The Product Success Triangle
The Product Success Triangle
The success of a product is not determined by a single factor, but by the interplay of three key elements, which can be visualized as the Product Success Triangle.
The Three Pillars of Success
- Product: The product itself must be good. It needs to be well-built, reliable, and effectively solve the customer's problem.
- Market: There must be a group of people who are willing to pay for your product. Without a market, even the best product will fail.
- Execution: You must be able to effectively market, sell, and support your product.
The Developer's Blind Spot
For many developers, there is a tendency to overemphasize the importance of the product, believing that it is 99% of the equation. However, the reality is that all three elements are equally important.
- A brilliant product with no market or execution is a guaranteed failure.
- A mediocre product with brilliant marketing and execution can be a financial success.
The ideal is to master all three, but in the early stages of a startup, it's crucial to place a strong emphasis on market and execution to ensure that you are building a viable business. This is a core principle of the Market First vs Product First approach.