This article is about testing. Testing your products. Testing your company. Testing yourself. It's counter-intuitive, but you should purposely seek out feedback that your "baby is ugly".
Most Testing is a Total Waste of Time
I’ve been around the ortho startup scene long enough to see the same mistake over and over. You’re not testing your product seriously. Most of you are stuck in a comfort zone, doing what I call confirmation testing. You are surrounded by KOLs who tell you what you want to hear. It feels good, right? Seeing your device work under the best conditions and patting yourself on the back. But here’s the truth: this kind of testing is a lie.
Testing to Validate vs. Testing to Break
If you’re just running tests to validate your own beliefs about your product, you’re wasting everyone’s time (and money). You’re falling into a trap, avoiding the real, ugly truth about your idea. Real testing isn’t about making yourself feel good; it’s about finding out what breaks and why.
I’m talking about critical testing. The kind where you put your baby on the line and invite criticism. You need to test every single step of the way—your concept, your prototype, your IP, your mar...
