Category Archives: Useful Tips
Difference Between Growth Engineering vs. Product Engineering
One of the biggest challenges, especially with small development teams, is figuring out how much emphasis to allocate to product engineering (e.g., new functionality, features, or usability improvements) vs. growth engineering (increasing the user base). And to make the right decision, you need to understand the differences between both engineerings. To make your job easier, we share the comparison below.
The Differences
Growth Engineering and product engineering have different yet interrelated goals in mind. Product engineering teams focus more on the creation and improvement of a core product offering.
Each team works on strategic bets that product requirements drive. These bets are primarily based on market and customer demand. There is a set of backlog expected product changes. Product engineers focus on a mix of operational improvements and delivery engineering.
On the other hand, growth engineering teams focus on opportunity discovery and incremental learning. Growth engineers concentrate on discovering and unlocking customer value in existing product offerings.
Product engineers answer questions about:
● What are the customers’ needs?
● What product should be built to meet the market demand?
● What features should be introduced next as per strategy?
Growth Engineers answer questions about:
● What features do not appeal to users, or do they struggle to discover? And what’s the solution?
● Why are users leaving?
Product engineers build a product for the market fit. Growth engineers try to learn the current products are performing and being used. They focus on the health of the user journey to make sure it doesn’t degrade. They focus on the holistic user journey outside and between products. They try to figure out opportunities to create a measurable impact. Then they make incremental amendments to unlock them.
Growth Engineering teams work on different elements of the user journey. Some growth engineers focus on product adoption and expanding the user base. Other teams focus on product simplification and help guide users to explore underutilized product functionality.
User journey optimization can be complicated. Growth engineers run experiments that differ from the existing product experience; then, they analyze those amendments to evaluate if they make the improvements as expected.
Maintaining Separate Product and Growth Roadmaps
Not every company has a dedicated team for growth engineering, but this approach has many advantages.
However, it’s recommended even the small teams should maintain a growth roadmap and keep it separate from the product roadmap. They should separate growth activities into a separate workstream to take up impact-focused initiatives instead of other key product considerations such as usability, stability, functionality, etc.
Small-sized teams may not have enough resources to build, test, and iterate on growth initiatives in parallel with product features, making prioritizing growth vs. core product development more critical.
Growth is an iterative process. Although some growth gains are easily achievable by inserting an occasional growth story into an otherwise core-product-focused roadmap, gains will be occasional, and there will be limitations to the learning (due to the sluggish part of iterative improvement), and progress could be extremely slow.
There are no clear-cut solutions or answers to the growth vs. product effort dilemma, and ultimately the IT leaders make the final decision based on business goals and available resources.
If the setup is correct, growth engineering efforts can run parallel to some extent, such that learning and iteration can happen even the engineering resources are unavailable.
Some activities in the stack, such as acquisition, may not require engineering resources. Performance marketing, community engagement, and others should be executed by non-engineers, though they may need 3rd party tool integration, bespoke product ‘hooks,’ additional analytics tracking to improve effectiveness. Companies can run on many fronts without having a dedicated team for growth engineering, but there is no antidote.
Growth sits at the intersection of marketing and product. The real magic happens when design, statistical analysis, engineering, and marketing efforts are allocated to growth problems holistically.
Job title and team structure do not hold any importance when it comes to adopting a growth philosophy and process that values, experimentation, data, and a drive for impact stay above all.
So, do you have any questions about the differences between growth engineering and product engineering? Please feel free to leave your comments below.
Why You Should consider Using a Commercial Air Purifier – The Facts?
HEPA filters have remained the gold standard for air purification since the 1950s. Despite their widespread use, the indoor transmission of airborne viruses, particularly those responsible for COVID, has persisted.
During the various waves of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been COVID transmission occurring in acute care centers when public health guidelines were not followed. This was especially true in the Canadian province of Quebec, during the first COVID wave. Interestingly, there have been miscellaneous outbreaks in hospital clinics and hospital offices too, like the one at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, Canada. These examples illustrate that the current HVAC systems used in most hospitals and commercial settings may not be as effective as previously thought. There are various commercial air purifier upgrades available that can improve this.
