Dynamic

Customer Development vs Big Design Upfront

Developers should learn Customer Development when working on new products, startups, or innovative features to ensure they build solutions that solve real problems for users meets developers should use bduf in projects with stable requirements, high regulatory or safety-critical needs, or large-scale systems where upfront clarity is essential, such as in aerospace, finance, or government sectors. Here's our take.

🧊Nice Pick

Customer Development

Developers should learn Customer Development when working on new products, startups, or innovative features to ensure they build solutions that solve real problems for users

Customer Development

Nice Pick

Developers should learn Customer Development when working on new products, startups, or innovative features to ensure they build solutions that solve real problems for users

Pros

  • +It is particularly valuable in agile and lean startup environments to avoid wasted effort on unvalidated ideas, helping teams pivot or persevere based on evidence from customer interactions
  • +Related to: lean-startup, product-management

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Big Design Upfront

Developers should use BDUF in projects with stable requirements, high regulatory or safety-critical needs, or large-scale systems where upfront clarity is essential, such as in aerospace, finance, or government sectors

Pros

  • +It helps prevent costly rework by establishing a clear roadmap early, but it can be less flexible for dynamic or rapidly evolving projects where agile methods might be more suitable
  • +Related to: waterfall-methodology, requirements-analysis

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Customer Development if: You want it is particularly valuable in agile and lean startup environments to avoid wasted effort on unvalidated ideas, helping teams pivot or persevere based on evidence from customer interactions and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Big Design Upfront if: You prioritize it helps prevent costly rework by establishing a clear roadmap early, but it can be less flexible for dynamic or rapidly evolving projects where agile methods might be more suitable over what Customer Development offers.

🧊
The Bottom Line
Customer Development wins

Developers should learn Customer Development when working on new products, startups, or innovative features to ensure they build solutions that solve real problems for users

Disagree with our pick? nice@nicepick.dev