From Cool to Crucial: How to Build a Startup Product That Lasts
What if I told you that $215.8 million in funding and groundbreaking technology weren’t enough to save a startup from failure?
Meet Lytro, the startup that promised to redefine photography for professionals with its Light Field technology. Imagine capturing a photo and deciding later where you want the focus to be — it was a photographer’s dream, and it garnered massive attention and investment. But here’s the twist: Lytro’s cameras failed spectacularly at the most fundamental level — they couldn’t deliver high-resolution images. The result? An innovative product, but completely useless.
This is one of the biggest mistakes I see start-ups I consult make, building something that’s a novelty rather than a solution. I completely understand the allure — especially with the AI capabilities we have today. But all that glitters is not gold.
Here are some actionable ways to avoid falling into the “cool but not useful” quagmire:
1. "Immediate Relief" Test
Assess your product through the “Immediate Relief” test. If your product was introduced to someone facing the problem it aims to solve, would it provide immediate relief or improvement? For example, if your startup offers an automated customer support solution, will it significantly reduce customer service wait times and resolve queries effectively? If the answer is yes, your product is more likely to be adopted.
2. "Analog World" Test
Think of your product as a non-digital, physical item. What real-world problem would it solve or improve? For example, if your app organizes digital photos using AI, its analog equivalent might be a well-organized photo album. This test helps you cut the fluff and focus on the essential problem your product solves.
3. "Day in the Life" Scenarios
“Day in the Life” scenarios to see how your product fits into the daily routine of your target personas. If you’re building a health monitor, don’t just list its features. Instead, illustrate how a user would interact with it throughout their day — how it reminds them to take their medication after breakfast, tracks their physical activity, and even helps them sleep better at night.
4. Host a "Devil's Advocate" Session
Conduct a “Devil’s Advocate” session by inviting people who have no stake in your product’s success. Prepare a list of critical questions for them to consider, such as “What other products could solve the same problem more efficiently?” or “Is this solution scalable?” This will help you understand your product’s unique selling points and potential weaknesses.
5. The "Random Stranger" Pitch
Execute the “Random Stranger” pitch by explaining your product to someone with no background in your industry. For highly specialized SaaS solutions, the key is not whether the stranger fully grasps the technicalities, but whether they can understand why someone in your industry would find it beneficial. Their questions can reveal if your product solves a meaningful problem, even if that problem is industry-specific.
6. The "One-Sentence Value Proposition" Test
If you can’t articulate the core value of your product in one simple sentence, it might be a sign that you’re not clear on what problem you’re solving. Being able to summarize the utility of your product succinctly can help keep your development focus sharp. For example, “Our app saves freelancers an hour each day on invoicing” is a clear, utility-focused proposition.
7. Coolness Budget
Set aside a specific portion of your development resources for “cool” features. As you validate the utility of your core features, allocate some resources to add innovative functionalities that improve the user experience. This keeps ‘head-turning’ elements in check, ensuring they complement rather than compete with the product’s essential purpose.
Food For Thought
Remember, “cool” might get you attention and even investment, but it’s utility that wins in the end. Don’t let the allure of innovation distract you from the fundamental goal: creating a quality product that solves a real problem.
Happy Building!