--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An agreed-on language is fundamental to…" description: "\"“An agreed-on language is fundamental to success in any discipline, yet confusion has permeated product development because companies continue to defin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/anthony-ulwick-38456_different-types_an-agreed-on-language-is-fundamental-to_2605910.jpg" --- # An agreed-on language is fundamental to success in any… ![“An agreed-on language is fundamental to success in any discipline, yet confusion has permeated product development because companies continue to define "requirements" as any kind of customer input: customer wants, needs, benefits, solutions, ideas, desires, demands, specifications, and so on. But…” quote by Anthony Ulwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/anthony-ulwick-38456_different-types_an-agreed-on-language-is-fundamental-to_2605910.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/anthony-ulwick-38456_different-types_an-agreed-on-language-is-fundamental-to_2605910.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/anthony-ulwick-38456_different-types_an-agreed-on-language-is-fundamental-to_2605910.jpg) > ““An agreed-on language is fundamental to success in any discipline, yet confusion has permeated product development because companies continue to define "requirements" as any kind of customer input: customer wants, needs, benefits, solutions, ideas, desires, demands, specifications, and so on. But really, those are all different types of inputs, none of which can be used predictably to ensure success.”” [Anthony Ulwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ulwick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Clear terminology is essential; conflating varied customer inputs creates confusion and hampers product success. **In simple terms:** Clear language matters; mixing inputs confuses product work. Key Takeaway Define and separate input types. Themes communication product development clarity Mood analytical pragmatic Type advisory instructional When to use this quote - product design meetings - market research - requirements workshops Key Concepts systems thinking taxonomy innovation management Questions to Reflect On - How can teams balance precise language with creative freedom? - What processes ensure input types stay distinct? A Different Perspective Over‑categorizing can stifle creativity and flexibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agreed Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agreed-language-1985685/) [Define Requirements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-requirements-1985682/) [Demands Specifications](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demands-specifications-1985684/) [Different types](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-types/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Product development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/product-development/) [Requirements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requirements/) [Requirements Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requirements-kind-1985683/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“The point is best made by stating that not all systems are requirements-driven, at least, not driven by formal written requirements of the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-hatley/the-point-is-best-made-by-stating-that-not-all-systems-are/) [Derek Hatley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-hatley/) > [“Rule No. 2: Pair Customer Development with Agile Development Customer Development is useless unless the product development organization can iterate the product with speed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-gary-blank/rule-no-2-pair-customer-development-with-agile-development-customer/) [Steven Gary Blank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-gary-blank/) > [“Product development has become a faster, more flexible process, where radically better products don’t stand on the shoulders of giants, but on the shoulders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/product-development-has-become-a-faster-more-flexible-process-where/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [Before I became the president of AT&T's consumer division, I was running strategy and our internet services, so I was the president of one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schulman/before-i-became-the-president-of-at-t-s-consumer-division-i-was/) [Dan Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schulman/) > [In our product development cycle, we ask and listen to our customer about what she wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-weiss/in-our-product-development-cycle-we-ask-and-listen-to-our-customer/) [Emily Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-weiss/) > [“Chapter 4 concludes by pointing out that an additional incentive can drive individual user-innovators to innovate rather than buy: they may value the process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/chapter-4-concludes-by-pointing-out-that-an-additional-incentive-can/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“They could see the economic attractiveness of being able to strip out the burgeoning brand-related costs from manufacturer brands and make a very good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-thain/they-could-see-the-economic-attractiveness-of-being-able-to-strip-out/) [Greg Thain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-thain/) > [Slow parents understand that childrearing should not be a cross between a competitive sport and product-development. 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