The Real Problem Behind ‘Obvious’ Product Issues, According to John Cutler

In a recent LinkedIn post, John Cutler delves into a common pitfall in product development: mistaking the symptom for the root cause of a persistent issue. Cutler challenges the conventional wisdom of simply defining an obvious problem, suggesting that the more critical question for product managers and teams to ask is why previous attempts to solve that apparent problem have failed.

According to John Cutler, the real challenge often lies not in identifying a problem, but in understanding the historical context of why it remains unsolved. He posits:

“What has thwarted so many efforts to fix this obvious problem?”

Cutler emphasizes that product teams often settle for surface-level problem definitions, focusing on what is immediately apparent rather than investigating the deeper systemic reasons for a problem’s persistence. He critiques the common approach where:

“Everyone talks about PMs ‘defining the problem to solve.'”

He argues that this focus on the obvious can be misleading. While a problem might seem straightforward, its enduring nature suggests underlying complexities that are frequently overlooked. Cutler pushes back against simplistic explanations for why a problem hasn’t been solved, stating that:

“The answer isn’t ‘because our product didn’t exist.'”

Furthermore, he dismisses the idea that a missing feature is the primary culprit in most cases. These explanations, according to Cutler, fail to address the core reasons why a problem has resisted solutions from numerous intelligent individuals over time.

Unpacking the Persistence of Product Problems

John Cutler’s central thesis is that true product innovation stems from understanding the history of failed attempts to solve a problem. This historical perspective, he argues, is often the key to unlocking novel product opportunities that might otherwise remain hidden.

The Danger of Surface-Level Problem Definition

Cutler highlights the tendency for teams to identify and focus on the most visible aspects of a problem. While this may seem like efficient problem-solving, it can lead to solutions that are merely temporary fixes or that fail to address the fundamental barriers that have prevented resolution in the past. As John Cutler notes, the problem is often perceived as:

“something so obvious. Sure that’s a problem. It has always been a problem.”

However, he urges a deeper inquiry into the ‘why’ behind this long-standing issue. The assumption that a problem persists simply because the right product or feature was missing is, in his view, an oversimplification that misses the mark.

Identifying True Product Opportunities

By shifting the focus from defining the obvious problem to understanding the historical context of its intractability, product leaders can uncover more profound and impactful opportunities. John Cutler suggests that this deeper analysis can:

“open[s] up a whole world of product opportunities.”

This perspective encourages a more investigative and historically informed approach to product management, where understanding past failures becomes a catalyst for future success. In Cutler’s view, truly solving a persistent problem requires a nuanced understanding of the socio-technical, organizational, or market factors that have historically impeded progress, rather than just building a new feature or product.