Radical Product Thinking: The New Mindset for Innovating Smarter

by R. Dutt

Iteration rules product development, but it isn’t enough to produce dramatic results. This book champions Radical Product Thinking, a systematic methodology for building visionary, game-changing products.

In the last decade, we’ve learned to harness the power of iteration to innovate faster—we’ve invested in a fast car, but our ability to set a clear destination and navigate to it hasn't kept up.

When we iterate without a clear vision or strategy, our products become bloated, fragmented, and driven by irrelevant metrics. They catch “product diseases” that often kill innovation.

Radical Product Thinking (RPT) gives organizations a repeatable model for building world-changing products. The key? Being vision-driven instead of iteration-led. R. Dutt guides readers through the five elements of the methodology (vision, strategy, prioritization, execution and measurement, and culture) to develop a clear process for translating vision into reality, and turning RPT skills into muscle memory.

This book offers refreshing solutions to the shortcomings of our current model for product development; be prepared to toss out everything you know about a good vision and learn how to measure progress to create revolutionary products. The best part? You don’t have to be a natural-born visionary to produce extraordinary results.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Leadership, Design, Management, Technology, Audiobook

216 pages, Paperback

Published September 28, 2021

Reviews

[Prachi Gohil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that I was growing up during an era where the idea of product management was still taking shape. Apple had just started making a revolutionary impact as the now-defunct iPods became commonplace in urban culture. Then, came the iPhone and the company went on to become a trillion dollar “economy”. There was no formal training in Product Management. Anyone who was a fairly decent software engineer with above average people or management skills was eligible to be a product manager. There was folklore, there was a sense of admiration for the first, maybe, second wave of “product managers”.

I’ll go a step further and boldly say that Steve Jobs was a rockstar product manager above all else. He truly impacted the discipline by laying a discernible emphasis on design and product vision. I’d dare to imagine that John Ive and Steve Jobs did not orchestrate “design thinking workshops” or sit and author countless pages of technical specifications or make it their life’s mission to clear the product backlog. My point is that product management today is going through an identity crisis and reading R. Dutt’s Radical Product Thinking reminded me why it needn’t be so.

The book is divided into 3 parts and here’s a brief take on each :

Part I - Innovating Smarter requires a New Mindset
In this part, Dutt makes a compelling case for a new approach by citing case studies of failed product management practices. Iteration-driven product development is not enough to produce dramatic results and good products often become bloated, fragmented, directionless. Moreover, irrelevant metrics can derail execution. The “Radical Product Thinking” approach is designed to help “product diseases”. She introduces the concept and provides areas of improvement.

Part II - Five Elements of Radical Product Thinking
Dutt redefines frameworks from vision, strategy, prioritization, execution and measurement and culture. I liked her approach of solidifying the frameworks through the lens of established products or start-ups. It’s clear that her focus is on decluttering and bringing focus to a product’s direction. So, if you’re looking for jargoan filled methodologies that make work more complicated, you’ll be disappointed. She does her best to remove the many layers that detract from the vision. Though, the practical implementation of these frameworks in successful product development cycles remains to be seen, for me, personally.

Part III: Making our World a Little More Like the One we Want to Live in
This section convinced me that R. Dutt is a class apart. It takes courage to call out the hegemony of the business-product-profit nexus. And creativity to give us a new frame of reference for product leaders. In this section, she introduces us to the concept of “digital pollution”, the collateral damage to society that is caused by ill-conceived product features. I loved that she repositions product leaders as individuals that possess special knowledge and hence, special responsibility towards products they create. In the likeness of medicine as a profession, she creates a hippocratic oath of Product. It's a reminder that product leaders have a responsibility to their users, and that they should always prioritize user well-being over profit or personal gain. She conveys this by defining frameworks that cement the idea of good product decisions in your head.

