Some product developers observe that failures are almost always present on the path to economic success.  “Celebrate failures,” they say. Others argue that failures are irrelevant as long as we extract knowledge along the way. “Create knowledge,” they advise. Still others reason that, if our real goal is success, perhaps we should simply aim for success. “Prevent failures and do it right the first time,” they suggest. And others assert that we can move beyond the illusion of success and failure by learning from both. “Create learning,” they propose.  Unfortunately, by focusing on failure rates, or knowledge creation, or success rates, or even learning we miss the real issue in product development. Continue reading →