Last weekend, I took a family vacation to South Padre Island. After weeks of drought and record temps, sparkling blue water seemed like just what the doctor ordered.

Driving through South Texas, we passed countless corn fields in various states of distress. Some yellow and crispy, some already mowed down. In some fields, we saw a cloud of dust trailing a tractor as it was in the act of clearing the dead crop.

Cutting their losses. Literally.

For a farmer who has prepped the land and sowed acres of corn, it's disappointing to realize that the crop is beyond salvage. But it's important to make the call, so that they're not throwing good money after bad.

Luckily for farmers, there comes a point when those dried stalks are decisive and unambiguous.

Product teams do not have the same advantage. When something turns out like we’ve been imagining it, our crop looks healthy. The closest thing we have is preliminary research. Only by talking with users can you learn whether or not they actually find your idea (and your implementation) useful.

Like a responsible farmer, a product leader must cut investment in the paths that are unlikely to bear fruit.

In the absence of dried stalks, research is key. The better you understand user needs, the less likely you are to design (or worse, build) something users don’t actually use.

It's tough to cancel plans for flows and features we've already invested in, just like it’s tough to mow down the fields. But if a plan isn’t going to satisfy users, it’s better to realize it fast. It can save untold sums in the long run.

This week, I challenge you to think like the farmers of South Texas. Get the info you need to make a smart call on the viability of your initiatives. Make the tough calls.

And if you need a partner or guide for user research, we know a great team! (Wink, wink!)