Too many founders start with an idea and then, possibly by no fault of their own, they end up in production. What they have not done is define a vision.
Vision is the step between idea and production. It only becomes clear if you take the time to work on it early, before you move forward with the rest of discovery.
A useful way to frame it is this: “Product vision defines the overarching purpose of a product. It outlines what the product aims to achieve for users and how it supports their needs. It captures where the product is headed and why it matters.”
That definition is useful because it sets the tone. It is about purpose, direction, and meaning. It does not dictate features or steps. That is the point. A vision gives you a boundary line. It points to a destination while leaving space for design, development and iteration to shape the journey.
When I say products need vision, I mean exactly this. Before you move into discovery or prototyping or pushing pixels, you must land on a vision that says why you are building, gives a sense of the future state, and shows who benefits, how, and why it matters.
From there everything you do, the concepts, the detail work, the engineering decisions, should be measured against that vision. If a decision does not move you closer, you question it. And when disagreements happen, which they will, the vision is the referee you return to.
I have worked for myself, in large agencies, in-house, and with product agencies that were more dev shops than product makers. If I have learned anything in my career it is that the lack of vision is why so many products fail.
If all you do is deliver, then most of the time you deliver shit. Because shit in is shit out. If you take the time to craft your idea into a vision that is grounded in input, it becomes something of possibility. It is not just a good idea, it is an informed idea wrapped in creativity and reality.
Vision is defined and articulated in a way that can bring people along the journey whether they are a designer, an engineer, or someone with business chops. It gives everyone an inspiring north star, something they can hold onto as they consider what is possible. It informs the concept, the details, and the ultimate plan forward long before pixels are pushed and code is hacked together.
It is something you can receive, rehearse, and regurgitate over and over again, convincing yourselves and the people around you to be part of something with purpose.
What happens in dev shops without vision is predictable. Everyone builds their own version of what they think the founder meant. The work drifts. The product becomes a patchwork, not a unified whole. By making vision explicit, grounded in input and articulated clearly, you give people something to rally around. You turn disagreement into progress. You make trade offs easier.
So next time you have a good idea, before you jump into lovable with dreams of putting out the next Airbnb, Uber, or Tinder, take the time to get rooted in some wisdom. Craft something with passion and with a strategy grounded in vision.