The Taste-Driven Core Model

Overview

A product development philosophy that removes metrics/KPIs from core product teams, relying instead on founder intuition ("Taste"), long-term vision, and technical quality.

Core principle: Make the best product first, make money second. Never reverse them.

The Hierarchy

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                         100-YEAR VISION                         │
│                        (The North Star)                         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                     TASTE & INTUITION                           │
│              (The "Okay-to" Review Process)                     │
│         Every release reviewed by leadership via video          │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                 TECHNICAL ARCHITECTURE                          │
│               (The "How" Enables Optionality)                   │
│       Spend time debating architecture, not just shipping       │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Key Principles

Principle	Description
No KPIs for core	Metrics are banned for brand-defining work
Taste over data	Founder intuition drives decisions
"Okay-to" reviews	Leadership approves via video demos
Aim heavy	Build 100-year solution, not A/B test winner

When to Apply

Core product defining brand identity
Long-term architectural decisions
Work requiring deep technical integrity

Common Mistakes

Demanding KPIs for every feature
Letting A/B tests decide product direction
Compromising architecture to ship faster