Talking to a friend who works as a product manager, focused on internal tools, he mentioned how much more they've been shipping recently, thanks to AI.
"What's your secret?" I asked, because shipping more (and better) is not a universally shared experience when it comes to AI.
Turns out, it's a very simple thing: They are in very close contact with their users. He and the engineers talk with them several times a week. Turns out, "talking to people" was the secret to great product development all along.
And with the increased speed of delivery, they've entered a virtuous cycle: Customers are delighted that their suggestions get addressed in a timely manner instead of disappearing into the black hole that is your typical product backlog. So now they make even more suggestions and develop a lot of love and appreciation for the product team.
Before spending hours tuning your spec-driven SDLC to be just right, spend some extra time talking to people and be amazed by what happens.
