Squishy

Sometimes we encounter questions in business that feel impossible to answer.

Which can be frustrating because finding the answers feels "squishy"

Like there's no "right" answer.

Or no strictly knowable answer.

Questions like:

• What is our solution actually worth to our customers?

• Should we offer discounts, or will it hurt our brand long-term?

• What’s the right price to balance churn, costs, and competition?

• Which features will keep clients happy while optimizing our budget?

• What vendor terms save the most money without causing inventory issues?

• When should we hire a new developer to keep up without overloading the team?

• How can we predict sales when they depend on seasons, trends, and team capacity?

When you encounter questions like these,

(Especially if you're a former engineer who hates squishy questions and answers)

I invite you to consider an alternative view:

Is the answer actually squishy and unknowable?

Or are there simply a bunch more variables at play

Than you're currently able to process?

If it makes you feel any better, many of these squishy questions and answers ARE technically knowable,

If you care to take the time to break down all the factors and conduct a multiple regression analysis.

But, unless you're more comfortable with working in R than you are with learning by doing,

You may just be better off doing like the rest of us:

Calculating a "good enough" estimate,

Running tests in the market,

And going with what works.

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