PLANNING
Shiny Object Syndrome
How chasing new ideas can derail product focus
A new idea makes quite a scene,
It’s flashy, exciting, and keen,
But each pet project’s sway
Leads the roadmap astray,
And the product’s left caught in between.
"Shiny Object Syndrome" refers to the tendency to chase after the latest exciting idea, often at the expense of existing priorities. These are usually distractions for product teams, as they constantly steer off course to explore the next new thing, leaving projects half-finished and core objectives ignored.
Symptoms
Frequent “Pivots” with Little Explanation. Every new leadership idea immediately finds its way into the roadmap, and existing projects are paused or canceled.
Pressure to Constantly Innovate. While innovation is crucial, over-focusing on what’s new can lead to neglecting the fundamentals — such as improving current features, listening to existing customer needs, and scaling the product properly.
Unfinished Features and Half-Baked Ideas. The product is filled with "cool" features that aren’t fully developed or user-tested because the team keeps moving on to the next new thing.
Lack of Clear, Long-Term Vision. When the focus is constantly changing, it’s hard for the product team and other stakeholders to understand the product’s long-term direction or key objectives.
Consequences
Vision Dilution and Loss of Strategic Focus. Jumping on every shiny object diverts focus from the long-term product vision, resulting in a scattered product that lacks a coherent narrative or cohesive value proposition.
Stalled Development Cycles. Each new idea introduced means existing work is put on hold. This constant pivoting not only delays progress but also disrupts the development cycle, making it difficult to deliver on previous commitments.
Waste of Resources and Effort. By frequently shifting focus, teams spend time and resources on projects that may never see the light of day or aren’t given the proper attention to become fully functional.
Customer Frustration and Disconnection. When teams focus too much on shiny, unproven features, core functionality may suffer, resulting in customer dissatisfaction and a product that doesn’t meet user needs.
Recommendations
Stick to a Prioritization Framework. Every new idea, regardless of its origin, should go through the same prioritization process. The IDEAS framework ensures features are evaluated based on impact, effort, and strategic alignment before being added to the roadmap.
Communicate Trade-offs and Opportunity Costs. Clearly communicate to leadership what is being delayed or deprioritized to make room for a new idea. Show how changing focus impacts timelines, costs, and the ability to meet core goals.
Timebox Exploration and Testing of New Ideas. If a new idea seems promising, allocate a fixed amount of time for the team to test its feasibility before fully committing to it. A short exploration period helps determine if the shiny object is worth pursuing further without risking ongoing work.
Encourage Discipline Around Strategy. Help senior leaders see the bigger picture by keeping the product’s core goals front and center. Regularly revisit the long-term product vision to ensure new ideas align with established objectives.
While new ideas and innovations are the lifeblood of any product, chasing every "shiny object" can lead to a loss of focus, half-baked features, and an inconsistent product strategy. By establishing a disciplined approach to evaluating new ideas and balancing them with existing priorities, product teams can maintain focus and build meaningful solutions that align with their vision.
You might like to read
Prioritization using IDEAS/E
Prioritization is a critical skill used for many of the items in your product playbook.