[ricardobeat]

Seems far-fetched to assume that this thesis applies to product development just the same?

The impact a data-driven mindset can have on the organization cannot be understated ('RIP intrinsic motivation' section). I've seen it first-hand, both data being used as cop-out for bad leadership, meaningless 'successes' used as trading cards for promotions, and design experts having a decade of experience overridden by shaky statistical analysis, or worse, non-inferiority tests.

Meanwhile, the shortcomings in the product that everyone knows are rarely addressed because they are 'difficult to test'.