byo/build-your-own-product/lessons/lesson-05 · Build and release · Lesson 5 of 6
Design failure states
Make waiting, errors, empty data, and recovery feel intentional.
Why it matters
A useful build starts with a clear decision. Make waiting, errors, empty data, and recovery feel intentional.
Build it
Make the smallest version visible, ask what a real person needs next, and leave the surrounding system simpler than you found it.
Practice
Write down one concrete change you can make today. Keep the scope small enough to finish before your next interruption.
Next
Carry that evidence into the next lesson instead of adding work by instinct.