Recognize the idea and research stage

The development journey begins with ideas, but not all ideas become successful products. Market research is essential because it reveals whether a problem is real and if users are ready to adopt a solution. A clear example is LG’s Internet Digital DIOS, one of the first internet-connected fridges launched in 2000. It promised to order groceries automatically and scan barcodes, yet its $20,000 price tag and limited usefulness made it obsolete. Consumers did not see the value in features that solved no urgent problem, and the fridge became more of a novelty than a need.^[1]

This stage also prevents teams from rushing into features that look impressive but fail to address the core problem. Imagine a new fitness app. The team might want to add leaderboards, achievements, and badges right away. However, if the app does not first solve the basic challenge of helping users reliably track workouts, those extras add little value. Research keeps focus on solving the right problem before investing in layers that may never be used.