Hiten Shah on ‘Thinking in Public’ vs. ‘Building in Public’

In a recent LinkedIn post, Hiten Shah discusses a nuanced evolution of the popular concept of ‘building in public,’ distinguishing it from what he terms ‘thinking in public.’ Shah posits that the original intent behind sharing progress openly has shifted, potentially losing some of its core value.

As Hiten Shah notes:

“Building in public became a performance once everything was edited. Thinking in public is what building in public looked like before polish took over.”

Shah’s commentary suggests that the practice, once embraced for its transparency and raw insight, has become more curated and performative. This shift, in his view, impacts the authenticity and the primary benefits derived from sharing developmental processes.

The Shift from Context to Admiration

Hiten Shah highlights a significant change in the outcome of ‘building in public.’ He argues that the focus has moved from fostering a shared understanding to generating admiration, a change he links to the increased emphasis on polished presentation.

“Building in public used to create shared context. Now it often creates admiration.”

According to Hiten Shah, the original aim of sharing the journey of creation was to bring others along, allowing them to understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind decisions and progress. This shared context was invaluable for collaboration and community building. However, Shah observes that the current iteration of ‘building in public’ often results in a one-sided display of success, where the audience is left to admire the final product or polished updates rather than participate in or understand the underlying developmental process.

The Value of ‘Thinking in Public’

In contrast to the perceived performative nature of modern ‘building in public,’ Hiten Shah champions the concept of ‘thinking in public’ as a more effective method for fostering genuine connection and alignment.

Creating Alignment Through Transparency

Shah argues that by sharing the thought process, including the challenges and decision-making frameworks, individuals and teams can achieve a deeper level of understanding and buy-in from their audience or collaborators.

“Thinking in public creates alignment, because people can see how decisions are formed.”

In Hiten Shah’s view, this transparency in thought process allows others to follow the logic, understand the rationale behind choices, and even contribute more meaningfully. This approach, he suggests, builds a stronger foundation for collective effort and shared goals, as it demystifies the journey and invites participation in the discovery phase, rather than just the presentation of results. The emphasis is on the journey of ideation and problem-solving, which can be more instructive and engaging than a pre-packaged outcome.