Notes on First Principles Thinking

First Principles Thinking: For some, it is a buzzword, and for others a way of life. More of my clients finding recruiters talking about the concept but they are not sure what it means or how to translate it into their interviews.

The first place to start is by reading up a bit on it. I have provided some resources (a book and some articles) on the topic. Start by reading them. You will see some repeated themes:

• Problem Solving

• Break down to the Fundamentals

• Systemized into Rules

• Undertand like Machines

• Question the Root Causes

• Reverse-Engineering

• Fundamental Concepts

If you find your interviewers or recruiters keep talking about First Principles Thinking, consider reading the following:

• Ray Dalio’s Famous Book

  • From Amazon: “He argues that life, management, economics, and investing can all be systemized into rules and understood like machines. The book’s hundreds of practical lessons, which are built around his cornerstones of “radical truth” and “radical transparency,” include Dalio laying out the most effective ways for individuals and organizations to make decisions, approach challenges, and build strong teams.”

• Farnum Street

  • “First-principles thinking is one of the best ways to reverse-engineer complicated problems and unleash creative possibility. Sometimes called “reasoning from first principles,” the idea is to break down complicated problems into basic elements and then reassemble them from the ground up. It’s one of the best ways to learn to think for yourself, unlock your creative potential, and move from linear to non-linear results.”

• First Principles Thinking on Product-Led Growth

  • Product-Led talks about First Principles Thinking with product-led strategy at the forefront. For them, it is about a reverse-engineered approach to problem-solving. First Principles Thinking helps you “question the root cause of problems and resist the urge to make assumptions to uncover lasting solutions.”

• First Principles in Product Management

  • “The fundamental concepts or assumptions on which a theory, system, or method is based.” The author gives you an overview of the methodology, some personal insights, and three steps to leverage to tackle problems you face.

• First Principles for Product Managers

  • First principle thinking is a way of problem-solving where you break the situation down into its fundamental parts and then reconstruct them to arrive at a solution.

• The First Principles of Product Management

  • This article focuses on Left-Brain vs Right-Brain approach. They boil the conversation to: Maximize impact to the mission (given inputs) vs Accomplishing everything through others. Core concepts include:

    • Goal

    • Environment

    • People & Time Constraints

    • Intersection of Inputs

    • Change Based on Team’s Needs

    • Team, not Coach gets Credit