This post was originally posted as a “series”, but the feature has since been deprecated by Medium. So here it is, reposted as a “story”.
Introduction.
This series is about what I wish I knew or grasped better before starting my product career.
It contains no example or reference to any other material, bar one.
The letters are addressed to my younger self.
Solve the right problem.
Dear X,
Building a product is never about finding the most innovative solution, with the most cutting-edge technology, the most exquisite interface and a flawless user experience. Sure, these all help, but they make no sense if you’re not solving the right problem.
Identifying the right problem to solve takes attention and effort. It requires interaction with your target audience. It requires asking “why” over and over again. In fact, it all starts with asking why.
Once you know what to solve, ask yourself: is it worth solving after all?
Yours truly,
L.
Understand your audience.
Dear X,
While you’re trying to identify the right problem to solve, you’ll be interacting with your target audience. Any chance you get, try to learn about who they are: what do they say, what do they do, what do they think, how do they think, what do they feel, what’s their environment like — in other words what is the context?
Are there ways they are using right now to solve their problem? What could be done better? Why is it not enough?
Yours truly,
L.
Design fast, test faster.
Dear X,
That’s it, you know what you’re trying to solve, and for whom. Now it’s time to find a solution. Take your ideas into the ring, get them punched and discard the ones that get knocked out.
Designing is not about creating beautiful stuff. Embrace the ugly. It’s too soon to be thinking about colors and fonts. Love the functional and the usable. Delight comes next. A simple sketch might do. Perhaps a paper prototype. But test it out, collect feedback and start over again.
You will never succeed from the first try but you’ll learn along the way.
Yours truly,
L.
Build lean. Ship often.
Dear X,
Focus is key. You have identified one problem and you have one solution. The latter is more mature now, but it will never be perfect. That’s fine. Kick it out into the real world. And fast.
Then measure how your product is being used. Gather all the information you can and learn from it. Remove what’s not working and improve what can be done better.
Repeat.
Yours truly,
L.
Communicate. Always.
Dear X,
It is unlikely you are building a product alone. Even if you are, always communicate. With your audience, of course, but also with your team. Heck, even with your competitors — you might learn something. Also, find yourself a mentor and don’t be ashamed to ask for advice.
But remember, always strive for clear communication. And that goes both ways. Understanding what others are saying is as important as what you are trying to convey.
Understand business. Understand design. Understand code. You don’t need to master all of these, but you must be equipped with the right language to communicate better.
Favor written communication and make it available to everyone as much as possible. This will save you a lot of time not arguing about “she said/he said”.
Yours truly,
L.
Don’t fall in love with your solution.
Dear X,
Your product is doing fine now. Your audience is happy. You are happy. Everybody gets a car.
But don’t be complacent. Things might change. In fact, things will definitely change. Your audience might change, the market you’re in might change, regulations might change. A global pandemic might occur.
So, be on your toes: observe, adapt, anticipate, or drive the change yourself!
It all boils down to applying the scientific method, really. New findings beget new hypotheses that have to be tested and adjusted if necessary. Nothing more, nothing less.
Yours truly,
L.
Have a vision, scrap the roadmap.
Dear X,
Never build a roadmap for more than 2 months. It is useless, and quite frankly a waste of time.
By now you should know that things evolve quickly and you will never anticipate everything. No one can anyway. But what you can — and should — do is continue to build, measure and learn.
Of course that doesn’t mean you cannot have a vision, shared by your team and the money people. Your vision should drive what you’re doing — it is the end point you want to get to. But the paths you take to get there will most certainly change as you progress and see clearer. As you advance, remember to review your strategy. A strategy is not about the results that you hope you are going to get, it’s about how you’re going to get there. Strategy is all about focus and achieving short-term objectives.
Yours truly,
L.
Is this it?
Dear X,
Nothing lasts forever. If you’re no longer invested in the problem, no longer enjoying what you do, no longer learning anything, or if the vision gets too fuzzy, stop.
Life is short, there are other problems out there for you to solve. Find them. Start over again.
YOLO.
Yours truly,
L.