Why current HVAC systems may be of limited efficacy
If High Efficiency Particulate in Air (HEPA) filters are so effective at removing harmful particulate from the air, why has there been so much transmission in places that use them? This question is a rather baffling one. HEPA filters boast a 99% efficacy rate at removing airborne particles down to 0.1 micrometers in size. Therefore, they should be able to trap SARS-CVD-2, the virions responsible for COVID, that are about 0.15 micrometers. It would seem logical to expect reduced transmission in environments that use HEPA-based commercial air purifiers, right?
Numerous 2020 studies from Asia show that certain HVAC systems generate airflows that enhance the spread of the virus. While the presence of HEPA filters was not constant across all settings examined, these studies do illustrate the limitations of re-circulated air. Suppose you are working in a space that is 300 cubic meters. It might take the HVAC system 1 hour to purify all the air in that space. Maybe one worker coughs into his or her elbow. Suppose, then, that one stray aerosol escapes the clutch of the elbow and is swept toward an adjacent colleague via the airflows of HVAC fans. The commercial air purifier is now acting as a spreader.
How new HVAC technologies can help
Systems that bring in outdoor air are better than ones that rely solely on re-circulation. Ultraviolet light contains a class of waves, known as the C rays, which denature the protein production complexes of the virions upon exposure, rendering them innocuous. This means that for every one-hour purification cycle that brings in outdoor air, the total air volume gets replaced by air that has been exposed to UV rays from outside. The presence of the outdoor air will reduce the likelihood of transmission because there is greater probability of the virions being dissolved away by the new air as they travel down a transmission pathway. In places where the climate is too cold to bring in outside air, the effects can be imitated with the use of UV reactor chambers in commercial air purifiers or HVAC units. These work by exposing the re-circulated air to UV-C rays, often by attaching them to HVAC ducts. Because the air is continually exposed to UV rays as it circulates, this sets the stage for potential displacement and dissolution of the virions, in much the same way that outdoor air exposure would.
One could bring in outside air, and then have UV reactor chambers installed on all ducts that receive indoor air. This way, every airflow pathway in the system would involve UV exposure. If two workers are staggered within the same pathway, however, there could still be worker-to-worker transmission. One could solve this problem by placing free-standing tower purifiers with UV chambers between the clusters of workers. Regardless of which solution is the most logistically feasible, modern commercial air purifiers stand to benefit a great deal by making use of UV reactor technology. Had the acute care centers in Quebec used this technology, maybe some lives would have been saved.
Commercial air purifiers are excellent tools for businesses, whether they are in healthcare or not. Cleaning the air in workspaces will always have a positive impact on your employees and their wellbeing. Consider the benefits of emerging technology and how incorporating UV technology into your existing air quality system can keep your employees healthier, and even safer.
Kraft Paper Bags – A Unique Bag to Get Your Company Noticed
Kraft paper bags are available in a variety of sizes, weights, and shapes to suit all your carrying or storage needs. Kraft paper bag manufacturers offer sturdy, easy-to-carry kraft paper bags, which provide a durable and convenient solution for packing heavy materials. Kraft paper bags have a number of interesting features that make them a hit among buyers and sellers equally. Extending the physical features of kraft bags, you can make use of the bags as a potential source of advertising your brand or product. Read on to find out a unique proposition that is making waves among small and large businesses alike.
Kraft paper bags are eco-friendly
Kraft paper bag manufacturers will enlighten you about the consumable and recyclable materials used in the making of durable the environment friendly bags. The make of these bags allows business owners to print high-quality images on the bags and use them as a means of advertising their business. You can have kraft paper bags custom printed with product or product service announcements.
Kraft paper bags are the perfect grocery bag solution
Kraft paper bag manufacturers can help you with bags in large, medium, and small sizes. This variety in size makes kraft paper bags a convenient packaging solution. Additionally, when not in use, the bags can be folded easily, enhancing the convenience offered by the bags. Packaging your goods in kraft paper bags will make a positive impression on your customers, reminding them of the top customer service that you provide. Your customers will also appreciate the fact that they can carry large items with ease. A perfect bag for carrying diary, fruit, vegetable, or groceries.
