Stop sheltering your developers
If you don't expose engineers to customers, you are leaving money on the table. Lots.
“But they just want to code!”
No.
They are humans.
They are naturally wired for connection and empathy.
They just want to help.
Code is their medium.
Code is *how* they help, how they contribute.
Cross-functional, empowered product teams—in which engineers are usually the majority of people—are *creative* teams.
The users are their muse.
Do not block creatives from their muse.
The best product ideas usually come from engineers with direct exposure to user challenges.
If you don’t enable that access, you will never find the best product ideas.
And you are leaving incredible value on the table.