This is something I call latent product development. Many times, the best solution is not the first one you think of - even though it may be one of many correct solutions.
I have found that the best products and product features have come from latent thinking. Subconsciously pondering the problem and letting the solution arise. An example of this is a solution which comes to you in the shower - I don't know why the shower is such a hotbed for latent ideas to emerge - someone should study that!
What I found most displeasing at large companies is that there's no room for latent product development. Everything is rushed. Even brand new product ideas, once the machine gets a hold of it, gets put on the conveyor belt for new ideas at a predictable and imposed rate.
One such example is my last startup. We had wanted to make it easy for users not on our platform to collaborate. It was a product feature we talked about for a year but nothing ever felt right. Until one morning at 2am while I was sleeping on a recliner at my sister's house in Mali - it came to me. It also turns out that this feature was the first feature we would relaunch after being acquired by Western Digital.
I have found that the best products and product features have come from latent thinking. Subconsciously pondering the problem and letting the solution arise. An example of this is a solution which comes to you in the shower - I don't know why the shower is such a hotbed for latent ideas to emerge - someone should study that!
What I found most displeasing at large companies is that there's no room for latent product development. Everything is rushed. Even brand new product ideas, once the machine gets a hold of it, gets put on the conveyor belt for new ideas at a predictable and imposed rate.
One such example is my last startup. We had wanted to make it easy for users not on our platform to collaborate. It was a product feature we talked about for a year but nothing ever felt right. Until one morning at 2am while I was sleeping on a recliner at my sister's house in Mali - it came to me. It also turns out that this feature was the first feature we would relaunch after being acquired by Western Digital.