Why Sequence hasn't launched yet

The Nugget

  • Sequence, a video editing tool, hasn't launched yet due to perfectionism in design, the complexity of the technology which requires custom implementations, and the team's focus on solving real problems in post-production workflows to create a top-tier product.

Make it stick

  • 🛠️ Perfectionism in design: Spending time on the little details to ensure smooth user experience.
  • 🧠 Complex technology: Building a capable tool requires custom implementations and specific technology choices.
  • 💡 Solving real problems: Focusing on solving issues in post-production workflows to create a valuable product.
  • 🚀 Iterating quickly: Planning to roll out the tool in smaller chunks to meet user expectations effectively.

Key insights

Perfectionism in Design

  • The team's perfectionism in design, prioritizing high-quality design and functionality to meet or exceed industry standards, has led to a delay in launching Sequence.
  • The focus on minute details like timeline interactions, drag-and-drop functionalities, and animations aims to provide a seamless and delightful user experience.

Complexity of Technology

  • The sheer complexity of the technology behind Sequence, described as "the most psychotic way to build a video editor," has been a significant challenge in the development process.
  • Custom implementations were necessary to achieve the desired level of functionality and capability, contributing to the time-consuming nature of the project.

Solving Real Problems

  • The team is dedicated to solving real problems in post-production workflows to ensure that Sequence addresses the needs of users effectively.
  • By rolling out updates in smaller increments, they aim to iterate quickly and build a comprehensive tool that enhances the editing process.

Go-to-Market Strategy

  • The team's focus is now on the go-to-market strategy, with upcoming projects aimed at improving editor functionalities and meeting user needs.
  • They plan to engage with users to understand their requirements and iterate rapidly to deliver a product that aligns with user expectations.

Key quotes

  • "Perfectionism could definitely sink this ship, but I think we're really inspired by other products that have a high bar of good design."
  • "We've taken technology choices that are going to enable the most capable tool, but it is a little bit slower to build."
  • "We want to roll this out in smaller chunks, solve real problems that you have in the post-production workflow, and iterate quickly on those."
  • "Currently, we don't sit either as like a full-frame I/O or a full Adobe Premiere, so what we want to do is figure out what we are really, really good at that those other things can't do."
  • "You've kept this thing going for almost four years now, which is a crazy long time in the tech world to have not launched a product yet."
This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.