The Year of the Looking Glass
A collection of essays by Julie Zhuo on design, building products, and observing life.
How to Make Things High-Quality
How to Make Things High-Quality
If there is one debate that is the endlessly circling “Star Wars versus Star Trek” of product development, it is what I refer to as “The…
The Making of a Manager: a Handbook for New Leaders
The Making of a Manager: a Handbook for New Leaders
“I’ve seen so many people thrust into management in high-growth companies with so little guidance. From now on, I will hand them this book…
How to be Strategic
How to be Strategic
So you might have heard that the more you progress in your career, the more “strategic” you should aim to be. WTF does that mean?
Design for People, Use People Language
Design for People, Use People Language
The first rule of building a valuable product is that it should be valuable for someone. Meaning, an actual, real-life person (or many such…
Good Pressure, Bad Pressure
Good Pressure, Bad Pressure
Here is the narrative that sometimes runs through my head. Raise your hand if it’s familiar:
Many ways to learn
Many ways to learn
This was first published on my mailing list The Looking Glass. Every week, I answer a reader’s question.
The 4 Stages of 0->1 Products
The 4 Stages of 0->1 Products
This was first published on my mailing list The Looking Glass. Every week, I answer a reader’s question.
Launch is the beginning
Launch is the beginning
This was first published on my mailing list The Looking Glass. Every week, I answer a reader’s question.
Finding ideas
Finding ideas
This was first published on my mailing list The Looking Glass. Every week, I answer a reader’s question.
Pitching a product idea
Pitching a product idea
This was first published on my mailing list The Looking Glass. Every week, I answer a reader’s question.
Responding to a promotion rejection
Responding to a promotion rejection
This was first published on my mailing list The Looking Glass. Every week, I answer a reader’s question.
Managing more experienced people
Managing more experienced people
This was first published on my mailing list The Looking Glass. Every week, I answer a reader’s question.
Escaping e-mail hell
Escaping e-mail hell
This was first published on my mailing list The Looking Glass. Every week, I answer a reader’s question.
Addressing executive swoop-ins
Addressing executive swoop-ins
This was first published on my mailing list The Looking Glass. Every week, I answer a reader’s question.
What to expect from PMs, part 2
What to expect from PMs, part 2
This was first published on my mailing list The Looking Glass. Every week, I answer a reader’s question. This post is Part 2. Read Part 1…
What to expect from PMs
What to expect from PMs
This was first published on my mailing list The Looking Glass. Every week, I answer a reader’s question. This post is Part 1 of a two part…
Receiving Feedback
Receiving Feedback
This was first published on my mailing list The Looking Glass. Every week, I answer a reader’s question.
Starting Well
Starting Well
This was first published on my mailing list The Looking Glass. Every week, I answer a reader’s question.