I’ve been thinking about this question more and more lately.  Who should drive product development?  Personally, I see three possibilities, and, in my opinion, only one is correct:

  1. Sales
  2. Engineering
  3. Marketing

For the most part, I tend to think of these issues for technology companies, since that’s the area where I work. But I could as easily ask this question in the restaurant business, though I would substitute “the chef” for “engineering.”   In fact, let me do that, just in case one of my technology clients, through their own self evaluation, thinks they recognize themselves in the example and mistakenly thinks I’m criticizing them personally.

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