The tech world is known for its dynamic, ever-changing nature. We've all heard the term "launch" tossed around, but it's high time we revisited this concept. The question is, could the way we introduce new products be doing more harm than good?

Consider this: "launch" implies that a product should be completely finished and flawless from day one. It gives the impression of looming deadlines and a pressure-packed rush to completion, potentially leading to wasted efforts and misguided features.

The truth is, a digital product isn't static. It's an ongoing process that needs regular tweaks and validation across all teams - sales, design, and tech included. Labeling a product's release as a "launch" can, inadvertently, prompt a focus on finishing features and hitting deadlines rather than improving the user's experience.

So, what should we do differently? Let's shift our focus from the conventional, deadline-driven model to a more user-focused approach.

Continuous Evolution: The New Norm

Let's try ditching the term "launch" and see how it affects our operations. This subtle shift in language could dramatically improve the success rate of businesses, startups, and development teams.

Instead of obsessing over a specific release date and a long list of features, we need to zero in on a straightforward, compelling objective: making our users happy. We must realize that the real journey starts, not ends, when the product is out in the open.

Imagine this as the difference between releasing a fully grown butterfly and nurturing a caterpillar into a butterfly. This caterpillar-to-butterfly approach urges us to release the basic version of our product (Minimum Viable Product, or MVP), collect user feedback, iterate, improve, and evolve. This aligns nicely with the principles of Agile and Lean development.

Embracing Hypothesis Validation

In this revamped narrative, validating hypotheses is essential. Instead of creating features based on guesswork, teams should formulate ideas about user needs and behaviors, then swiftly and effectively test these theories.

The feedback and data gathered during this validation phase help create a product that's more user-focused. This reduces the risk of introducing features that users don't connect with or that complicate their experience.

Why a User-Centric Approach Works

This change of approach does more than create a sustainable model for product development. It fosters a culture of learning and adaptability, which is vital in today's turbulent tech environment. It inspires teams to take calculated risks, learn from errors, and consistently strive to provide value to their users.

Also, by moving away from the traditional "launch" mindset, we can liberate ourselves from unrealistic expectations and the waste of resources. This doesn't mean abandoning our product vision or goals; instead, we become more adaptable in our path towards these goals, ensuring we're creating a product that genuinely satisfies our users.

---

The language we use in the tech industry significantly impacts our processes and outcomes. By reshaping our narrative and adopting a leaner, user-centric mindset, we can more effectively navigate our team and industry’s constant changes and create products that genuinely meet user needs.