Publications & Writing

Blog & Publications

Perspectives on data products, competitive intelligence, and product-led growth from the Mediumroast team.

Medium

The company_dns V3.1

Michael Hay · June 29, 2025

Following up from “A case for API based open company firmographics”, we’ve updated and put out a major new release of the company_dns. While there is documentation to update and odds and ends to fix, the bones are there. If you’d like to give it a spin check out https://company-d

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Substack

Paying Attention

John P Goodman · January 19, 2025

In recent years, attention mechanisms have transformed the landscape of AI by powering innovations in natural language processing, computer vision, and audio application such as text-to-speech. From OpenAI’s ChatGPT models to Google’s BERT, attention has become the ba

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Medium

Operating Technology to the Power of Information Technology

Michael Hay · December 1, 2024

Roasting Plant Coffee, here at San Francisco International Airport, employs their JavaBot (video story for the birth of the JavaBot) to deliver you a “bespoke” coffee brew delivered a cup at a time just in time. In a very real sense when you enter one of their stores you’re insid

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Medium

Applied Design Thinking Part 4

Michael Hay · December 1, 2024

You wake up and get a phone call from your host and they say, “Sorry, but we need to reschedule.” Your heart sinks as all of the careful planning has gone up in flames. This is not uncommon. You must be flexible as cancellations and new appointments can occur on the fly. My advic

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Medium

Applied Design Thinking Part 3

Michael Hay · December 1, 2024

“When you talk to customers please remember you have four ears and half a mouth.” I often say this to Planners, Product Managers, Engineers and Researchers before visiting customers. My intention: I want the team to learn more from listening than their own monologues. Deep listen

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Medium

Applied Design Thinking Part 2

Michael Hay · December 1, 2024

The starting point of any new thing is the “blank page!” However, beginning with a clean sheet of paper is simultaneously daunting and exhilarating. Therefore, in this part of my multi-article Design Thinking series I’ll look at tackling the “blank page” by crowd sourcing hypothe

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Medium

Applied Design Thinking Part 1

Michael Hay · December 1, 2024

Have you ever heard “What customer is really asking for that,” from an engineer? How about this question from product managers/owners “Will that feature make money?” While asking this and other questions is critical when used to stall or stymie building they aren’t helpful. What

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