The Value of Real Data in Software Development

Before anything ships at 37signals, the team puts it to the test—by using it themselves. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast, co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about the importance of dogfooding, or using your own product before handing it off to customers. They share how this practice keeps them close to the real problems, and sometimes even kills off ideas that just don’t hold up.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:27 – Why every 37signals product is used internally before it ships
• 07:15 – Who makes the final call after internal feedback comes in
• 12:44 – The importance of building things you’ll actually use
• 16:48 – Some products and features don’t make it past internal testing

Links and Resources:

• “Doing what you think, not what you thought” from Jason Fried’s HEY World
• Get Basecamp for free at Basecamp.com
• Books by 37signals
• HEY World | HEY
• REWORK podcast merch
• The REWORK podcast
• The Rework Podcast on YouTube
• The 37signals Dev Blog
• 37signals on YouTube
• @37signals on X