Wandering Before Building

Jason Fried from 37signals/Basecamp describes their unique product development approach that starts with extended exploration before committing to building. Here's how it works:

Core Philosophy

• Spend 6+ months "wandering around an idea" before committing resources
• No strict timelines or goals during exploration phase
• Focus on feeling and internal motivation rather than metrics
• Allow space and time for ideas to evolve naturally

The Wandering Process

• Start with loose concept or problem space
• Explore different angles and approaches over months
• Let ideas morph and evolve organically
  • Original Hey.com started as a CRM tool before becoming email
  • Allow discovery of adjacent opportunities
• Use UI mockups and prototypes to explore concepts
• Follow energy and excitement toward promising directions

Decision Making

• Based on internal motivation and team excitement
• Look for "gravity" pulling toward certain ideas
• Watch for patterns that suggest "something here"
• Willing to completely abandon ideas that don't generate excitement
• No artificial deadlines or pressure during exploration

Development Phase

• Only commit to building after thorough exploration
• Break development into 6-week cycles once committed
• Time-box features to maintain momentum
• Focus on shipping rather than perfection
• Get to market to validate assumptions

Key Benefits

• Reduces risk of building wrong things
• Allows organic discovery of opportunities
• Creates stronger conviction in chosen direction
• Team more invested after proper exploration
• Prevents rushing into development prematurely

Mindset

• Treat product development as art/exploration
• Stay open to unexpected directions
• Follow excitement and motivation
• Be willing to abandon ideas that don't resonate
• Focus on finding novel approaches vs copying existing solutions