A Battle-Tested Methodology
For Efficient & Effective Product Development
Today, coding is foundational to great product development, and great product development is the key to success as a tech company. Winning @ Product Development outlines a battle-tested methodology for developing products efficiently and effectively. The method is dubbed R5 and the book, from GK2C founder Leo Rocco, is focused on sharing insights to create a culture of winning. We’re excited to spread the word.
About the Author
Leo Rocco
Founder + CEO at Confidence | Author – Winning @ Product Development,
Director – getkids2code.org
Leo is a global product development expert and pioneer in mobile payments. Currently, he’s the Founder and CEO of Confidence Systems, the AI-powered Do-Things-Right platform which delivers peace of mind by making completing tasks in compliance within applicable regulations and guidelines more efficient, consistent and transparent so that businesses can thrive.
Throughout his career he’s been at the center of transforming the way people do things. His experience with GoPago enabled people to rethink the way they pay for everything from a cup of coffee to a carwash. At Fiserv, he had to re-imagine and modernize the onboarding experience of merchants to accept digital payments. These processes are rooted in trust. People had to trust that the new way was just as reliable as the old way, but better. This is exactly what he and his team are doing at Confidence. They are incorporating technology to show at every step that businesses are doing what they say they’ll do — all in a way that consumers can review. Their process of enabling businesses to do things right delivers peace of mind to the people who support those businesses. Now more than ever, as we emerge from a global pandemic, that trust is paramount.
Buy a Book
Help a Kid Learn to Code
Did you know that all book proceeds go to GetKids2Code? The equation is simple: Young people plus technology is our future. It seems natural, then, that young people who embrace technology are putting all of us in the best position for what happens next. Young people who can help create technology are the ones who’ll lead the way.
GetKids2Code is the philanthropic arm of R5 Labs. The initiative focuses on funding cash awards and prizes during regularly scheduled competitions. In order to make this happen, we need financial contributions from our supporters and friends like you!
A Sneak Peek
Inside Winning @ Product Development
This product development bible outlines a battle-tested methodology to help your team develop products efficiently and effectively. Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll find inside:
Introduction
In the world of commerce, products are core to a company. Companies in this sphere exist because they sell products to consumers and businesses that find value in those products. Until these products stop adding…
Devils in the Details
I grew up in New York, the son of a tailor. And when your Dad has an occupation that is all about detail, you tend to become more detail aware. I may not have been Type-A by nature, but I became Type-A through nurture…
Scrappy, Smart, Savvy
At one of the recent Fiserv leadership summits, CEO Frank Bisignano invited Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics, to come and talk about his career and experience. Billy is a great example of how being…
If You Build It, They Will Come
Talking about General Magic brings back memories of a Silicon Valley-based company that I started back in 2009 called GoPago. One of GoPago’s early investors was Bruce Leak, who coincidentally was…
The R5 Method
This is it. The most important part of this book. Imagine Angus Young’s guitar intro in AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.” It’s the part of the book you’re going to use most frequently. Are you ready? Let’s do this!…
Elements of the R5 Method
It’s time for our deep-dive into the elements of the R5 Method. Transparency. Action.Accountability. Participation. Attitude. I’ve designed these elements to work together from the beginning. They’re tightly integrated, fundamentally and dependently linked to each other…
The Importance of Playing Nice with Others
Just as no man (or woman) is an island, it’s impossible to score business wins from inside a silo. This means that once an organization has adopted the R5 method, the organization has to prioritize…
R5’s ‘Rule of Two’
The R5 Method works best when administered through a team. I talked earlier about how no man or woman is an island, and I really believe that. The team is the top priority, no matter what…
Best Practices for Getting S*%t Done
I am a venture advisor and guest lecturer at the Stanford Venture Studio program through the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and I make it a point to share with my students that in the late 90s when I was in college…
The Importance of Roadmapping
Every great organization has a game plan, an idea where the group would like to be by a certain future point. Think of this effort as “vision-boarding,” only for a business entity. Some people also like to call it “roadmapping.”…
Kill the Cube
Way back at the beginning of my journey, when I was a freshman in college, one of my first jobs was for the local utility company not far from where I grew up in New York…
Understanding and Minimizing Exposure
Operating a successful product development team in today’s business environment means innovating, iterating, and always working to make a product better…
The Role of HR
By this point in the book you should have a firm grasp of my belief that teamwork really does make the dream work when you’re applying the R5 Method for product development…
The Role of the C-Suite
I’ve dedicated entire portions of this book to the importance of teamwork at the top of a product development team. I’ve talked about the importance of product development leaders working with other department heads…
Bringing Confidence to the World
Perhaps the best example of how the R5 Method works in real life is the company I founded in December 2020: Confidence Systems. Everything about this company, from the WHY to the WHAT to the HOW is rooted in R5.
Wrapping it Up
From IBM to GoPago to Fiserv to Confidence, my career in business has been quite a ride. Over the course of my career I have focused on one thing and one thing only: product development that works…
“Winning at Product Development has changed my view of cross team collaboration to develop products. It breaks it down in a way that makes sense and is logical. The insert guideline is a nice touch too!”
Mike Z.
“Leo puts together a complex process into a logical way to operate in developing products. I really like how he incorporated real life examples into the approach, especially around his approach on how to deal with technical debt. We are using this across my team in enterprise banking.”
Dan B.
“Having most recently graduated from Stanford’s GSB, I always wanted to start my own company and incorporate my experience to bring value to an industry. The R5 Method is the guideline I use to keep me grounded and bring my team together on a common way to get work done. Love the insert card, it’s taped to my monitor!”
Beth A.
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