PLANNING
Field of Dreams
If you build it, they will come… or will they?
They built a grand product with cheer,
Assuming that users would hear,
But no one arrived,
For needs weren’t derived,
And their launch simply fell on deaf ears.
As in the famous line from the movie Field of Dreams, many companies fall into the trap of believing that if they build a product, users will simply come. However, in the real world, a “Field of Dreams” mindset often leads to building features or products based on internal ideas rather than user needs, resulting in products that don’t gain traction.
Symptoms
Ideas without market validation. It’s easy to fall in love with an idea that sounds great in a brainstorming session but hasn’t been validated with actual customer research. Products built on assumptions often miss the mark on solving actual customer pain points.
Internal biases over customer insight. Teams often prioritize what they think users want rather than what users truly need, leading to features that might be impressive technically but don’t provide value in the market.
Relying on gut feelings over data. When decisions about what to build are based more on internal excitement and opinions than customer research, feedback, or market trends, you might be heading into "Field of Dreams" territory.
Little or no testing with real users. If the product is being developed in isolation without market validation and early feedback, it’s a red flag that you’re building based on what you hope users will want.
Consequences
Poor product-market fit. If a product is developed without understanding market demand or user needs, it’s likely to fail to find traction. A product that doesn’t resonate with its intended audience will struggle to gain customers, no matter how innovative it seems.
Wasted resources and opportunity costs. Building what no one wants wastes time, money, and effort. Worse yet, it means those resources aren’t being used to develop solutions that will have a meaningful impact.
Lost credibility with customers and stakeholders. If a product is launched to great fanfare but then flops due to lack of interest, it can damage the company’s reputation, both with customers who expected more and internal stakeholders who invested in the vision.
Recommendations
Start with customer problems, not feature ideas. Identify fundamental pain points and needs through user research, interviews, and market analysis. Ground your product vision in solving clear, validated, and prioritized customer problems.
Validate, validate, validate. Market test a prototype to market test your core hypotheses quickly. And frequently. Get real feedback from potential customers to validate how the proposed solution addresses a genuine problem they are willing to pay to solve.
Iterate and measure continuously. Instead of focusing on a one-time launch, approach product development as a series of iterative cycles. Use data and user feedback to refine and enhance the product over time, ensuring it continues delivering value.
Craft a go-to-market strategy early. Creating a product is only part of the battle—having a clear plan to reach your target audience is crucial. Prepare your launch and team readiness plans in parallel with your product development. Focus on how you’ll educate, acquire, and retain users rather than assuming they’ll come on their own.
The idea that “if you build it, they will come” is an alluring myth. But successful products are not built on hope—they’re built on real customer problems, data-driven prioritization, continuous learning, and iterative improvements. By validating ideas early, engaging users continuously, and grounding your strategy in solving actual problems, you can avoid the pitfalls of the "Field of Dreams" mentality and build a product that truly resonates.