In conclusion, Radical Product Thinking is a must-read for anyone involved in product management. Especially with the rise of AI-based applications, the principles laid out in this book are more relevant now than ever before. As AI becomes more integrated into our lives, it's crucial that product leaders adopt a responsible approach, ensuring that these technologies are used for good and not to exploit or manipulate users. It's a book that challenges us to think differently, to be bold, and to put users first.

[Nicolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai découvert ce livre grâce à mon entreprise, qui a invité son autrice en conférence. Intéressé par son propos, j'ai emprunté un exemplaire de son essai sur ce qui différencie un innovateur intelligent d'un opportuniste.
Et le livre explique très bien ce chemin de pensée : en partant d'une vision, et en appuyant les métriques de succès sur cette vision, l'autrice nous explique qu'on peut éviter les problèmes classiques des produits (sursensibilité aux métriques de succès, incapacité à choisir les fonctionnalités significatives, etc). De plus elle propose des moyens intéressants de lier les actions concrètes de l'entreprise à cette vision en se demandant toujours comment elles peuvent s'aligner, de façon concrète, pas simplement dans une vision platonicienne.
Et comme le livre se conclut sur un intéressant chapitre lié à l'éthique dans le développement d'un produit, ça m'a encore plus parlé. Je pense de ce fait que c'est un livre particulièrement intéressant pour tous ceux qui veulent, à travers leur production, changer le monde. Et qui ne le veut pas ?

[Fauzia Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every business at every level can benefit from this book. We all need to innovate and launch products and services that our customers will love.

[Harsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

From time to time, leaders in the Product Management field release hallmark books where they share their thought leadership, knowledge, experiences and guidance. Examples of such books are Blue Ocean Strategy, Lean Startup, Lean Product Playbook, Crossing the Chasm, Escaping the Build Trap, Inspired, The Mom Test etc.

While these are seminal works and present world class perspectives in specific areas of Product Management, what I have felt the need is for a work that gives me a structured jumpstart to the questions:
- "What do I do?"
- "How do all the pieces fit together?"
- "How do I effectively go from Strategy Thinking, Visioning to Strategic Doing to Effective Execution? "

I believe that this book "Radical Product Thinking" by R.Dutt belongs in the same pantheon and is poised to be a game changer.

After reading through the book,I believe that I have gotten a pragmatic, complete, and tactical Product Development framework that is "Radical" and a fresh new approach to the change that is inevitable . I believe that the Radical Product Thinking Framework will help me make good products great, envision and build absolutely fabulous products and tackle wicked problems which call for new and radical approaches.

The best highlight of the book are the sections where R.Dutt ties her work experiences with the concepts presented. That itself helped cement the motivations and value drivers from both the discrete parts and the whole picture.

The pragmatic advice given to avoid good products going bad, ethical and responsible practices to developing products, minimizing digital pollution and proposing a practice of standard - Hippocratic Oath to the field of Product Management is GOLD!

I can almost feel that I have a virtual personal mentor and coach when I turn to the book for advice and guidance when I need it. This book along with the Radical Product Thinking toolkit and companion website, gives me everything I need to start working with product development in a bold, different and hopefully better way.

I intended to apply Radical Product Thinking to my current product/solutioning work in Autonomous Vertical Farming systems and present my own case study in the near future.

[Alisina Fakhraei · Rating 1 out of 5]

Review for Radical Product Thinking: The New Mindset for Innovating Smarter by R. Dutt
Radical Product Thinking by R. Dutt presents a framework for innovation and product development aimed at transforming the way companies approach product strategies. While the book attempts to provide valuable insights into product thinking, it unfortunately falls short in several key areas. Below is a critical review of its strengths and weaknesses.

Lack of Clear Direction and Focus
One of the most significant drawbacks of Radical Product Thinking is its lack of clear direction. The book dives into broad, general topics without providing actionable steps or a coherent, structured approach. Instead of offering a practical roadmap for implementing radical product thinking, it often leaves the reader feeling uncertain about the next steps or how to apply the concepts discussed. For anyone looking for clear guidance on how to innovate smarter, the book may feel frustratingly vague.

