Funnels and Frameworks

Information Funnels

I firmly believe our information outputs are only as good as our information inputs. Everyday, each of us consumes a unique mosaic of content that informs our actions and opinions. This ‘information diet’ influences our view of the world and provides a differentiated foundation for decision making. Consequently, what we let into our information funnel is incredibly important.

My information funnel consists of a steady diet of newsletters, podcasts, and websites. I also try to optimize my social media feed(s) to have as high a signal-to-noise ratio as possible. Although my funnel is constantly evolving, I think it is worth sharing some of the staples:

Newsletters:

Websites to browse:

Podcasts:

*This list will be updated on occasion.

Frameworks

It’s easy to get sucked into the need to feel ‘informed’, to chase the latest story or get wrapped up in the 24/7 news cycle. This is particularly true when it comes to keeping up with industry news and developments: product launches, M&A, strategic partnerships, etc…

It is easy to follow the headlines and know WHAT happened.

It is harder to follow the strategy and know WHY it happened.

Frameworks are the scalable way to learn. They teach us HOW to think, rather than WHAT to think.

Some foundational classics are below:

Clayton Christensen’s Jobs to be Done

Geoffrey Moore’s Crossing the Chasm

Eric Reis’s Lean Start-up

Michael Porter’s Three Generic Strategies

Shishir Mehrotra’s Four Myths of Bundling

Hamilton Helmer’s Seven Powers

Rory Sutherland’s Ten Rules of Alchemy

Jim McKelvey’s Innovation Stacks