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20Product: Snap's VP Product on How Snap Hires 10x Product People, What Makes Evan Spiegel So Special at Product, Three Ways to Prioritise Product Ideas in Teams, The Future of AR, Why Snap Glasses Will be Huge and Snap Will Be Massive in Japan with Jack

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Apr 26, 2023

Jack Brody, VP of Product at Snap, shares insights from his journey at the company, where he helped create innovations like Snap Map and AR Lenses. He discusses the unique hiring process at Snap, detailing what sets apart '10x product people.' Brody emphasizes the balance between creativity and scientific thinking in product design, offering a three-step framework for prioritizing product ideas. He also envisions the future of AR, particularly Snap's potential in Japan and the anticipated impact of Snap's glasses on user experience.

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INSIGHT

Product as Science

The product development process mirrors the scientific method: problem, hypothesis, prototype, iterate.
Creativity comes from merging distinct ideas, necessitating a diverse team.

ADVICE

Psychological Safety

Create psychological safety by rewarding risk-taking and sharing "stupid" ideas.
More ideas lead to better choices, so encourage diverse contributions.

ADVICE

Prioritization Framework

Prioritize ideas based on impact, cost, and gut feeling.
High impact, low cost, strong gut feeling means build immediately.

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Jack Brody is the VP Product @ Snap. Jack joined Snap in 2014 as a Product Designer, and ultimately helped build out the design organization as the Head of Design before taking on his current role overseeing all of Product for the Snapchat application and Hardware. In his 9 years at Snap, he helped create Memories, the Snap Map, and AR Lenses like Face Swap.

In Today's Episode with Jack Brody We Discuss:

The Shortest Internship in Tech:

How did Jack get an internship with Evan Spiegel and Snap while he was still at college?
How did it turn into the shortest internship in tech history?
What are the single biggest product lessons Jack has from working with Evan Spiegel?

2. Product 101: Art vs Science:

Does Jack believe product is more art or science? If he were to assign numbers to them, what would they be?
How does Jack define creativity? What can founders and product leaders do to ensure their teams are as creative as possible?
What is the 3 step framework through which product leaders should prioritize product ideas?
Does Jack believe that when the CEO is no longer the Head of Product, the company is dead?
Does Jack agree with Gustav Soderstrom, "talk is cheap, so we should do more of it"?

3. The SNAP Hiring Process: What Works and What Does Not:

What is the hiring process for the product team at SNAP?
What questions are most revealing of 10x product people in the interview process?
What case studies and tests does Jack use in the interview process?
What other roles and functions does Jack bring into the interview process as part of the decision?
What are the single biggest mistakes founders make in the hiring process for product?

4. SNAP, The Future, and The World Around Us:

What do Jack and SNAP believe will be the future for augmented reality?
What country is SNAP not big in today but will be in the next 5 years? Why that one?
Why did SNAP tear down its android app and start again? What has been the impact?
Were the SNAP glasses a success? What is their future?