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Solve Problems Dont Build Features
Product / Advice
Start with the user's problem. Features are one possible answer.
The Idea
Feature thinking asks "what should we build?" Problem thinking asks "what is broken for the user, and why?" The second question leads to better answers — including the answer that the solution isn't a feature at all.
Why It Matters
- Features are means; problems are ends.
- Many problems dissolve without a new feature — a better default, clearer copy, or removing a blocker.
- Teams obsessed with features ship and nothing changes.
How to Apply
- Write every roadmap item as a problem statement first.
- Generate multiple solutions. A feature is one of them.
- If the problem isn't clear, no feature will fix it.
The Trap
Sales or execs requesting specific features. Translate every "we need X" into "what problem does X solve?" Then decide.
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