Early Quirky Experiments

Jason Fried from 37signals/Basecamp shares insights on why it's crucial to experiment with quirky, unusual features early in product development rather than later.

Core Philosophy

• Try wackier, quirkier ideas at the start of projects
• Projects naturally become more conservative over time
• Strange ideas are more welcome and accepted early in the process
• Focus on novelty and differentiation before standard features

Why This Approach Works

• Helps create truly differentiated products
• Prevents building "me too" products that just copy competitors
• Creates features users didn't know they needed but love once they see them
• Allows time to properly develop and refine novel concepts

Implementation Strategy

• Start with features that don't exist anywhere else
• Don't begin by matching competitor functionality
• Build core differentiators before "table stakes" features
• Focus on what makes the product unique and worth considering

Timing Considerations

• Later stages have less tolerance for experimentation
• Running out of time at the end prevents adding novel features
• Post-launch, customers demand standard features, not unusual ones
• Public pressure pushes toward conventional functionality

Real World Application

• Basecamp is "packed with these things"
• Hey email service built on novel approaches
• Focus on features where users say "where has this been my whole life?"
• Novel features must make sense and provide real value, not just be different

Key Takeaway

• The responsibility for finding unusual, valuable features lies with the product team
• Users won't demand unusual features - they ask for normal ones
• Success comes from identifying what users need but haven't considered
• Early experimentation allows proper development of truly innovative features