Product strategy: testing whether there is real demand for a proposed or live platform

How would you figure out whether a platform is really needed? Describe the evidence you would collect and how you would reach a decision. ```hint Problem first, platform second Establish that a defined group has a frequent, painful problem before asking why a platform, rather than a single product or the workarounds people use today, is the right answer to it. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Is the platform already live with users, or still an idea that has not been built? - What does platform mean here: a multi-sided product that connects groups, such as buyers and sellers, or shared capabilities that internal teams or outside developers build on? - Who is the platform meant to serve, and what decision rides on the answer: funding a build, continuing investment, or shutting it down? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - Resolving the platform's stage and type, and adapting the approach to each - Evidence that the problem is real: who has it, how often, how painful it is, and what people do about it today - Platform-specific tests: whether the need is shared across many users, use cases or teams, and whether each side of a multi-sided platform needs the other - Validation methods matched to stage that favor behavior over stated interest - Decision criteria set in advance, including what result would make you stop ### Follow-up Questions - Interviews show strong enthusiasm, but a sign-up page converts poorly. Which signal do you trust, and what do you do next? - How would your approach change if the platform were internal, shared by several product teams, rather than offered to customers? - On a two-sided platform, one side shows strong demand and the other is lukewarm. How do you decide whether to proceed?