Building technology products is easy, but we made it complicated
Article Overview
Kike Peña's article, "Building technology products is easy, but we made it complicated," posits that despite two decades of evolution in the tech industry, including the widespread adoption of methodologies like Agile, the process of building digital products remains discouraging and exhausting, leading to significant burnout. The author, drawing on 20 years of experience in product design, argues that the root cause of project failures and team exhaustion isn't the complexity of technology or the lack of sophisticated frameworks, but rather foundational human factors.
Peña contends that the primary risk factor compromising successful project completion is having "unsuitable people for the role." He asserts that "All products are a mirror of the people who built them," meaning the quality and success of a product are directly tied to the capabilities and attitudes of the individuals involved. This unsuitability manifests in several critical ways across product, design, and development roles. These include a fundamental business misunderstanding, where individuals fail to grasp the company's direction or product goals, leading to wasted effort, rework, and "ghost problems" (unarticulated expectations).
Another key manifestation is a lack of systems thinking, where team members cannot perceive the project as an interconnected entity within a larger ecosystem, resulting in incomplete solutions and costly reworks. The article also highlights improvised ways of working, where projects lack clear paths and ownership, leading to reactive damage control rather than proactive planning. Unproductive communication, characterized by overly complex narratives that obscure key information, and a lack of accountability, where team members deflect blame, further exacerbate these issues. Finally, the absence of a problem-solving mindset, where individuals panic instead of seeking solutions, contributes to chaos and inefficiency, ultimately undermining the entire product development process.
Impact on Design Practice
For UX/UI designers, this article serves as a crucial reminder that even the most innovative designs and user-centered research can be derailed by fundamental human and team dynamics. Imagine a designer meticulously crafting an intuitive user flow or conducting extensive user testing; if the product manager lacks business understanding, the feature might be misaligned with strategic goals, or if developers lack systems thinking, the elegant solution might be poorly integrated, creating new usability issues elsewhere. This directly impacts the quality of the user experience and the designer's ability to see their vision realized.
Designers often act as crucial bridges between user needs, business objectives, and technical feasibility. Therefore, recognizing the signs of "unsuitable people" – such as vague project goals, constant rework, or unproductive meetings – is vital. It empowers designers to not just focus on pixels and prototypes, but also to advocate for clearer communication, promote systems thinking in cross-functional discussions, and foster a culture of accountability. By understanding these underlying human factors, designers can better navigate team complexities, protect their work from being undermined, and ultimately contribute more effectively to building truly successful and user-friendly products, much like an architect ensuring the builders understand the structural integrity beyond just aesthetics.
Product success hinges not on complex tech or methodologies, but on the foundational competence, communication, and accountability of the people building it.
How to Apply This
Designers can proactively address the issues raised by fostering better team dynamics and advocating for clearer processes. Here are actionable steps:
**Cultivate Business Acumen:** Actively seek to understand the product's business goals and market context to ensure design decisions align with strategic objectives.
**Champion Systems Thinking:** When designing, consider the broader product ecosystem and potential impacts on other features or user journeys, advocating for holistic solutions.
**Promote Structured Work:** Encourage clear project paths, defined ownership, and proactive planning within your team to minimize reactive damage control.
**Practice Clear Communication:** Lead by example in team discussions, focusing on concise, key information (progress, milestones, risks) to avoid ambiguity and wasted time.
**Foster Accountability & Problem-Solving:** Encourage a culture where team members take ownership of issues and collaboratively seek solutions rather than assigning blame or panicking.
Industry Context
This article resonates deeply with several ongoing trends in the design and tech industry. It challenges the often-unquestioned efficacy of popular methodologies like Agile, suggesting that frameworks alone cannot solve fundamental human and organizational issues. This aligns with a growing discourse around "dark Agile" or "Agile theater," where companies implement the rituals without truly embracing the underlying principles of collaboration and continuous improvement. Furthermore, the emphasis on burnout directly addresses the increasing concern for mental health and sustainability within tech, highlighting how inefficient processes and unsuitable team dynamics contribute significantly to professional exhaustion. By focusing on the quality of people and their core competencies, the article underscores the shift towards valuing soft skills, emotional intelligence, and genuine cross-functional understanding as critical drivers of product success, moving beyond purely technical or process-driven solutions.