Building products in the open

Building products in the open involves transparency about business processes, tools, learnings, and financial aspects, which can foster trust and engagement with customers and potential users. This approach offers marketing benefits, facilitates feedback collection, aids recruitment, and enhances branding by showcasing a company's journey, including setbacks and successes. However, it also poses challenges, such as the risk of decreased productivity and distraction, potential competitive exposure, and the possibility of focusing on vanity metrics instead of actual sales. While solopreneurs and smaller organizations might find it easier to leverage the benefits due to less bureaucracy and overhead, larger corporations may opt for a semi-open approach to mitigate risks. Ultimately, the decision to build in the open should align with the business's goals, market position, and team preferences, balancing transparency with competitive strategy.