Fostering Apple’s culture of accountability – the DRI

Fostering Apple’ s culture of accountability – the DRI

摘要

I came across the acronym DRI in Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs. Which is fitting, as it seems that Jobs invented the simple concept of the Directly Responsible Individual.

The need for the DRI came out of the need to foster a culture of accountability within teams. Product managers have a lot of responsibility, but little authority. And I should know, I started my career in the technology industry as Product Manager for VisiCalc, the first electronic spreadsheet, invented by Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston. And it wasn’t too long before I was replacing myself and hiring product managers for Software Arts other products, such as TK!Solver a tool to solve simultaneous equations. At least when I was managing Product Managers it was very clear who the DRI was!