Khichdi is not just a classic Indian comfort food—it’s a masterclass in product management principles brought to the kitchen. Imagine a dish that began with the simplest possible ingredients, solved a genuine need, and over centuries evolved and adapted through continuous “user feedback” from every region and community in India. For a product manager, khichdi is the perfect metaphor: it started as a minimum viable product, focused relentlessly on user outcomes (nourishment, comfort, ease), and became endlessly customizable—all while maintaining its core value and universal appeal. Khichdi’s journey mirrors the essential lessons of great product management: start simple, listen and iterate, adapt for scale, and always keep the user at the center of every decision.
A product manager can learn several profound lessons from khichdi, India’s timeless comfort food, about building and scaling great products:
1. Start with a Strong MVP
Khichdi’s origins are as a “minimum viable product”—just rice and lentils. Start simple, validate with core users, and ensure your product delivers fundamental value before layering on complexity.
2. Customer-Centric Customization
Every region in India tweaks khichdi to local tastes—adding vegetables, spices, or ghee. Like khichdi, strong products evolve by listening to user feedback and adapting features for diverse needs.
3. Simplicity Scales
Khichdi’s enduring appeal lies in its simplicity and ease of preparation. Products that are straightforward and user-friendly are more likely to be adopted widely and stand the test of time.
4. Resourceful Flexibility
Khichdi adapts to whatever ingredients are on hand. High-performing product managers use available resources creatively, pivoting and iterating when faced with constraints.
5. Single Pot, Many Flavors—Integrated Solutions
Just as khichdi combines everything in one pot, products offering integrated solutions (versus fragmented tools) often provide more value and a smoother user experience.
6. Solves Real Pain Points
Khichdi provides comfort, nutrition, and solves the hassle of cooking multiple dishes—meeting genuine user needs. The best products emerge from a direct understanding of real problems.
7. Enduring, Not Trend-Driven
While khichdi can be modernized, its core never changes. Sustainable products anchor their identity in a fundamental promise, even as features are updated or optimized.
8. Iterate with Feedback Loops
Across centuries, khichdi improved via constant local experimentation and feedback—mirroring agile methodologies and the power of fast iterations based on user input.
9. Accessible to All
Khichdi is beloved by rich and poor alike: affordable, available, and inclusive. Products win when they are accessible, usable, and relevant to wide user segments.
10. Comfort in Uncertain Times
People turn to khichdi in illness or stress; the best products are reliable companions, providing comfort, consistency, and trust no matter the situation.