TLDR Product Management 2026-01-09

Authentication doesn't have to be a necessary evil. By putting the user experience first, you can use it to set your product apart.

Here's 3 resources to set you off on the journey to better auth in 2026:

⏳ In 10 minutes, you can see how easy streamlining user management can be. Bring your questions to get answers live.

📖 Prefer reading? Get a detailed handbook for a practical view of CIAM foundations and design principles.

🗓️ And if you want to see what authentication will look like at the end of 2026, check out this on-demand webinar on the Auth0 roadmap.

AI judges your product before customers do. Strong product explainability helps AI represent your product accurately, turning context engineering into a real PM advantage.

Corporate rituals raise the floor, not the ceiling. Top PMs create impact by minimizing opportunity cost and prioritizing deep thinking over busywork.

AI can get designs 90% of the way there, but designers make them right. The future of design is not drawing first, but explaining why the final solution works.

Leadership at scale is less about control and more about timing, curiosity, and navigating complexity. Real progress comes from understanding systems, embracing friction, and updating mental models when conditions are right.

Most AI tools are built for solo work. New Forrester research shows that's exactly why AI rollouts are stalling - teams need AI that helps them work together, rather than solo. Miro is hosting Forrester analyst J.P. Gownder on January 22 to break down the data from 500+ AI deployments. Register now

Waitlists no longer signal hype. The best ones qualify intent, activate fast, and prove who will actually pay.

Charging for advice increases demand by removing social friction. Price and async access signal openness, making it easier to ask for and give help.

AI text boxes are powerful, but not enough. Like GUIs did for PCs, better interfaces will unlock AI's real potential for everyone.

Network-effect products fail when they launch without density. Start with one small, self-sustaining network, then repeat and scale.

Ask a question, get data + charts. Want to share? Get an ad-hoc dashboard instantly. Want to revisit later? File the results and build your own library. Try the AI data analyst

It is easy to turn ideas into reality.

Many people optimize for looking busy, not doing hard work.