Why the Fastest Product Teams Aren't Always Winning

Andy Busam -

Rethinking Speed in Product Development

When Target spotted cherries becoming a viral design trend, they didn't launch their typical 7-month development cycle. Within just 8 weeks, cherry-themed products were in stores. This wasn't just about being trendy – it reflected a fundamental shift in how companies must approach product development in today's digital economy.

"Not everything is in eight weeks," explains Target's CCO Rick Gomez, "but the things that are trending that we're seeing, that are going viral, that we want to be in-market ahead of the competition — we've created an operating model that enables us to do that."

The pressure to accelerate development affects every industry. Research shows that slow development carries hidden costs beyond just missed opportunities: competitors gain first-mover advantages, development costs accumulate without offsetting revenue, and top talent leaves for more agile organizations. Yet rushing to market isn't the answer either – only 26% of rushed feature launches succeed commercially.

Rethinking Development Speed

The real challenge isn't choosing between fast or careful development – it's reimagining how to do both simultaneously. This requires shifting from feature-based to outcome-based planning. Instead of fixing product functionality months in advance, successful companies focus on the specific value they want to create. This outcome-based approach allows teams to respond more quickly to market signals while ensuring they're building the right things.

Modern technologies enable this shift. Low-code platforms allow rapid prototyping without extensive engineering resources. AI-driven tools automate testing and streamline development. Well-structured platform teams reduce cognitive load on development teams, enabling faster innovation while maintaining quality.

Sequential vs. Simultaneous: A Strategic Choice

When launching products across multiple markets, companies can choose sequential rollouts, simultaneous launches, or a hybrid approach. Research shows each strategy has distinct advantages depending on context.

Sequential rollouts prioritize learning: Netflix often tests new features in smaller markets like the Netherlands before global release. This allows refinement based on user data but delays worldwide adoption.

Simultaneous launches maximize speed and impact: When TikTok releases major features, they push to all users globally to maintain platform consistency and leverage network effects.

Hybrid approaches balance both: iOS releases combine sequential testing (developer beta, public beta) with a coordinated global launch. This provides learning opportunities while maintaining the impact of a simultaneous release.

Choose your approach based on:

  • Innovation novelty
  • Learning requirements
  • Market differences
  • Confidence in product-market fit
  • Platform consistency needs

Building New Capabilities

Success in this faster-paced environment requires new organizational capabilities. Companies need what researchers call "recombinative capabilities" – the ability to quickly mix existing and new knowledge to create innovative solutions. This means investing in:

  • Platform teams that enable self-service development
  • Clear outcome-based goals that guide rapid decisions
  • AI tools that accelerate testing and learning
  • DevOps practices that maintain quality at speed

Organizations also need to develop what researchers term "socio-cognitive capabilities" - the ability to think differently from the status quo and employ flexibility in development approaches. The metrics that matter are changing too. Instead of focusing solely on features delivered, companies must track outcomes achieved and how quickly teams learn from market feedback.

Speed & Learning

The tension between speed and learning defines modern product development. But new technologies and methodologies are making it possible to achieve both. Companies that find this balance – creating operating models that enable faster response while maintaining quality standards – will have a significant competitive advantage.

As Target's cherry rollout shows, it's possible to dramatically compress traditional development timelines without sacrificing quality. The key is building the right infrastructure: platform teams that reduce cognitive load, outcome-based roadmaps that maintain focus, and teams capable of adapting at digital speed.

This isn't just about moving faster – it's about learning faster. In today's market, that capability may be the most important competitive advantage of all.