Co-Creation Product Development

Build products with alpha users, not just for them

David Singleton
Building a culture of excellence | David Singleton (CTO of Stripe)

Co-Creation Product Development

"We decided to co-create the product with them. So we had shared Slack channels, we'd actually show them product on a very regular basis, get their feedback on it. And only when that original kind of Alpha group was super, super happy with the product did we then think it might be ready to go to a broader audience." - David Singleton

What It Is

Co-creation product development is an approach where you identify the right early users and literally build the product alongside them rather than building for them and hoping they adopt it. Instead of traditional beta testing where users evaluate a nearly-complete product, co-creation involves users throughout the entire development process through continuous feedback loops.

This approach was central to how Stripe built products like Stripe Billing, where they identified companies like Figma and Slack who were already pushing the boundaries of what was possible with Stripe's payments infrastructure. These companies had subscription business models and needs that would become increasingly common.

The key insight is that the product only moves to general availability when the alpha group is "super, super happy" - not just satisfied, but genuinely delighted.

How It Works

  1. Identify the right alpha users: Find existing users who are pushing the boundaries of your current product and represent where the market is heading. They should have needs that many future users will also have.

  2. Create direct communication channels: Set up shared Slack channels or other direct lines of communication between your development team and the alpha users' teams.

  3. Show work frequently: Share product progress on a very regular basis - not just finished features, but work in progress.

  4. Get specific feedback: Gather feedback on whether the product solves their actual problems, not just whether features work technically.

  5. Wait for delight: Only consider the product ready for broader release when the alpha group is genuinely excited, not merely satisfied.

How to Apply It

Actionable steps for implementing co-creation product development:

  1. Audit your user base - Identify 3-5 users who are already stretching your product's capabilities and represent future market direction
  2. Establish tight communication - Create shared Slack channels or regular syncs with key stakeholders from each alpha company
  3. Show early, show often - Share designs, prototypes, and work-in-progress regularly, not just polished demos
  4. Build with their context - Have your engineers and PMs deeply understand each alpha user's specific challenges and goals
  5. Define "super happy" - Establish clear criteria for what delighted looks like before moving to broader release

When to Use It

  • When building a new product or major product expansion
  • When the market is evolving rapidly and you need to stay ahead
  • When you have existing users who represent future market needs
  • When building developer-focused or B2B products where deep feedback matters
  • When quality and fit matter more than speed to market

Source

  • Guest: David Singleton
  • Episode: "Building a culture of excellence | David Singleton (CTO of Stripe)"
  • Key Discussion: (00:00:00) - Opening discussion about Stripe's product development approach
  • YouTube: Watch on YouTube

Related Frameworks

  • Reference Customer Development - Similar concept of building with customers
  • Friction Logging - Systematic feedback on user experience
  • Minimum Lovable Product - Focus on delight over minimum viability
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