Sprint 74 :: There's nothing wrong with "stealing" (read before judging)
Copying can can be a powerful tool for building better products. In the tech world, where the pace is fast and the stakes are high, being able to learn from others and adapt their successes to your context can be the difference between success and failure. The “art of copying” can help product managers save time, focus on what matters, and create products that resonate with users.
One reason copying can be beneficial is that, of course, it saves time. Building something from scratch can be a lengthy process, requiring extensive ideation, design, and testing. But if you find a solution that works elsewhere, you can adapt it to your product with minimal effort. This approach allows teams to get results quickly, which is crucial when you're under tight deadlines. It also means you can spend more time on the unique aspects of your product, the parts that differentiate it from the competition.
Copying can also help you focus on what matters most. Every product manager knows that resources are limited, and you need to allocate them wisely. If there's a proven solution to a common problem, like an onboarding flow or a dashboard layout, you can use it as a starting point. This frees up your team's energy to work on the elements that set your product apart. By not reinventing the wheel, you can direct your creativity toward areas with the highest impact.
The Samwer Brothers and Alando: The eBay Clone
When it comes to replicating successful business models, few can match the success of the Samwer brothers—Alexander, Oliver, and Marc. They've made a name for themselves as the "clone kings" by recreating popular high-growth internet companies.
In 1998, Marc Samwer was living in San Francisco, where he noticed that many people in his circle were using eBay, the burgeoning online auction site. Recognizing a potential market in Germany, he reached out to eBay, proposing that he launch their platform in Germany.
However, as weeks went by without a response from eBay, Marc and his brothers decided to take matters into their own hands. In February 1999, they launched Alando, a German version of eBay.
In less than three months, eBay acquired Alando for $43 million. The Samwers' quick success highlights both the opportunity in cloning successful business models and the downside for eBay in not responding to that first email. It was a rapid return on investment for the Samwer brothers and a valuable lesson in the importance of recognizing and seizing new opportunities.
Moreover, copying can make your product easier for users to understand and navigate - they like things that feel familiar. When you design something entirely new, it might be innovative, but it can also be confusing. This is why so many tech products mimic real-world objects or established digital patterns. Think about how early smartphone apps used icons that resembled physical objects like envelopes and telephones. This familiarity makes users feel comfortable and reduces the learning curve.
However, copying isn't about blindly replicating everything you see. Great product managers know that successful copying requires a deep understanding of the underlying principles. It's not enough to copy a feature or a design element; you need to understand why it works and how it fits into the larger context. This requires observation, analysis, and a willingness to experiment.
A good product manager will draw inspiration from various sources, not just direct competitors. In fact, some of the best ideas come from unrelated industries. For example, the design of Dyson's vacuum cleaners was inspired by industrial sawmills' vortex technology. This kind of cross-pollination can lead to breakthrough innovations. So, don't limit yourself to copying competitors. Look at other fields and think about how their successful solutions can be adapted to your product.
Once you've identified a concept worth copying, it's essential to test it in your context. Just because something works for one product doesn't mean it will work for yours. Conduct experiments, gather user feedback, and refine the solution until it feels like a natural fit. This experimentation mindset is what separates effective copying from mere imitation. You're not just replicating; you're learning and evolving.
In the end, copying is about building on the foundation laid by others. It allows you to leverage proven success while giving your unique touch. It's like standing on the shoulders of giants, seeing further because of the groundwork they've laid. The key is to copy thoughtfully, understand the principles, and then add your twist. This approach can lead to remarkable results, whether you're building a new product or improving an existing one.
So, don't be afraid to borrow from the best. Study what others have done, adapt it to your context, and then add your magic. Great product managers know that there's nothing wrong with stealing when it's done with intention and creativity. After all, even the greatest artists and innovators started by learning from those who came before them.
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