The temptation for a founder to believe they are the user has never been stronger. You can execute faster than you can explore.
AI removed friction and, in a way, friction was protecting us from overbuilding.
You can create sections faster than you can contact users to test with… or even pause to think about who they really are.
You can create a fully fledged functioning prototype with new features, and why not add a map and a calculator just because it’s easy? Even if you plan to test this version with real users (which most don’t even think of) you’ll probably end up biasing your results saying “users don’t get it” after giving them a Swiss Army knife when they were looking for a plastic knife to cut a birthday cake.
As tech keeps evolving, more entrepreneurs have the opportunity to explore and build their ideas, and with no guardrails on how to move forward or where to go precisely, there’re high chances of hurting (or killing completely) user experience.
We need discovery… more than ever. But not the one we used to have.
A new and improved way of thinking, empowered by current tools and rooted in tried and tested methodologies that empowers founders, CPOs, CEOs or CMOs to explore and build great products. Living on the cutting edge of technology, while embedded on the same frameworks we’ve been using for decades.
The fundamentals are not only still there but rather more important than before.
To those thinking of turning a new idea into a product, I say validate the problem before you ship the solution. Dedicate at least a few days to deeply think about the “What”, “Why” and “Who is it for” before jumping to execution.
