November 2016 Summaries

In a future dominated by driverless cars, product managers (PMs) will need to adapt by developing new skills that bridge industrial and software design, focusing on consumer trust, safety, and user experience. As companies like Google and Uber test autonomous vehicles, PMs will face challenges in managing the transition to a driverless world, such as ensuring safety, building consumer trust, and designing interiors for passenger comfort. The shift from car ownership to on-demand vehicle services will change cultural norms, with potential for cars to become sources of passive income. Success for driverless car companies will be measured by safety, fleet utilization, and revenue from additional services during rides, while addressing user anxiety and fostering trust will be crucial as the technology evolves.

The practice of "icing the kicker" in the NFL, which involves calling a timeout just before a field goal attempt to disrupt the kicker's concentration, remains controversial despite extensive analysis and debate. Research on its effectiveness is inconclusive, with differing opinions from various sources such as Grantland, Freakonomics, and ESPN. Some studies suggest a negligible impact, while others indicate it might be more effective for longer kicks. Analysis of NFL data from 2000-2015 reveals that icing reduces a kicker's success rate by only 0.1% in critical game situations but widens to 5.4% across all attempts. The tactic's effectiveness appears to increase with the distance of the field goal, starting at 34 yards, where it significantly decreases the chances of a successful kick. Coaches must weigh the potential benefits of icing against preserving timeouts for subsequent plays, especially given the precious nature of timeouts in game management. Despite its debated efficacy, icing persists in the sport, driven by both strategic considerations and tradition. The analysis suggests that while icing might not always be statistically significant, it can influence outcomes, particularly in long-distance scenarios, prompting coaches to consider it as a viable option in certain contexts.