Product discovery techniques developers should know

Are you building the right product, or just building the product right? Learn the discovery techniques that ensure your code creates real impact.

#1about 3 minutes

Shifting from building the product right to building the right product

Product discovery focuses on deciding what to build, moving beyond the agile focus of simply building software efficiently.

#2about 4 minutes

Why most new product ideas ultimately fail

A high percentage of well-intentioned product ideas fail to create a positive impact, with some even worsening the customer experience.

#3about 5 minutes

Navigating the four primary risks in product development

Successful products must mitigate value, usability, feasibility, and business viability risks to avoid building something customers don't want or can't use.

#4about 1 minute

Using the problem-solution pyramid to find product-market fit

Dan Olson's pyramid model illustrates how to achieve product-market fit by systematically connecting a target customer's needs to a specific feature set.

#5about 2 minutes

Why developers are crucial partners in product discovery

Engineers provide essential technical perspective and contribute more than just code, making them vital partners in the discovery process.

#6about 2 minutes

Defining a focused target audience with personas

Personas help teams avoid building for everyone by creating a specific, detailed representation of the target user, guiding feature decisions.

#7about 2 minutes

Prioritizing user needs with Maslow's hierarchy

Applying Maslow's hierarchy of needs helps prioritize foundational user requirements, ensuring basic needs are met before adding advanced features.

#8about 2 minutes

Understanding user motivation with the Jobs to be Done framework

The Jobs to be Done (JTBD) framework reframes product value by focusing on the functional and emotional "job" a customer hires a product to do.

#9about 3 minutes

Aligning features with needs using the Value Proposition Canvas

The Value Proposition Canvas is a tool for systematically mapping customer pains and gains to product features that relieve pain and create value.

#10about 2 minutes

Classifying and prioritizing features with the Kano Model

The Kano Model helps prioritize development by categorizing features as baseline, performance, or delighters, focusing on maximizing user satisfaction.

#11about 2 minutes