# Shipping in Layers with Will and John

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/founderquest/shipping-in-layers-with-will-and-john
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/founderquest/shipping-in-layers-with-will-and-john.md
Podcast: [FounderQuest](https://stenobird.com/podcast/founderquest)
Published: 2024-07-19T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/a5febde4
Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/a5febde4/bf3208c0.mp3
Processing state: processed
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/founderquest/episodes/shipping-in-layers-with-will-and-john
Duration seconds: 2130

## Resource

Avoid the trap of over-engineering by adopting a 'shipping in layers' approach to software development. Learn how to use small, provable foundations to validate features and course-correct based on real customer feedback.

## Highlights
- Main idea: Replace the traditional MVP with the concept of 'Small, Lovable, and Complete' to ensure core value is delivered immediately
- Practical takeaway: Use manual processes or 'sweeper' tasks to handle scale issues early on, allowing you to focus on product validation instead of infrastructure
- Failure mode: Over-engineering features with 'bells and whistles' before confirming the core user need, leading to wasted development cycles
- Practical takeaway: Treat customer complaints as high-signal touchpoints for qualitative feedback and product discovery
- Failure mode: Allowing a culture of fear regarding mistakes to stifle the experimentation necessary for rapid iteration

## Topics

Software Development, Product Management, Minimum Viable Product, Iterative Design, Customer Feedback, Engineering Culture, Feature Deployment, Startup Growth

## Chapters
- 1:00 — Falconry and Auburn Traditions: An opening discussion on the experience of falconry and the traditions of Auburn football.
- 6:10 — The Design Engineer's Perspective: Will discusses his role at Crunchy Data and the importance of high-quality customer support.
- 13:50 — Beyond the MVP: Exploring the concept of shipping small, lovable, and complete products rather than just minimum viable ones.
- 16:40 — The Danger of Perfectionism: How the fear of failure and the desire for perfect metrics can kill a company's velocity and experimentation.
- 21:50 — Iterative Deployment Lessons: A real-world example of needing to upgrade data aggregations after an initial launch.
- 24:30 — Avoiding Feature Creep: How the pressure to add complexity before launch can lead teams astray from the original goal.
- 29:40 — Embracing Customer Feedback: Using bugs and support tickets as opportunities to engage with users and refine the product roadmap.

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## Transcript

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