Your competition is what they already do

Founders often jump straight from “here’s the problem” to “here’s my product.” In between is a step that quietly explains a lot of what happens next.

How are people solving this problem today?

Even when no obvious solution exists, users are doing something. Maybe a workaround. Maybe a tool that isn’t designed for them. Maybe a spreadsheet, a checklist, a hired person, a habit, a tolerance.

That something is your real competition. Not the products you think you’re replacing — but whatever your user does, right now, when the problem comes up.

Studying that something is one of the most valuable things you can do before you build.

Why this question matters

If you don’t understand how people currently solve the problem, you’re designing for an imagined u...

How people currently solve this problem