In this episode of the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast, Stephen and Lucy dive into the intricate process of deciding what to work on next. They explore the challenge of prioritizing tasks in a landscape where everything seems important, while sharing insights on how to navigate this complexity within the framework of a company's structure.

They emphasize the significance of customer feedback and interviews as a guiding compass. They also touch on the importance of understanding customer challenges rather than just their suggestions, and how this can lead to innovative solutions that may not have been initially considered.

Key topics include:

• The role of customer interviews and how they can shape product development
• How to discern between urgent and important tasks
• Strategies for gathering and utilizing community feedback
• The importance of having a clear mission to guide decision-making
• Balancing incremental improvements with larger overhauls
• Insights into the operational side of decision-making

Mentions in this episode:

• YouTube - Bill Hader quote - https://youtu.be/NHHZSNw9J2o?t=26
• Book - Death by Meeting - https://www.amazon.com/Death-Meeting-Leadership-Solving-Business/dp/0787968056
• Blog Post - The Three Machines by Brad Feld - https://feld.com/archives/2017/01/the-three-machines/
• Comic - XKCD Is It Worth the Time? - https://xkcd.com/1205/

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Intro song:

• Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)

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