Keep your brand in vogue with kraft paper bags
Today, people have become increasingly aware about the products they purchase. Furthermore, they are beginning to take note of the allied services. In that case, receiving products in environment-friendly packaging puts your brand on a pedestal. Customers are actively looking for products that are more natural and providing them with wholesome solutions is a unique way of promoting your brand value.
Contact wholesale kraft paper bag manufacturers
Many distributors can make kraft paper bags available to you; however, given the large quantities, you require, contacting kraft paper bag manufacturers will help you secure an inexpensive deal.
You will agree that packaging requirements are diverse and often an unavoidable cost of any business organization. Packaging is also an effective marketing tool. With companies trying to find innovative solutions to advertise their brand, kraft paper bags offer a unique approach that meets their goal. In addition, these bags are environmentally friendly and do not pose a threat to the environment like ordinary plastic bags.
Trees are used to make kraft paper bags, but since they are planted dedicatedly for this purpose, they do not harm the environment. Planting these trees reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and prevents global warming.
Get prices online
Many retailers and wholesalers are now offering branded products from various kraft paper bag manufacturers. By simply browsing the internet, you can easily find kraft paper bag suppliers and make use of competitive online bids from merchants.
Kraft paper bags are the perfect new-age solution for packaging. Supermarkets and malls are now flooded with kraft paper bag products, a testament to their growing popularity. Kraft paper bags offer a convenient and economically advantageous packaging solution, which can easily double up as a unique marketing solution for your brand. Print your colorful logo on the packaging and become a part of a growing tribe of climate-conscious brands while promoting your brand. Reach out to kraft paper bag manufacturers to get your hands on a truly unique method of promoting your brand using eco-friendly methods.
Why Do Small Businesses Need IT Support?
Inadequate personnel, client reliance, and combining a desire to develop excellent products with the need to grow sales volume, to name a few, are all problems that small business owners confront. In reality, the majority of the most significant issues that small businesses face center around one core theme: the bottom line. Many small firms are striving to expand on a shoestring budget, and their lack of cash forces them to make difficult decisions about how to use their limited resources. Unfortunately, technical assistance is an area that many small businesses overlook. Given how much the ordinary modern corporation relies on computer systems and networks to perform day-to-day operations, this is a bad idea. Here are the reasons for maintaining small business IT service.
Reasons for Maintaining IT Support for Small Business
• Implement Appropriate Solutions: Whether you require new hardware or data processing software, computer security, or network management choices, your tech support team or respected consulting organizations can assist you in determining the best solutions for your business while balancing your demands and budget. This is critical for several reasons. First and foremost, the ordinary small company owner is unlikely to be aware of the many hardware and software alternatives available, let alone which ones are appropriate for their needs. An IT expert can assist in putting the appropriate components in place, guaranteeing operational efficiency and security. Furthermore, professional tech support services may maintain and expand current infrastructure as needed, keeping gear and software up to date and executing updates as necessary. In today’s corporate world, having the proper technology in place is critical for stability and growth.
• Maintain Systems: It’s not enough to hire a pro to set up your network; you’ll also need someone to keep your systems running. While company owners and workers can be responsible for updating software and hardware regularly (or updates may be automated), as well as upgrading when necessary, it’s far better to have a trained expert manage and maintain your computer network.
• Monitor Usage: When it comes to computer and network operations, having the appropriate structure in place may go a long way toward assuring efficiency and security. However, don’t overlook the possibility of human mistakes. This is when professionals and monitoring services come in handy. Whether you’re concerned about employees misusing resources or want to be on the lookout for potential data breaches, proper monitoring by a technical support team is a critical component of security.