General and Abstract Discussions
Much of the content revolves around high-level concepts and abstract ideas, making it difficult to grasp the practical implications of the proposed mindset. While the intention to push the reader into innovative thinking is evident, the execution is lacking. The book touches on topics such as "customer focus" and "visionary thinking," but these are covered in such a general manner that they fail to offer anything new or ground-breaking for those already familiar with basic product development principles.

Limited Practical Examples
Although the author occasionally references examples, they are not enough to demonstrate how radical product thinking can be practically implemented. The few examples provided are not tech-focused, which can be a major limitation for readers working in the tech industry who are seeking practical, relatable insights. A lack of real-world case studies or actionable frameworks means that the book doesn’t serve as a useful guide for those wanting to innovate within their own product teams or organizations.

Missed Opportunity for Tech-Specific Insights
Given the title and premise of the book, one might expect more in-depth discussions on product innovation, particularly in the tech industry. Unfortunately, the book offers very few examples that are relevant to the tech sector, and even fewer that could directly benefit product managers, developers, or innovators in tech. The lack of technical depth leaves a significant gap for professionals seeking strategies that can be directly applied to the fast-paced, ever-evolving world of technology.

Final Thoughts
Radical Product Thinking falls short in its execution, offering more in terms of vague philosophical musings than practical, actionable advice. The general and abstract nature of the book makes it difficult for readers to apply the concepts to their own work. Additionally, the limited examples, especially those outside the tech industry, further detract from the book's potential value.

While the book introduces an interesting mindset for approaching product innovation, its lack of clarity, depth, and practical examples makes it less useful for those seeking concrete strategies for smarter innovation. If you're looking for a more grounded, tech-focused approach to product development, this book may not meet your needs.

[Maggie]

Packed to the gills with pragmatic frameworks, structured mad-libs, poignant advice, a delightful discussion of "product diseases", and a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom within product management: Dutt gives a gift to the product world.

Before I get to the summary of the work, there are a few elements of this work that marks it as refreshing. First, while she uses case studies, they do not account for the bulk of the word content. They are quick and precise. Second, it's not entrenched in the B2C, Venture Capital world of Silicon Valley (though there are some examples). She repeatedly draws on product examples that are not software and articulates how B2B software differs from B2C. It's hard to use a method designed for B2C when designing a B2B product! Finally, someone that says so! And last, but not least, she challenges conventional product wisdom. For example, Dutt situates MVP within the Radical Product Thinking framework-- between Strategy and Execution, because it's not sufficient by itself. And every Product Manager of B2B and mission-critical products rejoiced! Likewise, she challenges readers to critically reflect on their OKR's to ensure that they are measuring the right thing and demonstrating how they can go array.

Here's the summary:
R. Dutt catches a balance between strategy and tactics that few product thinkers have achieved. She starts by offering a quick vision mad-lib (similar to a "value proposition"), allowing readers to quickly write a vision statement without getting lost in the mechanics. Then, she moves to the next level down, providing a strategic framework to connect the why with the how. The Real pain points, Design, Capabilities, and Logistics (RDCL) framework is akin to a business model canvas/ lean canvas but much easier to read and use. Next up is a prioritization matrix that empowers the PM to communicate with both team members for execution and helps to align stakeholders. It's only then that she digs into the execution phase. This chapter comes with worksheets and structured statements that force the reader to articulate the connection between the strategy. She wraps up by talking about product influence on culture and the implications of ethics. In other words, she starts with the big picture of the product, goes down to execution level details, and then zooms back out to discuss and engage readers on the product big picture with its impact on the world that we live in! I can't wait to read it again.

[Roman Dedkov · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Radical Product Thinking made much of an impression. Perfect theoretical materials are combined with the fascinating cases and stories of success and failures (ex. building the Boeing’s 737 MAX, competition between Tesla’s Model 3 and GM’s Chevy Bolt, development of Singapore by Lee Kuan Yew, and many others). These real-life examples help us to understand why our products don’t have progress or stagnate and find ways to improve and change your product vision from iteration-led to vision-driven.

