Experimentation Is the Key to Great Products

Some of the best products we use today started as experiments, not perfectly planned ideas. They began with curiosity, a problem to solve, and a willingness to try something different.

Figma Didn't Start with Figma

Look at Figma. Its founders, Dylan Field and Evan Wallace, explored different ideas while experimenting with browser technology. They even tried building a meme generator and a photo editor before focusing on a browser-based design tool. Their bigger idea was to make design accessible, collaborative, and available online.

When Figma launched, many designers were skeptical. Building a professional design tool in a browser seemed impractical. But the team kept experimenting, improving performance, and listening to users. Today, browser-based collaborative design feels natural to many of us.

Imagine if they had stopped at their first unsuccessful idea or followed only what everyone else was doing.

Experimentation Reveals Opportunities

We often try to find the perfect idea before building anything. We research, discuss, debate, and create detailed plans, hoping to eliminate uncertainty. But sometimes, the fastest way to learn is to try something small and see what happens.

Experimentation helps us discover opportunities we didn't know existed. It can validate assumptions, expose problems, and reveal unexpected user needs.

Even Figma's FigJam grew from observing how people were using Figma during the pandemic. Users were brainstorming and spending time together in the design tool, inspiring the team to explore a dedicated online whiteboard experience.

You Don't Need a Big Budget to Experiment

As designers and product builders, we can start small:

• Question assumptions: What if we approached this problem differently?
• Build quickly: Create a prototype instead of spending weeks perfecting an idea.
• Test with real users: Observe what people actually do, not just what they say.
• Learn and iterate: Use feedback to improve, change direction, or abandon the idea.

Failure Is Part of the Process

Not every experiment will become a successful product. That's the point. A small failed experiment can teach us something valuable before we invest significant time and resources.

The real risk isn't experimenting and failing. It's spending months building something based on assumptions without ever testing them.

Start Before You're Ready

You don't need permission to explore every idea, nor do you need to know the final outcome. Start with a question, build something small, and learn from the result.

Great products aren't always born from having the right answer. Sometimes, they're born from having the courage to ask a different question and experiment.