Why does your product exist?

Are you fixing a problem your customers have?

If the answer is yes, why are you fixing a problem, what led you to believe that would result in a successful product?

Problems are symptoms of something deeper, more profound and much more important. They are manifestations of the 'why'. The core fundamental 'thing' customers need fixing. Symptoms lead people on very expensive goose chases. Failures. And a phenomenal amount of money wasted.

Do you understand your 'why'? If you think you do, are sure, absolutely sure it's not a symptom? The 'why' is at the centre of everything, get that wrong and no matter what you tell yourself your product will be dead on arrival.

I'm autistic I am not going to soften my language.

In a 30 year software engineering career the vast majority of projects I worked on never understood the 'why'. It was blindingly obvious and I would point it out. Being ignored is something I have not gotten used to. I always tried to make the best of the frankly idiotic decisions people made and even sneak in solutions they hadn't thought of!

So if you want to build a product, change your life and improve the lives of your customers you better understand the 'why'.

It's why I created Equal Value Thinking. To help people like you.