Kassen Qian

The flow: Think It = figure out what type of product we are building and why. Build It = create a minimum viable product that is ready for real users. Ship It = gradually roll out to 100% of all users, while measuring and improving. Tweak It = Continuously improve the product. This isn't really an end state; the product stays in Tweak It until it... See more

The Walt Disney Company inspired Airbnb’s founders, especially the storyboarding technique used by animators. Airbnb, the product, isn't our app. The product is staying at a guest’s home.

Our core philosophy is: We create innovative products while managing risk by prototyping early and cheaply.

The Build It stage ends when management and the squad jointly believe that this product fulfills the basic narrative and is good enough to start releasing to real users.

Features work as a management control because they manifest in the final product, and their relationship to programmer-hours is about as close to linear as you’re going to get.

Execution & Impact: You know what needs to be done now and what can wait, and you focus the team on the key priorities. You define progress and impact, measure them, and maximize results.