# S1E43 A Joyful Approach to Product Development | Lisa Ho & Andrew Muyanja (Menlo Innovations)

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2020-10-09
- Length: 49m
- Episode: 43
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-10-09-s1e43-a-joyful-approach-to-product-development-lisa-ho-andrew-muyanja-menlo-inno

## Summary

Lisa Ho, a project manager, and Andrew Muyanja, a Senior High Tech Anthropologist at Menlo Innovations, explain their unique operational model known as 'the Menlo way.' They discuss core practices such as high-tech anthropology for user research, paired work to mitigate risk and build quality, and the use of story cards and weekly planning games to manage scope and budget. The conversation highlights how these methods foster a culture of joy, transparency, and servant leadership, allowing the company to deliver robust software products while maintaining work-life balance.

## Chapters

- [0:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-10-09-s1e43-a-joyful-approach-to-product-development-lisa-ho-andrew-muyanja-menlo-inno#t=30) Introduction and Guest Backgrounds
- [5:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-10-09-s1e43-a-joyful-approach-to-product-development-lisa-ho-andrew-muyanja-menlo-inno#t=328) High Tech Anthropology and User Research
- [12:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-10-09-s1e43-a-joyful-approach-to-product-development-lisa-ho-andrew-muyanja-menlo-inno#t=721) Project Management and Servant Leadership
- [17:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-10-09-s1e43-a-joyful-approach-to-product-development-lisa-ho-andrew-muyanja-menlo-inno#t=1074) The Benefits and Mechanics of Paired Work
- [27:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-10-09-s1e43-a-joyful-approach-to-product-development-lisa-ho-andrew-muyanja-menlo-inno#t=1640) Fostering Joy and Eliminating Fear
- [33:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-10-09-s1e43-a-joyful-approach-to-product-development-lisa-ho-andrew-muyanja-menlo-inno#t=1996) Story Cards and the Planning Game
- [42:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-10-09-s1e43-a-joyful-approach-to-product-development-lisa-ho-andrew-muyanja-menlo-inno#t=2578) Kindergarten Skills and Team Culture

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- Menlo Innovations (company)
- Knight Capital Group (company)
- Chief Joy Officer (other)
- The Inmates Are Running the Asylum (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Atlassian: Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-02-08-atlassian-mike-cannon-brookes-and-scott-farquhar) (How I Built This)
- [Interview with Eric Ries - Transorted Testing Tachydidaxy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-21-interview-with-eric-ries-transorted-testing-tachydidaxy) (The Amp Hour)
- [#009 - Unleashing Creativity Through User-Driven Storytelling - Sam Feller - Human-Centered Engineering, Team Management, Tracking Deliverables, Tactics for Problem Solving](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/designing-in-the-wild/2022-02-21-009-unleashing-creativity-through-user-driven-storytelling-sam-feller-human-cent) (Designing in the Wild)
- [Ep. 9 - Time Management](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2023-11-23-ep-9-time-management) (Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast)
- [#045 - Simplicity and what it has to do with what I learned from my guests in 2017, with your host Balint Horvath, Switzerland](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2018-01-03-045-simplicity-and-what-it-has-to-do-with-what-i-learned-from-my-guests-in-2017) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)

## Citing this page

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