Ever find yourself wondering if great product ideas really start with a problem… or if sometimes the solution shows up first and you just have to make sense of it? In this episode, Ryan and Joe dig into the messy middle of product discovery, where ideas aren’t magic and where PMs are constantly juggling customer discovery, internal requests, and the pressure to move fast.

They share examples like Juicero and Google Glass, explore what actually makes an idea worth validating, and unpack how product managers can avoid falling in love with a solution too early. You’ll hear what to do when stakeholders hand you fully baked ideas, how to test assumptions quickly, and why continuous discovery matters no matter where the idea came from.

If you’re tired of playing referee between problem-first and solution-first thinking, pull up a chair on the porch and let this conversation help you figure out your next move, spark a better debate with your team, or rethink how you approach your own backlog.

Time Stamped Notes:

Introduction and Opening Remarks
[00:00] Episode intro – Sets up the core debate around where great product ideas begin.
[00:24] Framing the question – Introduces the tension between problem-first and solution-first thinking.

Caffeine and Product Camp Insights
[00:40] Problem-space reminder – Highlights why products fail when teams skip understanding the real problem.
[01:17] Jumping to solutions – Explains risks of moving too quickly into solution mode without customer insight.

The Chicken or the Egg Debate
[02:38] Origin of ideas – Argues that ideas form from observing frustration or unmet needs.
[03:17] Two development paths – Defines problem-first vs. solution-first approaches.
[05:14] Juicero example – Shows how solutions fail when they don’t solve a meaningful problem.
[06:19] Desire-driven products – Notes that some successful products satisfy wants, not problems.

Advice for Product Managers
[07:52] Testing assumptions – Encourages validating ideas instead of committing too early.
[11:07] Avoid solution bias – Emphasizes staying curious before investing in any one idea.
[13:04] Share context early – Recommends involving cross-functional partners throughout discovery.
[13:45] Balanced backlogs – Suggests mixing new ideas with solution requests that need validation.

Product Lifecycle and Strategy
[14:47] Start with problems – Advises beginning net-new work with discovery to reduce risk.
[19:57] Competing in growth – Warns against copying competitors without understanding customer needs.
[25:48] Responding to shifts – Describes adapting to market changes through broader exploration.
[27:34] Spotting signals – Highlights listening for emerging customer and market cues.
[29:38] Embracing ambiguity – Explains why navigating the messy middle matters more than choosing a side.
[30:09] Balancing inputs – Reinforces that both problems and solutions can be valid starting points.

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Where Do Great Product Ideas Really Start?

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