What it was like working with Steve Jobs | Tony Fadell and Lex Fridman

Summary

The transcript details a reflective conversation about working with Steve Jobs, highlighting his meticulous attention to detail and his ability to inspire and challenge his team without resorting to bullying or demeaning behavior. The speaker discusses the critical nature of making opinion-based decisions in the early stages of revolutionary products, where data is scarce. They emphasize the importance of explaining the rationale behind these decisions to foster team buy-in and understanding of the trade-offs. The discussion also touches on the transition from opinion-based to data-driven decisions as more information becomes available with subsequent product versions. Two significant opinion-based decisions made during the development of the iPhone are explored: the choice of a virtual keyboard over a hardware keyboard and the debate over including a SIM slot. The narrative underscores the balance between relying on gut instincts and leveraging data, and the transformative impact that can result from bold, visionary choices.

Takeaways

• 🚀 **Innovation and Attention to Detail**: Steve Jobs pushed his team relentlessly on details, aiming for perfection in revolutionary products.
• 🤝 **Respectful Critique**: Jobs critiqued work, not people, avoiding public humiliation or demeaning comments to maintain a positive work environment.
• 🤔 **Opinion-Based Decisions**: In the absence of data for version one products, Jobs made decisions based on his vision and understanding of what customers needed.
• 📈 **Data-Driven Evolution**: As products evolved, Jobs used data from previous opinion-based decisions to inform future, more data-driven choices.
• 💡 **Explaining Decisions**: Jobs believed in explaining the 'why' behind decisions to make team members feel part of the process and understand trade-offs.
• 📱 **The iPhone's Keyboard Debate**: A significant opinion-based decision was choosing a virtual keyboard over a hardware one, which was a bold move against the productivity-focused devices of the time.
• 🔄 **Adapting to Data**: When presented with data, even strong opinions could be overturned, as seen with the reintroduction of the SIM slot in the original iPhone.
• 🌐 **Global Market Considerations**: Jobs initially wanted a SIM-free iPhone, but data on global network requirements led to a change in this opinion.
• ⏱️ **Timing is Key**: The timing of introducing new technology is crucial; for example, the shift to eSIMs is happening now, but a SIM-less iPhone would have been too early in 2007.
• 📉 **Overcoming Past Successes**: Sometimes, past success can inhibit future progress. Jobs recognized when to leave behind old technologies for the sake of innovation.
• 🔮 **Vision Over Data**: While data is important, Jobs demonstrated that a clear vision for the future could sometimes be a more powerful guide for decision-making.

Q & A

What was the approach to handling details and challenges when working with Steve Jobs?

Steve Jobs pushed for attention to detail and challenged the team for the right reasons without bullying or demeaning. He critiqued the work, not the person, and ensured everyone understood the rationale behind decisions to foster a sense of ownership and commitment.

How did Steve Jobs handle decision-making for revolutionary products like the first version of the iPhone?

Jobs made opinion-based decisions for revolutionary products where data was limited. He emphasized explaining the 'why' behind decisions to involve the team and highlight trade-offs of different options.

What is the difference between data-driven and opinion-based decisions?

Data-driven decisions are informed by existing data and past performance, while opinion-based decisions are made in the absence of data, often relying on intuition or gut feeling, particularly in the case of version one products.

Why is it challenging for companies to make new innovations and products?

Companies struggle to innovate because they try to convert opinion-based decisions into data-driven ones to avoid risk, which can lead to paralysis in decision-making and a lack of new product development.

How did Steve Jobs approach the decision of having a virtual keyboard on the iPhone?

Jobs made an opinion-based decision to use a virtual keyboard instead of a hardware keyboard, recognizing the iPhone as an entertainment and web browsing device where a full-screen experience was more important than typing efficiency.

What was one of the critical opinion-based decisions that changed before the iPhone's launch?

The decision to omit a SIM slot was reversed after presenting data to Steve Jobs. The team demonstrated the necessity of a SIM slot for global compatibility and the trend towards SIM card usage in data networks.

How did the team convince Steve Jobs to include a SIM slot on the original iPhone?

The team provided data showing the requirement of SIM cards in various mobile networks worldwide and explained the implications of not having one for the iPhone's global adoption.

What is the significance of timing in making decisions for new technology products?

Timing is crucial as it determines whether a technology is accepted or becomes obsolete. For instance, the idea of phones without SIM slots is becoming more feasible now with the advent of eSIMs, which were not viable at the time of the original iPhone's launch.

Why is it important for a team to understand and own opinion-based decisions?

Understanding and owning opinion-based decisions is vital as it allows team members to feel part of the decision-making process, understand the rationale, and be motivated to correct and learn from any mistakes.

How did the development of the first iPhone illustrate the balance between opinions and data?

The iPhone's development showed that while opinions guide initial decisions, especially for version one products, data can shift those opinions when it becomes available. The inclusion of a SIM slot was an example of data influencing what initially was an opinion-based decision.

What is the role of management consulting in handling opinion-based decisions?

Management consulting often involves taking opinion-based decisions and structuring them in a way that data can support or refute them, which can then be used to inform future decisions and mitigate risk.

How can companies ensure they are making the right decisions when data is limited?

Companies should foster a culture that encourages informed risk-taking and learning from mistakes. They should also ensure that decisions are well-articulated, with clear rationale and understanding of potential trade-offs.