Beyond Features
Delivering Solutions That Truly Matter
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In this episode, I sit down with Zaid Al Kazemi, founder of Caravan Notes, to dive deep into the world of indie hacking.
We talk about:
💡 How to take an idea from thought to execution
🚀 The biggest challenges and wins in the indie hacking journey
🔥 Game-changing tips for aspiring founders
Full episode on YouTube 👇
Have you ever caught yourself simply delivering features, checking boxes, and moving on to the next item on the roadmap? It’s a trap many Product Managers fall into - becoming feature factories instead of value creators. But let’s pause for a moment and ask: Are we solving real problems, or are we just shipping for the sake of shipping?
This distinction is critical because, contrary to popular belief, people don’t buy products; they invest in solutions to their problems. A shiny new feature is meaningless if it doesn’t address a pain point or create tangible value. So why do we often lose sight of this truth, and how can we reorient our work to focus on delivering solutions, not just features?
Why Do We Drift Into "Feature Factory" Mode?
1. The Pressure to Perform
Deadlines, stakeholder expectations, and the relentless demand for newness can push Product Managers into a reactive mode. When leadership asks, “What’s next?” it’s tempting to roll out a list of features rather than defend the time needed for deeper problem-solving. After all, activity is easier to measure than impact.
2. Misaligned Metrics
If success is measured by the number of features delivered rather than the value they provide, teams naturally gravitate toward quantity over quality. This misalignment creates a cycle where shipping features becomes the goal rather than solving customer problems.
3. The Illusion of Progress
Shipping features feels productive. It’s tangible. It’s visible. But real progress isn’t always visible immediately; it comes from solving meaningful problems, which often requires patience, experimentation, and learning.
Shifting the Mindset: From Features to Solutions
1. Start With Why
Before diving into "what" to build, ask "why." Why does this feature matter? What problem does it solve? Who benefits from it, and how? Root every initiative in these foundational questions to ensure you’re addressing real needs.
2. Listen to the Problem, Not the Request
Customers often come with requests: "Add this button," "Make this faster," or "Integrate with this tool." But behind these requests lie unmet needs. Your job as a PM is to dig deeper—ask questions, observe behaviors, and uncover the underlying problem.
3. Champion the Outcome, Not the Output
Shift the conversation from "What did we ship this quarter?" to "What impact did we create?" Define success in terms of customer outcomes—time saved, frustrations eliminated, or revenue unlocked. These are the real indicators of value.
Practical Steps to Stay Solution-Focused
1. Prioritize Ruthlessly
Every feature request is not created equal. Use frameworks like RICE (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort) to evaluate which initiatives will create the most value for your users and the business.
2. Engage With Real Users
There’s no substitute for direct interaction with the people you’re building for. Conduct user interviews, watch how they use your product, and ask open-ended questions about their challenges. This firsthand insight is invaluable.
3. Build Space for Experimentation
Not every solution needs to be a massive release. Test ideas with prototypes, A/B tests, or small-scale pilots to validate hypotheses before investing in full-scale development.
4. Educate Your Stakeholders
Helping your team and leadership understand the value of solving problems rather than delivering features is key. Share stories, use metrics, and demonstrate how focusing on outcomes leads to better results in the long run.
The Rewards of Delivering Solutions
When you focus on solving real problems, the rewards go beyond satisfied users. Your team becomes more engaged, knowing their work matters. Stakeholders see meaningful progress rather than an endless feature list. And, most importantly, your product becomes indispensable, a true solution to real-world challenges.
As Product Managers, we hold the compass that guides our teams. It’s our responsibility to steer away from the feature factory and toward creating meaningful, impactful solutions. Remember: It’s not about what you build; it’s about the problems you solve. Every feature should have a purpose, and that purpose should always be solving for the user.
Do you have any ideas you would like to share? Get in touch on LinkedIn 👇
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