--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A product needs to be sufficiently…" description: "\"A product needs to be sufficiently innovative to distinguish itself from the pack, but not so forward thinking as to alienate the user.\" — Reid Hoffman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/reid-hoffman-1342_forward-thinking_a-product-needs-to-be-sufficiently-innov_2987592.png" --- # A product needs to be sufficiently innovative to… ![“A product needs to be sufficiently innovative to distinguish itself from the pack, but not so forward thinking as to alienate the user.” quote by Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/reid-hoffman-1342_forward-thinking_a-product-needs-to-be-sufficiently-innov_2987592.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/reid-hoffman-1342_forward-thinking_a-product-needs-to-be-sufficiently-innov_2987592.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/reid-hoffman-1342_forward-thinking_a-product-needs-to-be-sufficiently-innov_2987592.png) > “A product needs to be sufficiently innovative to distinguish itself from the pack, but not so forward thinking as to alienate the user.” [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Product innovation must be distinct yet not so radical that users feel alienated. **In simple terms:** Balance novelty with familiarity. Key Takeaway Design user‑centric innovation. Themes innovation user experience design Mood analytical pragmatic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - tech startups - consumer goods - software development Key Concepts product strategy market fit Questions to Reflect On - How much novelty is too much? - What signals indicate user alienation? A Different Perspective Too much novelty can cause rejection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Distinguish Pack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinguish-pack-4678591/) [Forward thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forward-thinking/) [Innovative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovative/) [Innovative Distinguish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovative-distinguish-4678590/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Packs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/packs/) [Product Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/product-needs-1219150/) [Products](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/products/) [Sufficiently Innovative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sufficiently-innovative-4678589/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Users](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/users/) ## Related quotes > [“that every product needs a single, accountable product manager, who is responsible for the product definition (the combination of product requirements and user experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-cagan/that-every-product-needs-a-single-accountable-product-manager-who-is/) [Marty Cagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-cagan/) > [We create a product nobody needs but people want. You spend more for what you really want; some boring things you need: an ugly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lagerfeld/we-create-a-product-nobody-needs-but-people-want-you-spend-more-for-2/) [Karl Lagerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lagerfeld/) > [We create a product nobody needs but people want. You spend more for what you really want. Some boring things you need: an ugly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lagerfeld/we-create-a-product-nobody-needs-but-people-want-you-spend-more-for/) [Karl Lagerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lagerfeld/) > [I tend not to like an awful lot of what is going out under my name now because it is just all product. Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-tend-not-to-like-an-awful-lot-of-what-is-going-out-under-my-name/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [You cannot move forward if you are always thinking backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bathsheba-dailey/you-cannot-move-forward-if-you-are-always-thinking-backwards/) [Bathsheba Dailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bathsheba-dailey/) > [I think sometimes Richmond, especially the House of Delegates, thinks too small... Richmond is not doing what needs to be done, forward thinking, big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcauliffe/i-think-sometimes-richmond-especially-the-house-of-delegates-thinks/) [Terry McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcauliffe/) > [“Have a Plan B, and maybe even a Plan C. Because unexpected changes are most difficult to handle when we don't have a backup.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/have-a-plan-b-and-maybe-even-a-plan-c-because-unexpected-changes-are/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Despite the array of groups and organizations working on global warming, we are still missing a key element: the movement. Along with the hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/despite-the-array-of-groups-and-organizations-working-on-global/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [At its core, bitcoin is a smart currency designed by very forward-thinking engineers. It eliminates the need for banks, gets rid of credit card…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/at-its-core-bitcoin-is-a-smart-currency-designed-by-very-forward/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [In the long arc of time, you are only relevant if customers love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/in-the-long-arc-of-time-you-are-only-relevant-if-customers-love-you/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [ \[Michael\] Chabon is arguing in favor of what is at the same time an old-fashioned and very forward-thinking opening up - of taking off… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-barton/michael-chabon-is-arguing-in-favor-of-what-is-at-the-same-time-an-old/) [Emily Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-barton/) > [If we're talking about the urban landscape as an advanced, forward-thinking art form, there must be some intellectual thinking involved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/if-we-re-talking-about-the-urban-landscape-as-an-advanced-forward/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [It's not always the strong that survive. It takes brains, guts, tolerance and forward thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/it-s-not-always-the-strong-that-survive-it-takes-brains-guts/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [Congress should be forward thinking in the policies we set, instead of waiting until catastrophe looms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-frist/congress-should-be-forward-thinking-in-the-policies-we-set-instead-of/) [Bill Frist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-frist/) > [I don’t like to badmouth people. But I’m the head of a monarchy that began in the ninth century, and I’m apparently more modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-elizabeth-ii/i-don-t-like-to-badmouth-people-but-i-m-the-head-of-a-monarchy-that/) [Queen Elizabeth II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-elizabeth-ii/) ## More by Reid Hoffman > [As an entrepreneur and investor, I prioritize construction and collaboration. Whether it's a five-person start-up or a global giant, the companies that are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/as-an-entrepreneur-and-investor-i-prioritize-construction-and/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [In software speed to market, speed to learning is really key. In hardware if you screw it up you are dead. So accuracy really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/in-software-speed-to-market-speed-to-learning-is-really-key-in/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [“Stockpiling facts won’t get you anywhere. What will get you somewhere is being able to access the information you need, when you need it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/stockpiling-facts-won-t-get-you-anywhere-what-will-get-you-somewhere/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [I think the randomness by Donald Trump's governing, by tweeting, sloganeering, attacking, will create great chaos in the entire market. I think people will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/i-think-the-randomness-by-donald-trump-s-governing-by-tweeting/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Democracy is always frustrating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/democracy-is-always-frustrating/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [One of the ways they run forward is by viewing the thing they’re doing as something that’s going to be the whole