> Users often ask for a particular solution instead of explaining their root issue. Rather than taking the request at face value, I keep digging until I underst

> Users often ask for a particular solution instead of explaining their root issue. Rather than taking the request at face value, I keep digging until I understand what they are trying to accomplish and why existing products do not work for them. Absolutely applies to product focus and customers too. Giving the customer exactly what they ask for with no analysis will result in crappy software. Except that sometimes a company giving the customers exactly what they want does optimize for sales in the market (especially in "enterprise sales", government contracts, and anything involving RFPs etc)... it just always also results in crappy software. This is how we get crappy software that sells well.