The Change Signal with John Zeratsky
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Here’s prototype testing, hypothesis-driven change leadership, and the power of radical differentiation all rolled into one fascinating conversation.
I’m SO over slow, overplanned, change management disconnected from reality. That’s why I brought in John Zeratsky, former design leader at YouTube and Google, who pioneered a process for testing new ideas in just five days.
John reminds us that every change initiative is “just a hypothesis until you test it.” There’s always something unknowable in anything new.
The magic happens when you move quickly from abstract to concrete — creating prototypes you can test rather than spending months in planning meetings. This approach builds clarity and enthusiasm across your team, and helps to persuade your stakeholders to commit.
Most change efforts fail because they’re not different enough. Your team thinks it’s revolutionary, but stakeholders barely notice anything’s changed. John’s differentiation process helps identify truly transformative approaches worth the inevitable disruption.
Want to make your next change project succeed? Stop with the jazz hands and vague promises. Test your hypotheses early, build quick prototypes, and ensure your change is genuinely different.
About John
John Zeratsky is co-founder and general partner at venture-capital firm Character, bestselling author of “Sprint” and “Make Time,” and former design partner at GV (Google Ventures). Previously, John was a design leader for YouTube, Google Ads, and FeedBurner, which was acquired by Google in 2007. His sprint methodology has supported many of GV’s most successful investments, including Slack, One Medical Group, and Blue Bottle Coffee.
www.johnzeratsky.com
His books: Sprint and Click
