To develop amazing products, start by categorizing the problem, identifying the what, how, and why. This helps clarify core functionality and ensures scalability aligns with purpose. Look at past solutions—often, lessons learned or reusable elements can streamline development and save time and effort. Focus on a strong MVP to validate the core idea, then adopt modular architecture to scale without disrupting functionality or overcomplicating the design. Continuously gather user feedback to refine and prioritize, ensuring you address real needs and stay user-centric. Balancing scalability and functionality isn’t just about growth; it’s about growing smartly, staying agile, and staying true to the product’s essence.

I believe one must put the horse before the cart here first. Before looking at scaling, ensure that your product's core features and USPs are meeting success and performance criteria. These will be the back markers for your scaling effort. The product infrastructure should be modular to accommodate scaling as this is the goal of successful products - growth and scale. Once your product performance is tracking well to hitting the minimum requirements for scaling, the architecture team can get to work.

To balance scalability and core functionality, I start with a robust MVP that prioritizes the most essential features, ensuring the product solves its primary problem effectively. Adopting a modular architecture allows for flexibility in scaling, enabling us to add or adjust features without disrupting the core. Continuous feedback loops are also critical—user insights guide our decisions, helping us refine functionality and scale strategically. This approach ensures growth without compromising the product’s foundation.

User feedback is the compass for balancing functionality and scalability. While developing a fintech solution, we used frequent surveys and usability tests to understand user priorities. One insight led us to simplify a feature that users found confusing before scaling it to other markets. I believe feedback loops keep development grounded in user needs while guiding efficient scaling. It’s a continuous cycle: build, learn, and improve, ensuring the product grows meaningfully without straying from its core.

When I’m working on a new product, I try to keep things simple and focus on what’s most important first. I start by building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)—just the basic features—to test the idea and see if it works. Then, I make sure the product is designed in a way that lets me easily add or change things later without breaking what’s already there. I also listen to feedback from users as much as possible to figure out what’s working and what needs improving. This helps me make sure the product can grow while still being useful and easy to use.

Here’s how I keep team morale high when features are deprioritised due to user feedback: Acknowledge Efforts: Recognise the team’s hard work and contributions, showing their efforts are valued. Explain the Why: Clearly communicate the reasons for the change, emphasising how it aligns with user needs and the product’s long-term vision. Involve the Team: Engage the team in planning the next steps, fostering ownership and collaboration. Focus on the Bigger Picture: Remind the team how their work contributes to the product’s overall success and user satisfaction. Celebrate Wins: Highlight progress in other areas to keep spirits high and maintain momentum. These steps help turn setbacks into opportunities for growth and alignment.