• Educate Staff: You want to put your faith in your employees to create and maintain passwords correctly. You also want them to use technical resources in the best interests of the firm. You’ve even implemented regulations to that end. With the right technical assistance on hand, you can keep your employees informed on how to act around the computer and network equipment. Hackers are continually coming up with new techniques to dupe employees into giving them access. Tech support professionals or consultants can keep your team up to date on the latest attacks.
• Prevent Breaches: This is the most common reason for having tech assistance these days. When hackers target your company, it’s not an issue of if, but when. Without tech assistance, your small business is far more exposed to security breaches, which may result in data loss, legal difficulties, and reputational harm.
• Maximize Profit: Whether you engage specialists in-house or deal with outside consultants or organizations, you will have to pay for IT assistance. However, you’ll reap a slew of benefits as a result of the procedure, including reducing waste and increasing efficiency and profit. In reality, you’ll have to pay someone for tech assistance at some point. You may either pay a bit extra for devoted employees or hire specialists on a contract basis. In any case, you’ll receive support services from people who are experienced with your business in your time of need. When your computers go down or a hacker infiltrates your system, you’ll be pleased you have a team of dependable tech support experts on your side to fix the problem, limit the damage, and get you back up and running as soon as possible.
A Guide On How To Select The Best Commercial HVAC Company
Choosing a commercial HVAC company is something that sometimes gets shrugged off until you need one in a hurry. That’s when you begin dialing numbers hoping to find a company that meets all your needs. What are your needs, what do you need from an HVAC company, and better yet, how do you choose a company that is the best fit for you commercial needs?
What are your HVAC needs.
Reputable commercial HVAC companies are able to offer a variety of services, and although you may not require them all, you should know what they offer so you can ensure that they can meet your needs. The first thing to ask yourself is, why are you calling a professional out? Is your commercial business too hot or too cold? Do you need a cleaning or is this an emergency? Does your commercial business have kitchen exhausts, dryer vents, or air ducts that need to be cleaned? You should also find out the make and model of your current system so you can ensure that the technician is knowledgeable with your specific system’s requirements. Getting this information before you call can save a lot of time and hassle.
Learn about the technicians
When time is important, often people just hope that the person who comes to do the work is capable and able to do the job to their satisfaction. However, when looking for commercial HVAC companies, take the time to ask about the people that they will be sending out. Learn about their credentials. HVAC technicians should all be licensed when coming to work on your system. Ensuring their credentials can also help ensure that they are well trained and competent. Technicians should also be insured for the work that they complete. A reputable HVAC company will gladly give this information to potential clients. If a company is not willing to provide information about their technician’s license and insurance, you may want to consider looking for a different commercial HVAC company.
Obtain quotes and proposals
Commercial HVAC systems are expensive to purchase and maintain. When maintenance is required, ensure that you receive in writing a quote. In the event that you are replacing a system, ensure that there is a written proposal of the breakdown of cost. Not everything goes according to plan, and there may be changes that are needed to maintain your system; however, a written quote will ensure that you are getting all the work you’ve agreed upon at a cost that was agreed upon. If appropriate, learn about guarantees and funding, such as money back satisfaction guarantees or no payment financing for one year. If commercial HVAC companies are not willing to give written estimates or proposals, consider searching for another company.
Search and review potential HVAC companies.
Gone are the days when you would hear, “I know a person who knows a person that can do what you want.” In today’s digital age, you can take advantage of any information you do hear ad then do some research to find out more for yourself. There are many online review sites for businesses. Google reviews is a quick way to learn what others are saying about the commercial HVAC companies that you are considering. A reputable company will leave the negative ones on the site with a response. There will always be positive and negative reviews, so read through to see if there is a pattern of negatives or positives and how any concerns were addressed. Other review sites may include YELP, indeed, or glass door. These review sites may also include comments from previous workers about their experience. Also, do not hesitate to ask the company for references from their current customers. Follow up with these references to see what their experience was, how the work was, how the worker’s attitude was—and did they stay in budget and on time?
There are many commercial HVAC companies that are willing to do the work. Take your time and ensure that you are getting the best company to meet your needs. Ensure that you research and compare quotes and reviews from multiple commercial HVAC companies.
