Have customer conversations before writing more code.

Customer conversations are not a final check after the product is built. They are one of the earliest tools for deciding what deserves to be built.

Investigate existing behaviour

Ask how people solve the problem today, what frustrates them about the current process, what they have already tried and what the problem costs them.

These questions are more useful than asking whether someone likes your idea.

Find the decision-maker

A person who experiences a problem may not be the person who can buy a solution. Good discovery includes the people who use, approve and pay for the work.

That context can change the product, the pitch and the market you choose.

A skill for every professional

Customer discovery is not limited to startup founders. Anyone who wants to package professional knowledge needs to understand the person they are trying to help.

EITDA treats listening as a market skill.