world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/one-of-the-ways-they-run-forward-is-by-viewing-the-thing-they-re/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [If you could train an AI to be a Buddhist, it would probably be pretty good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/if-you-could-train-an-ai-to-be-a-buddhist-it-would-probably-be-pretty/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [It’s actually pretty easy to be contrarian. It’s hard to be contrarian and right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/it-s-actually-pretty-easy-to-be-contrarian-it-s-hard-to-be-contrarian/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Giving birth to something that could possibly change the lives of millions of people for possibly decades, hundreds of years, whatever the length of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/giving-birth-to-something-that-could-possibly-change-the-lives-of/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [The entrepreneurial journey starts with jumping off a cliff and assembling an airplane on the way down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-entrepreneurial-journey-starts-with-jumping-off-a-cliff-and/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Be persistent, and hang on to your vision. And at the same time, be flexible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/be-persistent-and-hang-on-to-your-vision-and-at-the-same-time-be/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [First mover Advantage doesn't go to the company that starts up, it goes to the company that scales up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/first-mover-advantage-doesn-t-go-to-the-company-that-starts-up-it/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Before dreaming about the future or marking plans, you need to articulate what you already have going for you - as entrepreneurs do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/before-dreaming-about-the-future-or-marking-plans-you-need-to/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [The metaphor that I frequently use for entrepreneurship is jumping off a cliff and assembling an airplane plane on the way down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-metaphor-that-i-frequently-use-for-entrepreneurship-is-jumping/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [ I think most of \[people\] are not very well educated themselves to understand the Winston Churchill line - democracy is the worst of all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/i-think-most-of-people-are-not-very-well-educated-themselves-to/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) [Explore all 253 Reid Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) ## More Forward thinking quotes > [I think sometimes Richmond, especially the House of Delegates, thinks too small... Richmond is not doing what needs to be done, forward thinking, big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcauliffe/i-think-sometimes-richmond-especially-the-house-of-delegates-thinks/) [Terry McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcauliffe/) > [“Have a Plan B, and maybe even a Plan C. Because unexpected changes are most difficult to handle when we don't have a backup.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/have-a-plan-b-and-maybe-even-a-plan-c-because-unexpected-changes-are/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [If we're talking about the urban landscape as an advanced, forward-thinking art form, there must be some intellectual thinking involved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/if-we-re-talking-about-the-urban-landscape-as-an-advanced-forward/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [You cannot move forward if you are always thinking backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bathsheba-dailey/you-cannot-move-forward-if-you-are-always-thinking-backwards/) [Bathsheba Dailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bathsheba-dailey/) > [Congress should be forward thinking in the policies we set, instead of waiting until catastrophe looms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-frist/congress-should-be-forward-thinking-in-the-policies-we-set-instead-of/) [Bill Frist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-frist/) > [It's not always the strong that survive. It takes brains, guts, tolerance and forward thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/it-s-not-always-the-strong-that-survive-it-takes-brains-guts/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [I don’t like to badmouth people. But I’m the head of a monarchy that began in the ninth century, and I’m apparently more modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-elizabeth-ii/i-don-t-like-to-badmouth-people-but-i-m-the-head-of-a-monarchy-that/) [Queen Elizabeth II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-elizabeth-ii/) > [ \[Michael\] Chabon is arguing in favor of what is at the same time an old-fashioned and very forward-thinking opening up - of taking off… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-barton/michael-chabon-is-arguing-in-favor-of-what-is-at-the-same-time-an-old/) [Emily Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-barton/) > [In the long arc of time, you are only relevant if customers love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/in-the-long-arc-of-time-you-are-only-relevant-if-customers-love-you/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [At its core, bitcoin is a smart currency designed by very forward-thinking engineers. It eliminates the need for banks, gets rid of credit card…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/at-its-core-bitcoin-is-a-smart-currency-designed-by-very-forward/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [Despite the array of groups and organizations working on global warming, we are still missing a key element: the movement. Along with the hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/despite-the-array-of-groups-and-organizations-working-on-global/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [I was raised by the Christian Brothers, who believe in that, fortunately. They were, to me, the most rebellious arm of the Catholic Church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/i-was-raised-by-the-christian-brothers-who-believe-in-that/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [I like Jay-Z for his lyrics, his flow; he's always forward thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kano/i-like-jay-z-for-his-lyrics-his-flow-he-s-always-forward-thinking/) [Kano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kano/) > [“Forward-thinking means to focus on the future, even a few steps ahead, to build the long-term prosperity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/forward-thinking-means-to-focus-on-the-future-even-a-few-steps-ahead/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [Each season I strive to design a forward-thinking and effortless collection with a very clean minimalist aesthetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/each-season-i-strive-to-design-a-forward-thinking-and-effortless/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) [Browse all 67 Forward thinking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forward-thinking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A product needs to be sufficiently innovative to distinguish itself from the pack, but not so forward thinking as to alienate the user.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Reid Hoffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/a-product-needs-to-be-sufficiently-innovative-to-distinguish-itself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forward thinking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/a-product-needs-to-be-sufficiently-innovative-to-distinguish-itself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/reid-hoffman-1342_forward-thinking_a-product-needs-to-be-sufficiently-innov_2987592.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/reid-hoffman-1342_forward-thinking_a-product-needs-to-be-sufficiently-innov_2987592.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/reid-hoffman-1342_forward-thinking_a-product-needs-to-be-sufficiently-innov_2987592.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A product needs to be sufficiently innovative to distinguish itself from the pack, but not so forward…” — Reid Hoffman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Reid Hoffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A product needs to be sufficiently...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/a-product-needs-to-be-sufficiently-innovative-to-distinguish-itself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/a-product-needs-to-be-sufficiently-innovative-to-distinguish-itself/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```