Why Skipping User Needs Turns Innovation into Imitation

Let’s cut to the chase:

If you’re writing requirements after the prototype is done, you’re not managing — you’re documenting failure.

At 2B Consulting, we’ve seen too many projects rush into specs, draw from competitor datasheets, throw in a few buzzwords, and call it product design.

And the result?
Another “me too” device that nobody loves, few understand, and even fewer buy.

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1. Timing Isn’t Everything — It’s the Only Thing

Good requirement management is not a formality.
It’s the architectural blueprint that holds the product vision together.

Do it too late, and you’re just reverse-engineering what you already half-built.
Do it on time, and it becomes your navigation tool: what’s critical, what’s optional, and what should be left on the whiteboard.

It brings clarity to:

• Priorities
• Risks
• Development scope
• Communication between software, hardware, assay, and regulatory

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2. The Trap of “We Know What They Want”

Here’s the dirty secret behind many failed medtech and diagnostics products:
They were built for the specs — not for the people.

Copy-paste specs from a market leader’s brochure, and you might match them on paper.
But unless you deeply understand the user, you’ll never build something that’s loved.

True innovation comes from uncovering:

• Unspoken pains
• Workarounds users won’t admit to
• Implied needs that even the customer hasn’t articulated yet

These are the seeds of killer products. The ones that don’t just compete — they own their category for a decade.

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3. “Must-Have” vs. “Nice-to-Have” — The Million-Euro Distinction

Not all features are equal. But without structured requirements, everything feels urgent — and soon your project collapses under complexity.

Great requirement work separates:

• What you must deliver
• What you should deliver
• And what you can deliver if time, budget, and sanity allow

Done right, this creates alignment — not just within the team, but across stakeholders, suppliers, and even regulators.

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2B Consulting Can Help You Get It Right — From Day One

We don’t just help teams write requirements.
We help them ask better questions.
The kind of questions that prevent wasted months, misaligned teams, and forgettable products.

With decades of experience in regulated environments, diagnostics, low-power electronics, embedded systems, and IP strategy, we help you build the right thing — not just build the thing right.

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Let’s rethink your product’s foundation.