The author considers the product and the company as a living organism with diseases that we need to detect in time and cure.

Main diseases:
1. Hero Syndrome
2. Strategic Swelling
3. Obsessive Sales Disorders
4. Hypermetricemia
5. Locked-In Syndrome
6. Pivotitis
7. Narcissus Complex

Radhika Dutt offers in the book real instrument to obtain Radical Product Thinking and solve the most common product’s problems. You can find templates inside the book or download them from the radicalproduct.com web page (this option is very suitable).

For me personally, this book stays in one raw with “Inspired” by Marty Cagan and a series of books by Alexander Osterwalder.

Use the RPT philosophy and bring the world a little closer to the world you want to live in.
• Think of your product as your mechanism for creating change.
• Envision the change you want to bring to the world before engineering your product.
• Create change by connecting your vision to your day-to-day activities.

In conclusion, I wish to recall the words from the book: “On the chessboard, optimizing for capturing a few pieces doesn’t guarantee that you’ll win the game. If you know the end goal and you play the long game in finding the best move across the chessboard you will win”.

Enjoy the reading.

[Mel R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard about this book at a workshop I attended and was intrigued with the author, Radhika Dutt who is an engineer, speaks 9 languages (is currently learning a 10th) and whose experience in the tech world as well as lived experience abroad helped her solidify her radical product thinking which the book outlines. Although initially I worried that it might not apply to me given that I do not work in the tech/start-up industry - I was quickly proven wrong. This book is for changemakers in any industry/sector who want to be more intentional and strategic with their efforts.

My favourite part about the book was that it was filled with stories from around the world and most of them were new to me. It had been a while since I had read a book that included fresh material (too often authors rely on the same stories just repackaged or analyzed from a different lens). The stories Dutt provided were refreshing and it was a reminder that as someone living in North America, I can sometimes get a very narrowminded view of the world. One of the most compelling stories in Dutt's book was about a papadam company called Lijjat which had a very clear vision to help lift women who were stuck at home caregiving by giving them employment (making papadams) and paying them daily for their efforts.

The premise of the book is that in order to build a product (how you make change happen in the world) - you need 5 things:
1) Vision – create a compelling vision of the change you want to bring about
2) Strategy – this is about creating an actionable plan
3) Prioritize – how the daily activities align with the overall strategy and vision
4) Execution & Measurement - how to do execute the vision and measure success
5) Culture - what holds everything together

For me, the vision section was the most compelling and I loved how she used examples and provided guidance on how to create a vision. I appreciated that Dutt provided a MadLibs style format for a vision statement. This is likely to connect with GenXers who may recall playing MadLibs where you would be asked for adjectives, nouns and verbs and these would get plugged into a premade story where hilarity would typically ensue. The process makes you ask yourself a series of questions to get to the core of what you are trying to do, whom you are trying to help and what succeeding at the goal would look like. This approach resonated me because I find that although one line vision statements are elegant - these are very difficult to craft and when your product is something complex one sentence simply doesn't often convey the breadth and depth needed.

Given that the definition of product in Dutt's book was quite broad and includes how you are changing the world, it made sense that there was a section of the book dedicated to a deeper dive into how to be a change for good. It struck me that if more people and companies took a more expansive view of their footprint and impact rather than just shareholder value, we might have a more just world.

If you are looking for a book with some interesting and refreshing stories from around the world and some immediate takeaways that you can use in your personal and professional life, then give this book a try.

[Isaac Balderas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this books is a footnote for The Lean Startup of Eric Ries. It emphasizes the importance of the long term vision for companies and startups and elaborates on the risks of being iteration led. What I found interesting, though, it’s the methodology it creates to apply the concepts to craft a vision and product strategy to achieve that vision.

Through the book you can find certain criticism to Agile, Lean, OKR’s, and even the Nobel Prize; Muhammad Yunus. So, if you’re for hot takes, you may find some.

