The phrase “It’s not the customer’s job to know what they want” is often attributed to Steve Jobs. This highlights the role of innovation and visionary thinking in bold businesses and forward-looking entrepreneurs. Here is how I see it: 1. Innovation Over Demand: Customers often base their desires on existing products and solutions. They might not imagine possibilities beyond what they know. Innovators, on the other hand, envision groundbreaking solutions that customers might not initially realize they need. 2. Customer Feedback is Limited: While customer feedback is valuable, it usually refle ..read more

Innovation is not just a buzzword — it’s a necessity. Yet, many organizations, even technology startups find themselves caught in the inertia of the status quo. We speak with many tech leaders and startup founders every week and here are the top five excuses that are used to justify why they aren’t ready for it and don’t wish to truly embrace innovation. Do any of this sound familiar to you? 1. “We don’t have the budget.” 2. “Innovation is too slow. We need to move fast.” 3. “I know what I want. I am confident this is what the customer wants too.” 4. “I really like the approach you suggested ..read more

Imagine a world where coding becomes a collaborative effort, not just between programmers, but with an AI assistant by your side. That’s the potential of ChatGPT, a powerful language model that’s revolutionizing software development workflows. But what if you could supercharge ChatGPT’s capabilities even further? Enter ChatGPT plugins. These innovative AI tools act like extensions, unlocking a treasure trove of functionalities that go beyond basic language generation. Studies reveal that developers using ChatGPT with plugins experience a significant boost in productivity, with some reporting a ..read more

Software product development initiatives are not an easy feat especially when 80% of the projects fail for one reason or another. Executing software development is hard, but it shouldn’t be. Software product development requires unwavering dedication, strategic thinking, experience, execution under limited resources all while maintaining a deep understanding of both the market and user needs.  Having started my career in consulting at Deloitte, and after building software for startups and enterprises for over 25 years, I have developed the 8 P’s that every software product development ini ..read more

For startups, it’s easy to get excited about the emerging technologies. They often get enticed by flashy features and rapid production of MVP without spending the time upfront. They end up with a product with minimum and basic features, but they’re not entirely sure what problem it solves. But here’s a cold truth: Many startup teams, despite having the knowledge, experience, skip the essential steps. They take a shortcut, they act on assumptions, they buckle under pressure, and they rush to execution without due planning and research. At the end of the day, what truly counts is: Are we buildin ..read more

What is a Minimum Lovable Product (MLP)? In the startup world, resources are precious and time is of the essence, the goal often is to develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), with minimum features needed to satisfy early adopters and test product hypotheses. Instead we believe, startups should focus on the benefits of creating a Minimum Lovable Product (MLP) that not only meets the minimum criteria for functionality but also generates desirability and user delight right from the start. At ISHIR, our strategy is to continue to make a significant impact during our unique Innovation Acceleration ..read more

The phrase “putting lipstick on a pig” is a colloquial way to describe trying to make superficial improvements to something fundamentally flawed. In the context of a software product development, it may be the right time to stop “applying lipstick” and instead addressing the underlying issue with your digital product. Continuing to apply quick fixes to your product may be a good strategy but one may need to revisit that approach. Instead revisit product roadmap and realign the stakeholders every 3-6 months to a year, in order to create a better outcome for your digital product in the long-run ..read more

In recent years, I’ve become a huge fan of DynamoDB. It offers several advantages over top databases: For example: Flexible Pricing: You only pay for what you use, making it cost-effective for various workloads. Serverless Friendly: The stateless connection model integrates perfectly with serverless architectures. Scalability: Consistent response times are maintained even at massive data scales. However, for those accustomed to relational databases, data modeling in DynamoDB can be a hurdle. While there are some unique considerations, the biggest one is AWS’s recommendation to use a single t ..read more

The Cold Start Problem in startups refers to the initial challenge of launching a digital product when there are no existing users, customers, or data to leverage. This term “Cold Start Problem” is commonly used in contexts where network effects are significant, such as in social networks, marketplaces, and platforms. 4 Key Aspects of the Cold Start Problem 1. Lack of Data: For tech startups, particularly those based on AI, machine learning, or data analytics, the absence of initial data can make it difficult to train algorithms, test products, and deliver value. 2. Building a User Base: For p ..read more

The Kraken Model of Innovation is not just a concept but a transformative strategy to thrive. This model draws its inspiration from the mythical kraken, representing a multi-faceted, decentralized, tentacle-like approach to innovation. In the realm of innovation, agility and adaptability are paramount. The Kraken Model of Innovation offers a refreshing paradigm that mirrors the characteristics of its namesake sea monster—vast, adaptable, and powerful. This model promotes a decentralized approach to innovation, where independent yet interconnected teams work across various aspects of a project ..read more