Every product leader faces a common challenge: how to validate product ideas quickly and efficiently, avoiding wasted time and resources. This is where product discovery comes in. For those unfamiliar, product discovery is the name given to the process of gathering user insights and feedback to shape your product vision and develop your product.
In my experience within Product, I have seen three different ways to approach product discovery when you are building a brand new software product: sharing a prototype, releasing a beta, and going straight to general availability.
To explain the difference between each, I have used the analogy of building a car:
Prototype: Imagine sketching out a car design on a napkin. This is like a basic prototype - it captures the core idea (number of wheels, engine placement) but lacks details and functionality.
Beta Test: This is like letting a small group of people test drive a mostly finished car. They can give feedback on comfort, handling, and any features that might need tweaking before it goes into production.
General Availability: This is like launching the car for everyone to buy and drive. It's the final, polished product that's been tested and refined based on user feedback.
This blog will examine these three key approaches. We'll explore the pros and cons of each method, helping you navigate this critical stage and choose the path that best suits your product and company culture.
1. Use a Prototype
In software development, a prototype is a preliminary version of a software application that simulates some or all of the features and functionalities of the intended product. It's essentially a rough model built to test ideas and gather feedback early in the development process.
Key characteristics of a prototype in software development includes the following:
Limited Functionality: Prototypes typically don't have all the features planned for the final product. They focus on core functionalities or specific user interactions.
Low Fidelity vs. High Fidelity: Prototypes can range from low-fidelity versions, like sketches or wireframes, to high-fidelity versions that look and feel more like the final product but may not have all the underlying functionality.
Sharing a prototype offers several advantages:
Reduced Risk: Validate your idea before significant resources are invested, minimizing the chance of building something users won't adopt.
Early Feedback: Gain actionable insights quickly and cheaply, allowing for course correction before significant development effort is invested.
However, prototypes come with limitations. Since they're not fully functional, users need to be supervised which might mean they use your product differently knowing they're being observed, potentially skewing results. Going down this route also requires buy-in from the entire product team - team members want to feel pride over their work, and a prototype isn't designed to do that. Remember, a prototype validates an idea, not a finished product. Keep it light and focus on core functionalities.
2. Release a Beta
In software development, a beta version refers to a mostly complete software program that is released to a limited group of users for testing purposes. Here's a breakdown of the key aspects of a beta:
Limited Release: Unlike an alpha version which might be tested internally by developers, a beta is typically released to a small, external group of users. These users can be potential customers, industry experts, or even just people interested in trying new software.
Near-Final State: Beta versions are generally feature-complete, meaning they have most of the intended functionalities. However, they might still contain bugs or have rough edges that need polishing.
It is also worth clarifying that there are two main types of beta tests:
Closed Beta: In a closed beta, testers are specifically chosen by the development team. This allows for targeted feedback from a group that aligns with the target audience.
Open Beta: An open beta is available to anyone who wants to participate. This can be a good way to gather a wider range of feedback, but it also means the testers might not be a perfect representation of the target audience.
A beta boasts distinct benefits:
Real-World Testing: Unlike prototypes that might be limited in functionality, beta versions allow users to interact with the software in a more realistic way, uncovering issues that might not be apparent in a controlled environment.
Uninhibited Exploration: Unlike prototypes, a beta allows users to interact with the product freely, providing a more natural user experience and potentially uncovering unforeseen issues.
Targeted Insights: By carefully selecting participants who align with your target audience, you gain valuable feedback specific to your ideal users.
There's a trade-off, however. Spending time to build a beta might still mean you spend too much time building the wrong thing. When conducting a beta test, ensure you select participants that align with your target audience. Also be aware that existing customers for your other products, while valuable, might not represent your target user base, plus they may have a lot of biases as existing users that might not be beneficial or confusing to new users.
3. General Availability From the Off
In software development, general availability (often abbreviated as GA) signifies a critical milestone. It typically means that the software is:
Publicly Available: The software is no longer in a limited release or testing phase. It's now accessible for purchase, download, or use by the general public.
