https://www.reddit.com/r/SaaS/comments/1o0dd4j/most_saas_features_flop_because_nobody_checks_if/

I keep noticing the same thing across SaaS teams — months go into building a “big new feature,” and when it launches… almost no one uses it.

One founder told me their team spent three months and nearly ₹35 lakh worth of dev time on a feature that flopped. It delayed their roadmap by a quarter and crushed morale.

Turns out, this isn’t rare:

CB Insights reports 35% of startups fail because they build something no one wants.

Pendo shows 80% of features in software products rarely or never get used.

So how do the teams that succeed avoid this? They validate ideas before building — often in just five days.

Here’s a 5-day approach I’ve seen work:

Day 1 – Talk to users, not your team

Have 5–8 conversations with people who actually experience the problem. Real talk beats assumptions every time.

Day 2 – Sketch multiple approaches

Don’t settle for the first idea. Make 5–6 rough sketches — pen and paper, whiteboard, whatever. One of the best-performing features I’ve seen came from a sketch the team initially laughed at.

Day 3 – Prioritize with intent

Use a simple impact-confidence grid. Only move forward with ideas that are high impact and have strong user validation.

Day 4 – Prototype without coding

Use clickable mockups, Loom walkthroughs, or slide decks. Test ideas in a way that feels real but doesn’t require months of engineering.

Day 5 – Watch users interact

Give the prototype to a handful of users and silently observe. Don’t explain. What they struggle with is the feedback that actually matters.

Why it works: