This is the second article in a three-part series from Matt Moss, Sibi's Head of Product, where he breaks down how we approach product at Sibi. From identifying the systemic issues many SaaS companies face to how we innovate and build solutions, and what we seek in a great product manager, Matt shares his insights into what sets us apart and how we stay ahead in an ever-evolving industry.

At Sibi we’re organized into Experience Teams made up of Product Management, Design, Engineering, Customer Success and Manufacturing Program leads. An experience team’s job is to drive value for both our customers and business through continuous invention.

And reaching demand is central to how we fuel business growth through innovation and invention.

Delivering customer value is what drives business growth.

Invention is how we deliver customer value.‍

‍Observation and curiosity power our ability to invent.

Reaching demand is at the heart of our observational process.

What is Reaching Demand?

Reaching demand is when a target user demonstrates specific behaviors to attain a benefit, despite the problems and pain they encounter along the way.

On the other hand, aspirational demand refers to a benefit or feature the user believes they need, even if they're not actively trying to achieve it today. Focusing too much on aspirational demand often leads to low feature adoption, as users need to change behaviors or habits to fully embrace what you're inventing.

What does this look like in practice?

Let’s use the famous Henry Ford quote: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse.”

Aspirational Demand: “It would be cool if you could breed faster horses” (Customers are usually not great at trying to invent on behalf of themselves - mainly due to not understanding what is possible with existing technology.)

Reaching Demand: “I have to attach 4 horses to my carriage to get where I want to go, faster.” (Customer doing a thing to try to get to a benefit, even though it’s not really easy)

Problems Observed: Pollution, waste management, time consumption and public health issues from large horse populations in cities.

Hypothesis: There is a market demand for a cleaner, faster and more efficient form of transportation.

Invention: Automobiles, electric streetcars, and motorized buses.

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At Sibi, invention is driven by our commitment to delivering real value through keen observation and a deep understanding of customer needs. By focusing on reaching demand, we ensure that our innovations not only solve problems but also fuel sustainable growth. Stay tuned for the next article, where Matt will explore our unique approach to product development and the qualities we seek in exceptional product managers. Don’t forget to follow Matt on LinkedIn for more insights! 👋