The Perils of Chasing the Shiny New Object
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of new technologies and features. We want to be on the cutting edge and stay ahead of the competition. But chasing after the shiny new object can be a perilous journey.
First, it’s important to remember that just because something is new and shiny doesn’t mean it’s right for your company. Before pursuing any new technology or feature, ask yourself: does this align with our company’s mission and values? Does it solve a real problem for our customers? Will it provide significant value to our business?
It’s also important to consider the potential risks and challenges that come with implementing new technologies or features. What is the required investment in time and resources? Will it disrupt our current processes or user experience? Will it require new skills or expertise from our team?
Take a customer-centric approach to determine if a shiny new object is worth pursuing. Begin by talking to your customers to understand their pain points and needs. If the new technology or feature addresses those needs and improves your customer’s experience, it may be worth exploring further.
Another approach is to start small and iterate. Instead of going all-in on a new technology or feature, test it on a small group of users and collect feedback. Use that feedback to iterate and improve the product before rolling it out to a wider audience.
Ultimately, our goal is to create products that solve real problems which matter to our customers and to provide value to our business. By taking a thoughtful and customer-centric approach to pursuing shiny new objects, we can avoid the perils of chasing after the wrong thing.
Originally published in Bootcamp on Medium.