Click, Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, 2025
In Click, Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky provide a practical framework for building products that actually work—products that “click” with customers. The book introduces the founding hypothesis framework and a two-day foundation sprint process to help teams identify the right customer, problem, approach, and differentiation before building anything. It’s a systematic approach to avoid the common pitfalls of unclear markets, fake problems, long-shot approaches, and differentiation that nobody cares about.
Top 3 Learnings:
The founding hypothesis framework prevents wasted effort. Before building anything, clearly articulate: who is your customer, what real problem are you solving, how will you solve it, who are you competing against, and why is your solution different? Most products fail because they start with flawed assumptions in one of these areas. Successful products like Gmail, Blue Bottle Coffee, and Slack all started with clear answers to these questions.
Extreme differentiation is non-negotiable. Create a 2x2 chart with extreme differentiation—you want to be alone in your quadrant, otherwise nobody will switch. Use classic differentiators like slow vs. fast, difficult vs. easy, complicated vs. simple, or manual vs. automatic. When pitching, use two axes, not ten arguments. Turn your differentiators into practical principles that guide decision-making.
Experiment with tiny loops, not MVPs. Even MVPs take too long—design sprints are faster. The goal is confidence to stop sprinting and start building. Prototype anything, focus on risks, prove the story first, test multiple prototypes head-to-head, face the competition, and repeat until it clicks. Watch for reactions, not just answers.
Why and when to read it:
Read this when you’re starting a new product or feature and want to avoid building something nobody wants. It’s especially valuable for product teams, founders, and anyone responsible for deciding what to build. The book provides a structured, sprint-based approach that forces clarity before commitment, making it perfect for teams that tend to jump into building too quickly or struggle with product-market fit.