It’s the million-dollar question: What defines a great product? Each person has a different answer, whether they are on a product team, in the C-suite at a company, or has only dealt with product in their day-to-day life.
There are, in essence, 100 definitions of a great product.
We ask every speaker this question, no matter if they are speaking at our monthly chapter webinars, are a guest on our Product Talk podcast (Spotify and Apple Podcasts), or we are hosting them in another capacity so they can share their wisdom on product with us.
We won’t list all one hundred, but here is just a taste of some recent answers from product leaders on what defines a great product:
“A great product is one that simply and elegantly solves a problem that users care about.” – Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, Grammarly Global Head of Product
“I am a big fan of the JTBD framework. To quote the famous Mr. Christensen, people hire products to get their job done.
“1. A product that gets a job done for the users is the first and foremost sign of a great product.
“2. Delivers clear value to the consumer of the product.
“3. People connect with products functionally, socially, and emotionally. All 3 aspects are very important when designing your product otherwise people seek alternatives to the product.
“4. A really simple, engaging, and seamless user experience. Be it a software or hardware product, consumers expect a great interaction with the product and do not expect the product to add ‘one more thing’ to their already complicated lives.” – Dhananjay Joglekar, Experian Sr. Product Director
“A great product is one that meets me where I am, when I am there. Tools that make solving problems easier, entertainment that seamlessly integrates into my routine, and goods that can make my life a bit brighter when I need them. Whether it be a product that improves collaborating with my peers or speeding up dinner so I can make time for exercise, I fall in love with the products that empower me. “ – Deedee Olsen, IdeaCloud Product VP
“Great products solve real customer pains. They are easily accessible to their target customer base and are intuitive to use. Great products provide enough value to the customer that they are willing to exchange something of value for it in return; this could be monetary or could be in the form of time and attention that the customer spends on the product, directly and indirectly advocating for them through their networks. These products address a consumer base that is reachable and sizable enough to generate profitability for the business.
“Finally, great products are more than customer-facing solutions; they encompass the full experience starting with the marketing of the product that shapes customer perception right to customer service after purchase or use.” – Arun Milton, Royal Bank of Canada Sr. Product Director and Products That Count Toronto Chapter Head
“A good product meets a stated or unstated existing need for a set of target customers. A really good product does so while improving the quality of life of the personas it targets. A truly great product meets today’s needs while acting as a catalyst for where the customer needs to be tomorrow.” – Siddharth Bhai, Splunk Product Management Director
“A great product solves an immediate pain and has the extensibility and flexibility to be able to solve problems that you are not even aware of it. A great product is usually built by people who have a bit of a futurist in them.” – Dipanwita Das, Sorcero CEO
Want to hear more from product leaders on what makes a truly great product? Listen to highlights from the Product Talk podcast.
Now it’s your turn: What is your definition of a great product? Tell us in the comments below.
If you are a product leader and want to be featured on our podcast or speak at one of our webinars, reach out to us.