Why is it important to develop a product-thinking mindset?

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Shobana S
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Understanding the science behind a product can either make or break the product that you are about to create! While this sounds cliched, there’s a lot of depth to it that most developers/engineers often don’t pause enough to reflect upon. For instance, not all the products we use today are successful. However, everybody builds a product by putting in a lot of thought and effort into it. So why exactly is it that some products still seem to fail?

It is in these instances that a product-mindset becomes a necessity. This leads to an impending question: what is a product-thinking mindset and why should one try to induce it over time?

Let’s face it, all of us are constantly challenged to create products that impact the world around us. To deliver a good product, it’s crucial to develop a road-map to build the product, so it could address the problem at hand.

At the end of the day, any company strives to provide the best possible experience for its users. So chalking down on a plan by understanding what it is that the user wants, who exactly would be using the product, and what problem the product is going to solve for the user is extremely important. It is said that a successful product is able to recognize the pain of the user, and convert the pain into something valuable. However great a product is, if the user is not able to make use of it to solve his problem, then there is no need for the product at all.

One way to deliver that value, that X-factor that can help your product stand out, is by focusing on the deliverable outcome. Imagine and visualize the end product. Now that you know what it is going to do and who it is going to cater to, how is it going to work?

An engineer builds a product from the inside-out. Having an in-depth understanding of the product and its functions, an engineer can unintentionally complicate the product. However, an engineer with a product-mindset would look at it from an outside-in perspective, where he would begin from the end result and simplify his way back. For example, how would a customer look at the product’s features once it’s ready? How can it be simplified to make it more usable?

Moreover, the willingness to keep innovating your product also determines its success. By considering numerous perspectives, building feasible versions of the product and innovating it from time to time to add value to the customers, you also pave the way for creating solutions that have never been thought of before!

So, prioritize solving the problem at hand by holding onto your thinking-hats. Remember, it’s not about the technology you use to build a product. It’s about the value your product is able to deliver to the user. Understand the user behavior and rely on your product instincts! This will ultimately transform the way technology is used to impact the world around us.

Marsview Notes can help simplify your work as a product manager/developer!

[Disclosure: the poster is a Digital Marketer at Marsview.ai Inc.]
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dhaughey
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Hi Shobana S,

An interesting summary on product development. I concur with your assertion that the important aspect of any product development is value to the end user. Perhaps you could explain how Marsview Notes helps with product development. I’m intrigued. Personally, I use Evernote to stay organised.

Thanks,
Duncan
danwan337
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Well said, and I can relate to every point that you mentioned. Companies spend heavily on product development with very less or little information on their target audience. It's the end-user who will rate your product. If they aren't satisfied, then your product has a very short life or shelf value.
reneeteng
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What we are all trying to do is either to sell ourselves to the employers or to sell what we make to the customers. I think the product-thinking mindset is key to this.

For project management, product-thinking is the key. A product owner for a project is "responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from work of the Development Team.'‘ He also has to maximize the value delivered to the customer.
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