How Microsoft’s Human Insights Library Creates a Living Body of Knowledge: Five Answers to Questions About Product Vision & Roadmaps

How Microsoft’s Human Insights Library Creates a Living Body of Knowledge: Five Answers to Questions About Product Vision & Roadmaps

In today's fast-paced business world, companies need to leverage their collective knowledge and insights to stay ahead of the competition. Two articles, "How Microsoft's Human Insights Library Creates a Living Body of Knowledge" and "Five Answers to Questions About Product Vision & Roadmaps," shed light on how organizations can achieve this.

Microsoft's Human Insights Library, also known as HITS, is a powerful tool that allows researchers and product teams to unlock their collective UX power. The library serves as a network of connected evidence and insights, authored and curated by research and data science teams across the company. The nodes within HITS represent individual insights, recommendations, study reports, and curated collections of high-level knowledge based on user research.

But what makes HITS truly valuable is the connections between these nodes. These connections represent references made by researchers and data scientists, linking insights to the evidence that supports them. When someone accesses an insight through a search, they can see the amount of evidence supporting it and trace it back to its source. This not only provides transparency but also allows for a deeper understanding of the insights.

To ensure the longevity and reusability of these insights, Microsoft employs a strategy called "real-time curation." This involves integrating curation into the daily research practice and providing tools to support it. By synthesizing insights in a way that optimizes for durability and reuse across time, Microsoft ensures that the knowledge within HITS remains relevant and valuable in the long run.

Now, let's shift our focus to the article on product vision and roadmaps. The "GLEe" model outlined in the article provides a framework for articulating a product's vision and roadmap. GLEe stands for "Get Big on," "Lead," and "Expand into," which represent the company's initial beachhead, how it plans to lead from there, and its expansion goals.

A product vision serves as a guiding light for teams, enabling them to embrace a long-term mindset while taking a step-by-step approach towards their desired future. It's important to note that the product vision doesn't have to be rigidly defined. In fact, it should be somewhat flexible, with each step serving as a hypothesis rather than a concrete plan. However, it is crucial to share a product vision that helps investors and employees understand the potential size of the opportunity and the rough plan for reaching it.

To ensure alignment within the organization, it is essential for all functions to be aware of the potential steps in the product progression and agree on the level of investment at each stage. This shared language and understanding help keep everyone on the same page and working towards a common goal.

In conclusion, both articles highlight the importance of leveraging collective knowledge and insights within an organization. Microsoft's Human Insights Library demonstrates how a well-curated and connected body of knowledge can empower teams to make informed decisions based on evidence. On the other hand, the article on product vision and roadmaps emphasizes the significance of having a shared vision and plan for the future, ensuring alignment and guiding the company's growth.

To apply these insights, here are three actionable pieces of advice:

1. Establish a knowledge-sharing platform: Create a library or database where teams can contribute and access insights, facilitating collaboration and cross-functional learning.

2. Incorporate curation into daily practices: Encourage researchers and data scientists to curate insights in real-time, ensuring durability and reusability.

3. Overcommunicate the product vision: Share a clear and flexible product vision with all stakeholders, providing transparency and aligning the organization towards a common goal.

By implementing these practices, organizations can create a living body of knowledge and establish a roadmap for success.