Building Customer Experiences With Airbnb Global Product Lead: Pay to surf and Changing User Behavior

Building Customer Experiences With Airbnb Global Product Lead: Pay to surf and Changing User Behavior

In the world of product development, whether it's building a feature, functionality, or an entire product, the ultimate goal is to change the behavior of the customer. This requires a deep understanding of how users behave, why they do it, and what motivates them. As a product manager, conducting user research and delving into their needs and psyche can make a world of difference.

One concept that is crucial to consider is the "job to be done." It's about understanding what the user is trying to achieve with your company's product or service. This perspective allows you to align your efforts with the user's goals and create a seamless experience that truly adds value. By focusing on the end result for the user, rather than just implementing a set of features or ticking off JIRA tickets, you can drive meaningful outcomes.

When it comes to building products, timelines are always important. However, it's essential to look beyond the deadline and consider the overall shipping goal. Working backward from that goal helps in deprioritizing items that may not be necessary in the initial launch. This approach allows for a more streamlined and focused product release, ensuring that the essential features are delivered efficiently.

In some cases, you may even be able to predict how your product will change user behavior without relying on machine learning models. This is a significant achievement as it shows a deep understanding of the user's needs and the potential impact of your solution. By envisioning how your product can solve user problems and drive behavior change, you can create a truly transformative experience.

To enhance your skills as a product manager and gain more insights into creating impactful experiences, it's crucial to actively participate in discussions, seek guidance from product mentors, and stay updated with industry trends through webinars and other resources. Additionally, learning how to identify metrics that truly matter is a crucial skill. John Doerr's book, "Measure What Matters," provides valuable guidance on this topic.

Now, let's explore the concept of pay to surf (PTS). This online business model gained popularity in the late 1990s but experienced a decline following the dot-com crash. PTS companies advertised a unique advantage – sharing advertising revenue with their user base as rewards for watching promotional content online. However, this model faced challenges, as some individuals attempted to defraud the companies for monetary gain. This led to companies terminating accounts due to spammers and fraudulent activities.

Despite the challenges faced by traditional pay to surf models, there have been innovative approaches in recent years. Brave, a web browser, has proposed an alternate way of compensating users for browsing. Users are given tokens that are promised to eventually be exchangeable for dollars. This approach operates similarly to cryptocurrency and presents a better orchestration of the pay-to-surf model.

The connection between these two concepts lies in the emphasis on changing user behavior. Both building customer experiences and pay to surf models require a deep understanding of user motivations and needs. By aligning efforts with the user's goals, products can deliver value and drive behavior change.

In conclusion, as a product manager, the ultimate focus should be on creating experiences that solve user problems and drive behavior change. Understanding the user's motivations, conducting thorough research, and working backward from the overall shipping goal are essential steps in achieving this. Additionally, actively seeking knowledge through mentorship, industry discussions, and resources like "Measure What Matters" can further enhance your skills.

Three actionable pieces of advice to take away:

1. Cultivate a deep understanding of user motivations and needs by conducting thorough user research.
2. Work backward from the overall shipping goal to streamline product releases and prioritize essential features.
3. Actively seek knowledge and guidance from product mentors, participate in industry discussions, and keep up with industry trends through webinars and other resources.