How the 10/10/10 Rule can Lead to Better Product Decisions

Teresa Torres describes a common product dilemma: a few at-risk customers request a feature that doesn't fit the product's strategy and may have more perceived than actual value. She argues that the hardest part is not the analysis but the emotions (fear, frustration, loss aversion) that distort the decision. To create distance, she borrows the 10/10/10 tool from the Heath brothers' book Decisive, asking how you'd feel about the decision in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years. This matters because it gives product leaders a simple, repeatable way to separate short-term pressure from long-term product direction.

01Key takeaways

• When facing pressure from at-risk customers, first separate the emotional reaction from the analytical assessment.
• Use the 10/10/10 question: how will I feel about this decision in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years?
• Short-term resistance may reflect ego, such as not having thought of the idea, rather than real harm.
• Protecting a differentiated product can justify losing some customers over the longer horizon.
• Check whether a feature's perceived value is backed by actual usage before building it.

02Key sections

The at-risk customer dilemma

A few important customers threaten to leave over a missing feature that conflicts with the product's direction. The author notes the feature is rarely used, so its value is largely perceived.

Good questions, but the emotional trap

Standard questions about segment fit and churn risk matter, but the author focuses on how emotion such as fear and loss aversion can cloud the decision.

Applying the 10/10/10 rule

Imagine having built the feature and check how you'd feel at 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years. Short-term reactions may reveal stubbornness, while longer horizons reveal what truly matters.

Focusing on the long haul

The 10-year lens helps separate details that feel critical now from those that are insignificant over time, supporting a differentiated product.

03From the post

“This post is part of a series about making better product decisions. Three customers are at risk today. You don't have a feature they want and your sales team is concerned they will switch to your competitor's product who does have the requested feature. What do you do?”

04Frameworks mentioned

Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.