I write a user manual at the start of every new product role. A practical guide: how I work, what I'm good at, what will get under my skin, and how to get the best out of me.
The idea is straightforward. The faster your team understands how to work with you, the faster you get to doing actual work together. It short-circuits the awkward first months of people guessing at your preferences, misreading your silences, calibrating from scratch.
I refreshed mine starting at FrankieOne this month. Reading back the 2022 Iress version to do it was humbling in places and, honestly, a little funny.
What four years changes
Some things are baked in. I still think in systems not features. Still prefer Slack to email. Still consider protecting my lunch break non-negotiable. The architect archetype hasn't moved.
But a few things shifted in ways worth noting.
Mornings. In 2022 I wrote: "I am more of a night person and my energy level can be low in the mornings." The 2026 version flips this completely, morning meetings and deep work in the afternoon. I can't tell you exactly when that changed.
Confidence. There's a line in 2022 that makes me wince: "please don't be offended if I don't respond straight away with lots of feedback." The 2026 version says: "I run hot on vague problem statements, call it out and I'll adjust." Same underlying trait, completely different framing. One is apologising in advance. The other is being accountable.
AI. The 2026 version has a whole section on how I work with AI. It didn't exist in 2022, the tools barely did. It's now one of the most important things to communicate to a new team.
Decisions. The Type 1/Type 2 decision framework appeared somewhere between Iress and now. It's the clearest practical thing I can hand someone on day one.
Read the current version →Have you written one?
Curious how common this is in product circles. My instinct is most people rely on "you'll figure it out" vibes, which is a slow and lossy way to build trust with a new team.
If you've written one, or been handed one by a leader you've worked with, I'd love to see it. Find me on LinkedIn.