At many companies, the minimum viable product (MVP) mindset has become gospel. Two-week sprints and “move fast, break things” slogans keep teams iterating, but they can also trap organizations in a cycle of incrementalism—producing updates that are safe but forgettable.

No surprise, then, that the Product Development and Management Association reports roughly 40% of product launches still flop—usually because they half-solve the problem or under-delight the user. In study after study, executives acknowledge a frustrating gap: many of their offerings are just “good enough” to compete, even though they recognize that true differentiation is what drives long-term profit and loyalty.

We approach this challenge from both the studio and the boardroom, and we’ve learned from artists that “good

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