how to build good feedback cycles

I shared my thoughts on how important feedback cycles are with a friend, and since they are building something right now, they asked if I had advice on how to create feedback cycles.

Now, every feedback cycle is different - the feedback cycle you need to get better at boxing is different than the one you need to build a successful software product. But, the structure is generally the same: identify what needs improvement, make a change, try it out; repeat.

What needs to be improved, what change to make, and what it means to “try it out” are all areas where you need good inputs. Your own instincts are useful, especially for interpreting those inputs, but what you really need is other people giving their perspective on all three. If you’re building software, you need people to use that software. If you’re training to be a boxer, you need opponents to fight. Customers and opponents seem like very different things, but in the context of feedback, they play the same role: they test what truly matters.

And that’s what differentiates a good feedback cycle from a bad one: does it really address what matters? There is no silver bullet for determining that, because again, every feedback cycle is different, but here are some helpful things I’ve learned about feedback cycles over the years:

1. Avoid the “mom test”. If you ask your mom about your new business venture, she is going to tell you it’s great. This is the same person that hung your crappy crayon drawings on the refrigerator with pride. She - and your friends, family, and most people in your life - will want to support you, but that is very different than feedback. You’ll need both feedback and support, but don’t mistake one for the other.
2. The only people’s feedback that matter are the people that have a self-interest in what you are doing. If someone is using your software to do their taxes, they need it to be right so they don’t go to jail. Contrast that with, say, an accountant friend of yours that has no need for your software - they might seem like a good person to get feedback from because they know the industry, but they are not a user or a prospect and their feedback isn’t as important.
3. Demonstrate extreme openness - not only when receiving feedback, but any interaction you have with someone that you want feedback from. It’s not enough that to detach your ego from what you are doing, but the feedback giver has to know that you have. If they feel like they are going to hurt your feelings or get a defensive response from you, you won’t get good feedback.
4. In the beginning, focus on more intimate feedback from a smaller group of people. In the future, you will need to cast a wider net with automated feedback (e.g. a “report an issue” button), having an impersonal form or email address, or having a team to manage it (e.g. customer support). But, in the beginning, you want to build direct relationships that you can cultivate, because…
5. You need lots of reps in the beginning. The tighter the feedback cycle in the beginning, the more reps you can get in, and the more likely you are to get liftoff. Find ways to reduce the cost of gathering and implementing feedback. This is why a smaller, intimate group is valuable - the more trust you have with someone, the easier it is to transfer information. It’s the same reason having industry experience is so helpful - you can speak the same language as the people giving feedback.
6. Let people know they made an impact with their feedback. Not only will this make them more likely to provide feedback in the future, they’re going to be proud of their contribution and want to share what you are creating with others. And referrals are always the best lead gen source!