{"id":10683,"date":"2019-04-22T09:55:23","date_gmt":"2019-04-22T07:55:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.powtoon.com\/blog\/?p=10683"},"modified":"2020-08-27T18:00:42","modified_gmt":"2020-08-27T16:00:42","slug":"the-cutting-edge-of-streaming-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.powtoon.com\/blog\/the-cutting-edge-of-streaming-video\/","title":{"rendered":"The Cutting Edge of Streaming Video \u2014 5 Questions with Amir Shevat from Twitch"},"content":{"rendered":"Read Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes <\/span><\/span>\n

Streaming video is fast becoming ubiquitous. In fact, the technology is spreading so fast, there are entire communities of professional gamers you\u2019ve never heard of, streaming their gameplay to millions of followers.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me take that back! With over 434 billion minutes of streaming video viewed in 2018<\/a> on Twitch<\/a>, you probably HAVE<\/em> heard about this amazing phenomenon.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something this awesome always has awesome people behind it, and Twitch is no exception. I got to steal a few moments with Amir Shevat<\/a>, VP of Developer Experience at Twitch, and I asked him five (actually, six) questions to get a glimpse at what makes Twitch so game-changing, and how Amir thinks about video, communication, and the future of the industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question 1: Tell me about yourself! How you got to where you are today?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How did I get here? By car! No, just kidding. I\u2019m a startup guy and a software engineer. I\u2019ve worked in small startups; I\u2019ve worked in big organizations. No matter what project I\u2019m working on, I have fun \u2014 and I really love to innovate and work on developer platforms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question 2: Your title at Twitch is VP of Developer Experience. What does that mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes, the title might be a little confusing, but what I do it very simple.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basically, I\u2019m a VP of Product. Twitch has multiple product pillars. There\u2019s the streamer-facing, the viewer-facing product, and I\u2019m responsible for the developer-facing product.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That includes working on the tools and services that developers need to build on top of our product. I\u2019m responsible for all the APIs that Twitch has. I\u2019m responsible for the identity service that connects between the Twitch identity and the game identity, for example. And I\u2019m responsible for apps like our marketplace (our apps are called Extensions), which helps developers extend Twitch by adding more functionality.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The majority of my team are engineering and product people. I also have developer relations and data science, and a lot of other functions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question 3: How do you use video to communicate internally or externally at Twitch?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the end, I truly believe that a company that uses its own product is a better company. <\/p>Amir Shevat, Twitch<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

On my team, we use video to engage with our developers. Once a week, we release our own developer outreach content, and we have a Twitch channel where we show developers how to build on our platform, and interview developers who have built on the platform.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s definitely an intentional move to use Twitch to communicate about Twitch. I think the key is that you want to use your own tool to engage if possible. I\u2019ve taken that along with me in all my work. For instance, at Slack, we had a Slack channel for talking to our top developers. Working like this makes the value of your product clear through experience.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the end, I truly believe that a company that uses its own product is a better company. I\u2019ve seen instances where that is not the case, and that\u2019s bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question 4: What is your top prediction for streaming video in the year ahead?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My top prediction for the year is that streaming entertainment is going to grow even beyond what it is today. And it will be a common thing that everyone uses all the time. Basically, all of us will be experiencing streaming video every day, and I think games and the experience of community and online streaming will be a major part of our everyday life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question 5: Being a more effective communicator is high on the list for all of us. What are your top communication tips?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tell a story to a person in a way that they empathize with it.<\/p>Amir Shevat, Twitch<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What I really prefer is clear and concise communication. I think a lot of people try to add more \u2014 and more is actually less. I think if you are clear and concise, that is one of the most useful traits you can have.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other advice that I have is to tell a story to a person in a way that they empathize with it. Start with the \u201cwhat\u2019s in it for me?\u201d perspective from the other person\u2019s side. Startups will often come to an enterprise and say, \u201cHey, you should use our product, it\u2019s awesome because of one, two, and three.\u201d And that is not the right way to communicate. The right way to communicate is, \u201cHey, we think you have these three problems, and we can help you with your problems. Let\u2019s start the discussion and see if that\u2019s true.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonus Question: If you had to restart your career from scratch, what\u2019s the first thing you would do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the first thing I would do? I would do the same thing again. I would go to a startup and try to innovate as fast and as fun as I can. I would learn how to code and learn other professional skills I need… and enjoy the ride!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks, Amir!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A huge and awesome thanks to Amir for taking the time to answer these humble questions. Whether we\u2019re looking ahead to the coming ubiquity of streaming communities, or just thinking about the best way to connect with people through empathetic communication, these are the ideas floating around at the cutting edge of technology and culture.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want more? Keep up with Amir on LinkedIn<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Medium<\/a>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s YOUR communication philosophy? How about predictions for the year ahead in your industry? Let me know in the comments below!
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay awesome!
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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