Every time I see this photo, it reminds me of the many projects I have been part of in my Strategy and operations role, where all the focus was on product development and “Day 1 operational readiness” was an afterthought.

Here is a Bugatti Veron (arguably one of the marvels of the automotive industry) stuck on a speed breaker.

Even the best-engineered products will lose their relevance if they do not serve the purpose the product was built for (in this case, drive fast).

I have always been a champion of keeping an eye on the operational requirements from day 1 while building a product. When you want to land a great product and provide a great customer experience, you simply cannot ignore the operational aspects.

So next time around, if you are in a 1-hour meeting on product development/design, try wearing the operations hat for 10 minutes.

Believe me, you will see the merit of this when the final product is taken to the market.