Before a tech founder can begin to build and develop their product, they must select their framework – the layered structure on which their tech product is built. A framework offers a standardized approach to building a tech product, offering consistency, scalability, and maintainability over time.
Our CEO, Stanislav Synko, breaks down the selection of a framework by product type and explains that choosing the proper framework at the right time is the key to getting a tech product to market more efficiently and with the greatest chance of success. Here, we explain the different framework types and provide examples of each to give an idea of the options available to non-technical founders.
Before choosing a framework for a tech product, it’s essential for founders to understand which of the three types of tech products theirs falls into.
Simple products can be developed by a small team or an individual without specialized technical expertise, such as e-commerce platforms, content-focused websites, or media outlets.
Custom products are personalized software solutions that meet the specific needs of a business and often require the guidance of agencies or venture studios with CTO-level experience. Examples of custom products include Airbnb and Booking.com, which took an existing business model and added their unique spin.
Wild products are complete innovations or inventions that require cutting-edge technologies like AI or blockchain. These products require a significant investment of time, money, and expertise. However, if successful, wild products can revolutionize entire industries and create new markets.
With an understanding of their product type, founders can select and apply the framework that is best suited to their needs.
The beauty of building a simple product is that it can be taken from ideation to implementation with little to no budget by bootstrapping. Since the technology is not unique or defensible, there is no need to hire a development shop or even a CTO.
Founders can use no-code platforms and AI automation that have a learning curve upfront but ultimately run by themselves. Examples of existing frameworks include platforms like Zapier, Mailchimp, WordPress, and Squarespace.
These simple frameworks require research and learning upfront to understand how they work and how to use them effectively. This may include reading documentation, watching tutorials, or seeking advice from online forums.
But once the framework is understood, it can be put together quickly and easily, allowing founders to focus on growing their business without getting bogged down in the technical details.
Founders who are building products with needs that can’t be met by off-the-shelf solutions need a custom framework. However, building a custom framework requires a high level of technical expertise and can be time-consuming and expensive.
This is where working with an agency or venture studio like Aleph One can be effective, as they usually have someone with CTO-level experience who can help guide the development process and ensure that the framework meets the needs of the startup.
Working with a CTO is essential at the start of the product life cycle, but it is not a full-time job. Startups that choose to hire a full-time CTO will need to ensure that person can take on many roles in the project, from writing code and managing infrastructure to product and budget management.
Agile methodology is commonly used when building custom frameworks, with Scrum and Kanban being two popular team management systems that can be employed to manage the development process. Scrum is ideal for larger teams, while Kanban offers greater flexibility and is better suited to early-stage projects.
Employing these frameworks can ensure the most effective use of resources in the most efficient way possible, streamlining the development process and helping to bring the custom product to market more quickly.
Business process automation platforms such as JIRA, Hubspot, Kissflow, and Salesforce can also be beneficial in automating lead generation processes and improving customer success.
However, these platforms can be costly and are better suited for products that have reached the MVP stage and have experienced customer success.
Founders with wild product types generally need to create their own frameworks. Since what they are creating doesn’t exist, neither does a foundation to build it on. While simple and custom components can be used in building wild tech products, it is important to create new frameworks that cater to the specific needs of the product.
Working with a CTO is absolutely necessary for a wild tech product. In fact, the CTO should be a rockstar, as they define and run every aspect of the product.
It’s not uncommon to work with an agency for one specific aspect of a wild product but, on the whole, an agency should not be put in charge of taking the product from ideation to implementation.
Venture studios and accelerators can also provide valuable support but, overall, these types of products require a great deal of innovation and tech expertise that can only be found in someone with CTO-level experience.
Any framework can be a poor choice if it is selected at the wrong time. For example, if a small team–a founder and an agency, or a founder and a couple of engineers–is building a product and they use a framework like Scrum, it would be a waste of time and resources.
Scrum is meant for a larger, scaled team and would not be the best solution for a startup at the beginning stages of the product life cycle.
It’s essential for founders to understand both their product type and the framework that is best suited for their particular stage of development.
There is immeasurable value in partnering with a team of experts in the tech industry as a startup founder. The right partner can provide guidance and support in navigating the complex landscape of software development, offer access to resources such as funding, partnerships, and industry connections that can help accelerate the process of bringing a product to market and help founders avoid common pitfalls, and stay ahead of the competition.
Ultimately, the right mentor can be a key driver of success for tech startups, helping them turn their ideas into reality and achieve their goals. If you’re looking for a technical team to help scale your custom product, schedule a consultation with Aleph One and see how we can help fund and build a scalable solution.
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