Mimi Gentz

Some takeaways for a Jeff Hinton interview with timeless insights. My POV as an app builder is that models are now being improved for better UX (faster response/multi-modal) and reasoning capability and cost continues to improve. The technology headroom remains strong, and the integration of LLM into all software experience will continue and expansion of the reach (invasion) of software + intelligence will also continue. - Next word prediction is not merely parroting of training data. To do next word prediction well, LLM needs and already exhibits strong reasoning behavior. This would continue to scale / improve with more data / training. - LLM is a compression of human knowledge. The compression mechanism is identifying similar concepts across domains and reduces duplications among them. This can also be a source of "creativity" as LLM "sees" correlations of seemingly unrelated ideas through this compression. LLM can be more creative as it sees similiarity / correlations across all domains beyond (human) convetional wisdom. - LLM can exceed the quality of its training data. Jeff gave an example of an experiment where a model trained on 50% intentionally incorrectly labeled data, can still perform at 90+% accuracy after training. - Multi-modal models can improve the overall world understanding and lead to better overall reasoning. It does not even need to generate multi-modal output. - Not ML specific, but an interesting life insights. Bad intuition comes from believing (or wanting to believe) everything you are told. It diminishes the ability to make a clear choice that would lead to differentiated success (or failure).

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Introducing the all new logo for The Code Gardener (https://lnkd.in/gJ_azQak)! Obviously, we need stickers! But, what shape? I'm leaning toward square. My partner in crime, Fito von Zastrow, is leaning toward die cut. What would you put on your laptop? #graphicdesign #blogging #ruby #rails #softwaredesign

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Once again #ProductTO delivered many great conversations. Nick Boccone facilitate an engaging and spirited group discussion of outputs and outcomes. On the surface it is a simple concept...identify the change you want to see (the outcome) and then do the work (the output) to realize it. As we delved into this as a group the challenges and complexities emerged, including: - Outputs and outcomes are usually separated in time from each other; possibly by months or quarters - The direct output you are working on is likely necessary to generate the outcome but not sufficient by itself. You will need to think about what else needs to be done and who else you need to involve (and convince, motivate, and cajole) - As product managers we need to keep our eyes on both the outputs and the outcomes - How do you make sure that the outcomes you achieve are "good" outcomes? Once again, thanks to May Wong for you efforts in running ProductTO!

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Operational CRM = streamline customer touchpoints. Analytical CRM = uncover big-picture insights. 👀 But using both? Now you’ve got a powerhouse combo to boost efficiency and build smarter strategies with SugarCRM. Get the details 👇 https://sgrcrm.co/3CfkEbj #CRM #SugarCRM

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Hey #AwesomeAdmins - Based on feedback I've heard lately around the API only license, I'm considering a View All Fields permission both at the system and the object level. What are your use cases? Please add them to this idea, and if there are enough points/use cases, I'll put it up for prioritization in the next round. https://lnkd.in/eqf7eFeS #Salesforce #SalesforceAdmin #SalesforceDeveloper #SalesforceArchitect #IdeaExchange #DF24

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Ready for PI Planning, Virtually! Remember the good old days of big room planning? A massive table, sticky notes, and a room full of energized people collaborating on their next big items. But times have changed. With remote and hybrid workforces, the traditional physical planning sessions are a thing of the past. How are we adapting? At Sisense, we're exploring Structure and Structure Gannt to recreate that collaborative, visual experience in a digital format. We're excited to see how these tools can help us: - Visualize our PI objectives and dependencies - Plan effectively, even across time zones - Collaborate seamlessly, no matter where we are How do you and your team handle remote PI Planning? Share your tips and tricks in the comments! #PIplanning #Agile #RemoteWork #DigitalTransformation #ProjectManagement

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Whether you're on a cattle farm or in IT, you must keep an eye on your investments at all times. No one knows this better than [[Tag: Brett Dawson]] from Fidelity Investments! In this new Main Scoop, Brett joins [[TAG: Greg Lotko]] and [TAG: Daniel Newman]] to talk all things observability, and how it fits in with #AI and #hybridIT strategies. https://dy.si/Z5jWB3

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Hey awesome people! Do you have contacts in the book publishing industry? I self published a novel a few years ago, and I recently finished a draft of the sequel. I have two more books planned for the series. I'm interested in looking into formal publisher arrangements, but I know it's unlikely without knowing the right people. I'm uncomfortable bragging about stuff like this, but let's just say that the push to get this series to more people is coming from the early readers. *I* was fine slapping it on Amazon and calling it a day, lol. Feels like a longshot, but you never know! **Edit: I'm aware of many services that help with self publishing. For the purposes of this post I'm referring to the classic publishing process.

