Why we should be more critical of the products we use

In alignment with the lean startup movement, ProductHunt offers entrepreneurs a quick "build -> measure -> learn" feedback platform where serious angel investors like Steven Sinofsky or Snoop Dogg may notice your product (yes, Snoop Dogg is on the platform).

As you read through different product comments, a couple of names will surface as the heaviest and most sought after including Ryan. Through his rigorous approach of evaluating, understanding, and connecting products, Ryan has rightfully become a significant thought leader in this space. One reason for his (and the sites) success is the ever-positive style where comments and feedback is littered with smilies, winkies, and other denotations that are filled with encouragement.

This over-positivity is a necessity for Product Hunt. Without it, ideas like Ethan (an app which just connects you to a single person and you can ask him whatever you like) wouldn't come to light, and this nurturing aspect is crucial for encouraging experimentation.

But I am not Ryan Hoover or a venture capitalist. I am a technically aware user who, like everyone, is incredibly limited in the resources start-up organizations care about: my time, my attention, my money, and a spot on my phone that doesn't get deleted. These resources are incredibly valuable to me, and every organization is vying for a piece of that pie.

As a result, I am incredibly brutal when it comes to your product or service. Unlike those trying to nurture a community, I am trying to find the best products out there that serve an actual purpose for me. So whether your product is as successful as Evernote (who I previously critiqued for their business model) or as unknown like 8Tracks (see my design critique), please know that I will be ruthless in evaluating and using your product.

The reason I am so critical is because I feel obligated to manage the few precious resources that I have. In reality, most people only use between 20-30 apps per month, and I probably use somewhere between 5-60 apps/services per month with about 130-140 downloaded at any one time. Every organization with an app that I have downloaded is in a constant battle for my resources and only the strongest will survive.

So while I encourage Ryan and everyone else at ProductHunt to promote new and interesting ideas, I also encourage them and every user to push back on the services you use. As a society, we need to hold the organizations that serve us accountable, and it's our responsibility as a good customer to do so.

That's what this blog is - an attempt (albeit a poor one) to critique and push back on the services that I use. These services, directly and indirectly, ask a lot from us, and too often they're slow, or poorly organized, or poorly managed. So next time you are upset at a service for not working well, write them an email. If they are a good product owner, they will appreciate your insights, thank you, and take that information into account for future planning. If not…..well let me know.

Photo Credit: Mevy