the ShipTech as a StrategyInternalizing R&DCreate a Business ConnectionAction ItemsNotes
Technifying ExecutivesExplaining TechCreating an Executive TeamStaying CurrentStand-Alone ToolsBusiness SoftwareProduct IntegrationsBeing in the LoopMaking Employees Tech-LiterateTeaching LiteracyThe Unknown UnknownsDisarming FearMoving beyond Faster HorsesCross-PollinateInternal vs. ExternalCreate Healthy FrictionProduct MasteryVisibility for MasteryRubbing ElbowsNo-Code to Eliminate MonopoliesCreating Autonomy, Not AnarchyNot a Silver BulletAction ItemsNotes
Tech in the Org ChartYour Tech Leadership Chain-of-CommandGet Your Tech LeadersTech Leadership Reporting to Whom?Effective Organizational StructureToo Many CooksDon’t Overdo the Supportive RolesCross-Functional TeamsIn-House and OutsourceCompany ConstraintsTeam Composition PatternsWhere Are They All At? Remote and HybridEasiest: Colocated TeamsHybrid: Collaboration in Hard-ModeRemote-Only: New-World CollaborationThe SaladHow Big Is Big Enough?The Case for Smaller TeamsRules of Thumb for Team SizesBuild vs. BuyThe Right InvestmentAction ItemsNote
The Current State of InnovationTypes of InnovationAre You Innovating?Measuring InnovationHow Much Innovation Is OK?Fostering InnovationCreativity Requires CapacityIntroduce IntermissionsPrioritize Long-Term ResearchIntroduce ConstraintsImpact over NoveltyTech CapitalPlacing Healthy BetsEmbracing FailuresAction ItemsNotes
Software Development ManagementDelivery Cycles Affect the Entire CompanyNo One-Size-Fits-All ProcessCommon Approaches and Their Strengths/WeaknessesMeasuring AgilityChoosing Your Agile PrinciplesUsing Deadlines CorrectlyBad DeadlinesThe Benefits of DeadlinesLeveraging DeadlinesAddressing the Language BarrierDefine AppetitesNo Radio SilenceSet Up Regular “Resurfacing” PointsInject Feedback and Prevent DriftAction ItemsNotes
What Does It Even Mean?Not InsubordinationThe BenefitsUnderstanding ScarcityCultural MisconceptionsLack of AgencyNo Psychological SafetyCultivating ChutzpahGive PermissionEmbrace FeedbackCreate SafetyDiagnose Awkward SilencesBalancing International DifferencesMix It UpRubbing ElbowsCreate BridgesAction ItemsNotes
Productivity ProblemsThe Team Seems to Be Going Slow Even though It Took on More PeopleAre These Time Estimates Justified?Why Does It Seem Like We Cannot Improve Quality Issues?Technical AbilityWhy Do They Keep Allocating Significant Time for This “Tech Debt”?Tech Is the Bottleneck for Our Business; Why Can’t They Deliver?Do We Really Need to Hire More People?Team HealthWhy Is Turnover High?We Cannot Seem to Hire PeopleTech Leadership Is Not Taking the LeadImpactThe Team Seems to Be Repeatedly Delivering the Wrong ThingsHow Do You Handle Cases Where the Engineers Seem to Be Focused on the Wrong Things?They Don’t Seem to Really Be Working HardHow Hands-On Should My Tech Executive Be?Action ItemsNotes
Tech VertigoReplacing Frivolity with Calculated BetsTreating Fads as FadsKeeping a Finger on the PulseDemanding Business CasesGot TalentTailoring Experiments to Your TeamTeam AdjustmentMoonshots and Cutting-Edge TechnologyUncovering Blind SpotsTech for Tech’s SakeAction ItemsNotes
Measuring Successful Tech ExecutivesBeing Good LeadersTech LeadershipMeasuring TeamsThe Simple StuffProfitable GrowthEngineering ImpactAction ItemsNotes

Overview

This book helps them bridge the culture gap between the C-suite and R&D, cover frequent tech-related decisions and issues, and provide a way to unlock tech as an offensive weapon and a strategic differentiator.

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Publisher Resources

ISBN: 9781000896442