Although I do not think the methodology is ground breaking –as it is basically a loud reminder that vision is important and activities must be aligned to that vision– it really guides you in crafting a vision and product strategy as well to implement them in the real world.

The final part of the book may sound a bit idealistic, and yet necessary as it encompass the responsibility of digital professionals when creating products. It is a relief to know that professionals in the industry still care about the impact in society and aim to have a better world.

What some may found pretentious I would called ambitious in this case, as the book is well written and accessible even for people who’s not well versed in product and tech industries.

People who is interested in product development would definitely have a great time with this book as it goes over many business histories to reinforce the the concepts and the elements of the methodology.

Managers who are lost in the path their companies or products should follow would benefit the most as this books becomes a practical guide to aim long term success.

The book could be also named: *How to create a great vision, product strategy, and measurement,* as it is really what the book offers.

[Mukesh Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got a digital galley of this book via @Netgalley. I really loved the book.

Here are some of the things that I loved about the book:

- The book addresses an issue that is close to my heart and of importance to all of us as a society. The author prescribes a process of developing products that is both good for the people developing the product and for the users of the product.
- The author also gives easy to use ways or steps to follow in order to be able to create products and strategy that works for all.
- The concept of digital pollution proposed in the book has come of age and needs a public discourse around it.
- The stories that the author refers to make her case are fresh and not some stories that have been rehashed multiple times in multiple books. I specially liked the stories of Lijjat pappad and the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

What could have been done differently:

- The only thing that I would've liked even more was to have more stories or cases. The cases are sufficient to make the point that the author wants to make. However, I would have really enjoyed a few more interesting cases.

If you are a product manager or a startup founder, working on building your own product, this is a must read book.

[Steve Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was Stevo's Business Book of the Week for the week of 10/31, as selected by Stevo's Book Reviews on the Internet and Stevo's Novel Ideas. Radical Product Thinking is a systematic methodology for building visionary, game-changing products. Dutt, a leader in the Product Thinking movement, says that the approach is a life skill that can create change in the world around you. Most impressive to me is her Hippocratic Oath of Product, shifting from a mindset of shareholder primacy to one of stakeholder capitalism: Center your vision on the user, align your business model with your users' needs, ensure your values and ethical considerations affect your priorities and decision-making, reevaluate the way you measure success.

Find more Business Books of the Week on my Goodreads Listopia page at https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9..., and find many more recommended books on my Amazon Influencer page at https://www.amazon.com/shop/stevo4747 or by searching for me on Google.

[Mery · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning was super strong and innovative but the final 3 sections of the book even though important, felt as if they belonged to another book.
The first 2 parts focus on what is RPT and how to implement it while the last deviated to the ethics of product development and management and although the connection between both sections was attempted for me it was lost. I felt like reading a different book and was having problems getting action items or tips from that part.
I would have loved for the author to go more in depth on the RPT how tos and maybe write a separate treaty on the rest. I would have read both at different times but with clarity on what I was going to get from each which would have made me listen more actively and carefully to the key ethical concepts described by the end.

[Alexandre Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Livro ajuda a materializar no dia a dia o que é visão de produto e como mantê-la protegida no decorrer do tempo enquanto as iterações gradativas são entregues pelo time. Mesmo que uma entrega seja bem sucedida em termos de impacto no curto prazo, como analisar o sucesso em comparação com a visão inicial do produto? Como saber se investir mais tempo e recursos em uma funcionalidade não está tirando o foco da visão do produto? E na verdade, como as pessoas podem tomar decisões conscientes de mudança de visão?
Acho muito útil para um time que quer construir um processo e disciplina de revisitar a visão do produto de tempos em tempos e saber balancear o resultado do curto prazo com o que se espera no médio prazo.

