In this ever more discerning world, software needs to stand out. Choices are greater than ever before, and the winners in the race to success will likely be those that truly solve customers’ problems. On the other side of all software is a practitioner looking for ways to do something faster, more easily or better than before.
In order for engineers to create valuable products, they should put themselves in the shoes of their customers to understand their wants and needs. I've been developing consumer-facing digital products for the last 30 years and have worked in both startups and in large organizations. For me, focusing development on what matters most to the customer is often the single most valuable action taken during the development cycle. I've been on both the successful side when doing this and unsuccessful side when not doing this.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/02/01/stop-trying-to-outthink-your-customers-the-pursuit-of-software-stickiness/#2751c1f04e42/
