Customer over Opinion

You are not your user.

It sounds obvious, but it’s the most common mistake in product. We build what we think users want — based on our own mental models, our own frustrations, our own assumptions. Then we’re surprised when they don’t care.

The antidote is simple (not easy): go talk to them. Watch them. Build for observed problems, not imagined ones.

What This Means in Practice

• Talk to real users regularly — not just when there’s a crisis
• Observe behavior, not just opinions (people say one thing and do another)
• Validate the problem before building the solution
• Let user outcomes guide priorities, not internal politics

Common Traps

• Building features because the team “just knows” users need them
• Relying on personas instead of conversations
• Letting the loudest stakeholder define what users want
• Confusing customer requests with customer needs

Remember

“People don’t want a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole.” — Theodore Levitt

Start with their problem. Not your solution.