[Yanal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blinks:
1. An iteration-led approach to product development rarely leads to revolutionary products.
2. A vision-driven approach to product development provides a better alternative to iteration.
3. To create a clear and compelling vision, make it problem-centered, concrete, and meaningful.
4. Learn people's real pain points, so you know the design, capabilities, and logistics your product needs to succeed.
5. To be successful without losing sight of your vision, remember your priorities.
6. When testing and iterating your product, make sure you're measuring the right things.
7. Create a vision-driven company culture by emphasizing meaningful, vision-driven work

[Darya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rest book on strategic product creation. There are plenty of information on how to work on a product from strategic perspective, make sure you cover needs with an outlook in the future. This book covers the basics and beyond. My favourite chapter (definitely with reading!) is about illnesses that any company can face regardless it's stage (startup or a well developed business) when working on product. I have found plenty of useful tips on corporate culture and spirit building, vision and goals setting from a fresh perspective.

[Daniel Bastardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a few words, the idea of radical product thinking boils down to taking a vision-driven approach in product design. In Radical Product Thinking, R. Dutt shares her pragmatic approach to product management and development. She offers useful advice for crafting a vision and implementing tactical strategies to build successful products. She makes the point that everyone manages a product of some sort and can benefit from applying radical product thinking to their jobs. Overall, this is an excellent guide on product leadership for entrepreneurs and product managers.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best product book I’ve read in quite awhile. Refreshing content about building products with ethics. But also a crisp and thoughtful writing style. Her use of case studies is varied (B2B! Non-software!) and they are concise and relevant. She doesn’t overstate any of her points, but each chapter does provide a helpful bulleted summary.
Any business or product leader will benefit from reading this book. I flew through it and took tons of notes!

[Gandhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

7 Habits of highly effective product managers

This books lives up to the name “RADICAL”. It is a paradigm shift in the way I think about product development. After reading, re-reading, taking Radhika’s course on Pendo and practicing it, I can confidently say the book is Steven Covey’s “7 habits of highly effective people” applied to Product Management. The authors give relevant examples and was easy to relate to the concepts.

[Mati 'Matimajczyta' · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fantastic for people who want to sell, create, and build—but if you’re not one of them, you might find it exhausting. I fall into the latter category, and I found the last two chapters quite slow, as they covered information I had already learned from other books.
That said, I still consider it a great read. It offers an interesting perspective and explains business, sales, and personal development in a clear and accessible way. A small book, but packed with valuable knowledge.

[Ekta Thawani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this book was written with so much clarity and inspiration for an aspiring product leader like myself. It provides tons of examples and a structured approach on how to lead your products with a vision in order to create the change you want to see in the world. Highly recommended for product leaders looking to make a difference with their product.

[Robin Jose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Radical Product Thinking by Radhika Dutt advocates for vision-driven product development over iterative methods.

It emphasizes the importance of a clear, problem-centered vision, strategic execution, and aligning company culture with goals.

Insightful and transformative, it's a must-read for those seeking to innovate and lead in product development.

[Gary Fong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to follow explanation with apt examples of useful framework to build a product from scratch, breaking down abstract concepts of vision, strategy, prioritisation and execution. The author would also share commonly faced issues which she labels as "product disease" for new product managers to avoid or mitigate. Would highly recommend readers who are new product owners.

[Cecilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is my new Bible. I can feel how my seniority grew only by reading it.

I am amazed at how much knowledge was condensed in such a short book, and the author even took the liberty of adding a whole chapter on ethics.

Of course, it had to be written by a woman.

[Jayakumar Pitchiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a good read and helps everyone to understand the vision-driven development of any product. it's a must-read for all leaders irrespective of their levels.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book on product management. A few new interesting concepts introduces slightly different takes compared to other product management books.

[Andre Rocha · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first chapters are really good. But after that the book start repeating itself and going out of focus.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a good read for product work research and putting reasons to the process

[Simon Semelin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few well thought through concepts that a junior PM can bring value from. But a bit shallow as I’d wish for it to go through more “relevant” product related stories.

[Bülent Duagi · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book of 2023. Let's go!

[Andy Vale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some really useful frameworks. Understand the basics here and how to implement them and there can be some real focus for product teams.