Can You “Go With Your Gut” in Product Development?

By JILL SHEPHERD | Published: OCTOBER 7, 2011

I recently read a blog on BNET entitled “Facts, Schmacts. How to Know When to Go With Your Gut.”

If there’s one way to catch my attention, it’s underplaying analytics. I’m a skeptic at heart when it comes to impulsive business decisions, so I started reading the blog with one raised eyebrow. I believe someone should be able to answer the question: “Why?” intelligently regarding their decisions. However, their answer could certainly be unrelated to metrics, so I read on, leaving my baggage at the door.

Though author Michael Hess touches on a few areas, what I find most interesting about his blog is the idea that product development can be a gut decision. Focusing on small and medium businesses, the idea is that you don’t always have time to do market research and numbers analysis. You could lose your lead, since the big guys are already producing while you’re still at the research and development stage.

But shortcuts in product development can be dangerous and limited, and can drastically affect the outcome.

When you cut out research you reduce your time-to-market and gain the competitive advantage for a time, yes. But, as a small or medium business, do you have the capital to fail?

I’m going to be a technology evangelist for a moment. Rather than investing in the development of a gut decision, wouldn’t it be smarter to invest in technology that allows you to simplify your  product development processes?

I know that by saying this I’m the equivalent of the ShamWow! guy telling you that paper towels are bad for the environment. However, I think most people sitting under executives will tell you that better technology makes their jobs easier. Easier = Faster. Faster = More Profitable. Those are some metrics I think we can all stand behind.

I’m curious about what designers and other professionals in the product development field think. Is product development something you can just create with a quick gut check?