Production-Ready: The software is considered feature-complete, stable, and reliable for deployment in real-world production environments. It has gone through rigorous testing and quality assurance processes to ensure it meets performance and functionality expectations.
Supported: The software vendor typically provides ongoing support for the GA version, including bug fixes, security patches, and potentially new features through future updates.
Going straight to general availability without either sharing a protoype with users or offering a beta programme is a bold move and a potentially risky strategy. However, there are some potential benefits:
Faster Time to Market: You can get your product in front of users quicker, potentially gaining a first-mover advantage or capitalizing on a fleeting market opportunity.
Reduced Development Costs: Skipping user testing phases can save on resources like time, personnel, and materials needed for creating prototypes and running beta tests.
Real-World Data Collection: By launching to the public, you gather real-world usage data from a wider range of users, which can be valuable for future iterations.
Unbiased Feedback: Controlled testing environments with external users might cause them to behave differently knowing they're being observed. General availability provides unfiltered user behavior data.
However, these benefits come with potential drawbacks:
Higher Risk of Failure: Launching an unrefined product can lead to negative user reviews, damage brand reputation, and potentially scare away future users.
Potential for Usability Issues: Skipping user testing increases the chance of usability problems being present in the GA version, impacting user experience.
Missed Opportunities for Improvement: Valuable user feedback from prototypes and betas can help identify and address potential issues before launch, leading to a more polished final product.
Development Overhead After Launch: You might need to invest more resources in bug fixes and rapid improvement cycles after launch to address issues discovered by the general public.
What do I think?
In 2011, Eric Ries published a book called The Lean Startup. In it, he introduced a concept he called an MVP — minimum viable product. I am a strong believer in the MVP. My preferred option is therefore option 3, go straight to GA, and I will tell you why.
In my experience, one of the biggest challenges in product development, especially within emerging tech, is the risk of spending to long to build a product. This results in funding being withdrawn before you get to launch it. The faster you can validate your ideas and gather feedback, the more likely you are to secure continued investment.
However, in order for option 3 to be the right option, the organisation must truly embrace an agile mindset, in addition to using agile methodologies - one does not work without the other. Adopting a truly agile mindset is a cultural shift, and it must come from leadership. It means not spending months building a feature-laden product before launch. Start small, iterate quickly, and prioritize user feedback. Doing this mitigates the risks, but everyone must be bought in.
Additionally, I've found that user experience (UX) research becomes even more critical with this approach. Conduct user interviews to validate your initial hypothesis and guide future iterations. Engineering-led companies can neglect UX research and design, which can often lead to building products that miss the mark. To me, a strong focus on UX is essential to ensure you're developing the right product for your target audience.
Final piece of advice for releasing an MVP is to make sure that your product team is only ever responsible for one product. I have seen MVPs released, and the product team then moves on to a different product. This causes the reputation that MVPs do not work, however this is an organisational issue, rather than an issue with the product. An MVP should be built with the intention that it will then be fixed and will evolve over time.
Conclusion
So, we've explored three key approaches to product discovery: prototypes, betas, and going straight to general availability. Each method offers unique advantages and disadvantages, making the ideal choice dependent on your specific product and company culture.
For me, the emphasis lies on speed and validation. Spending a long time building a product before user feedback can be risky. That's why I favor a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) approach, but with a critical caveat: it must be done within a truly agile environment.
Here's why this approach resonates with me:
Reduced Risk: It gets your product in front of users quickly, gather real-world data, and secure continued investment by validating your ideas early.
Faster Iteration: Embrace an agile mindset and prioritize user feedback. Start small, iterate quickly, and continuously improve based on what you learn.
However, this strategy requires a strong commitment to user experience (UX) research. Conduct user interviews to validate your initial hypothesis and guide future iterations. Don't let engineering priorities overshadow the importance of UX design – building the right product for your target audience is paramount.
Ultimately, though te best product discovery approach is the one that best suits your specific needs. By understanding the pros and cons of each method, you can make informed decisions and navigate the path that leads to building a successful product your users love.
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