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I'm such a strong believer that management isn't a promotion, it's a job change. Many of the books in this thread were the core curriculum for me when I chose management. If you're new to management or thinking about pivoting your role into management, I highly recommend checking this list out.

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Scaling a team is often necessary as demand grows, but it’s essential to ensure it’s done effectively. Before adding headcount, consider if scaling is the best approach—sometimes addressing process inefficiencies or architectural issues can yield better results. If scaling is the answer, keep these factors in mind: * Define clear goals for each team. * Ensure accountability and support. * Minimize dependencies and avoid inefficiencies. * Scaling impacts people, process, and technology. Successful team growth requires careful planning to maintain efficiency and productivity. https://lnkd.in/eTkqykmG

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Get to know the W3C's Accessibility Maturity Model, which provides a framework for measuring and assessing accessibility maturity, linking teams toward common goals and objectives. https://buff.ly/3SrgwHS #AccessibiityMaturityModel #DigitalAccessibility #AccessibilityMaturity #Accessibiity #A11y

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Check out the latest features we added to Enso Analytics this month!

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There's one skill that is so wildly, consistently underrated and underdeveloped by PMs that it drives me crazy... That skill is conducting user research and, generally, learning how to be affable and inquisitive with customers. The number of PMs who have advanced to a senior or principal role but still rely on a user research team or their UX team to conduct research is something I consider a complete abdication of a core skill. If you cannot talk to customers and conduct both generative and evaluative research, then you simply cannot be successful as a PM. This doesn't mean you have to be the world's greatest interviewer, but you need to understand what both types of research are, how to conduct them, and how to interpret the results. Generative research is about understanding your customers beyond your product. Who are they? What challenges do they face every day? How does your small piece of their life plug into the larger whole? This research helps you uncover new positioning ("our product helps you get that promotion you want"), new features ("our new stakeholder reporting feature takes the stress out of your monthly reporting meetings"), and new challenges ("most of our users are parents working from home who have very little time to spend on X"). It's really, really important that product teams have a few generative (I think of them as open-ended) conversations with customers every month. Otherwise, you might be missing something absolutely critical. Evaluative research is about evaluating the fit of a specific feature or product for a given problem. These interviews are usually more structured and often involve a set of relatively fixed questions or a prototype to help YOU understand how well the solution you've defined meets the challenge the customer has identified. It's equally important that teams have regular (weekly!) conversations with customers about the features and products they're building to make sure they're on the right track. Simply put, most of your job as a PM happens outside of your office. That's where your product exists, that's where your customers are. Being to effectively interview customers is a way to peek out from behind your metaphorical curtain and see the world through their eyes. Who conducts research at your company? How deeply is product involved? I'd love to know!

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In my latest double blog post, I discuss some techniques for implementing organizational change.

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Data quality isn’t just a checkbox; it’s a business imperative. See how high-quality data fuels informed decisions, enhances efficiency, and drives strategic success. Learn how to build a winning case for data quality investments.

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Interesting, and pretty damning, article on Humane, which has attracted a lot of buzz. Had the opportunity to invest in their Series C1 and passed - seemingly very much the right call. A good reminder that neither founder ambition nor manufactured hype can mitigate shortcomings in the fundamentals of product-market fit (solving a real need with a delightful solution) and launch readiness.

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I feel similarly to Julian Flaks in relation to my own profession of project management - you evolve to recognize the moments where you need to be one or the other. I prefer to be a realistic pessimist with overtones of optimism most of the time after years of trying to be one way or another. Staying grounded in reality balances the two areas if you can achieve it. #optimism #pessimism #tech #eqengineered #effectiveteams #projectmanagement

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