To build a successful product, you need to balance data with intuition

Shift, a software company focused on data-driven decision-making, emphasizes the balance between data analytics and intuition in product development. The company's Vice President of Product, Michael Foucher, illustrates this approach through the evolution of Shift's sidebar, a key feature designed for efficient navigation between multiple email and app accounts. Initially inspired by Foucher's personal need for a streamlined user interface, the sidebar's development combined intuitive design with data validation, eventually becoming a unique selling point compared to minimalist web browsers. Despite initial assumptions that users might prefer a minimalist interface, data revealed a preference for the sidebar's functionality, leading to insights that informed further enhancements, such as customizable navigation options. This experience underscores the importance of intuition in the absence of data and the necessity of data to validate and guide product decisions, reflecting Shift's commitment to optimizing productivity while remaining responsive to user feedback.