Reality over Narrative

Don Quixote saw giants. Sancho saw windmills.

This is the central metaphor of Sancho PM. The world is full of PMs who attack imaginary enemies, chase phantom opportunities, and build for fictional users. The best PMs see clearly.

What This Means in Practice

• Talk to users before building for them
• Acknowledge when the data contradicts your beliefs
• Distinguish between what you know and what you assume
• Seek disconfirming evidence, not just validation

The Anti-Pattern

You’re violating this pillar when you:

• Build what you want users to want
• Ignore data that contradicts your vision
• Dismiss negative feedback as “edge cases”
• Confuse confidence with correctness

The Mantra

“Those are not giants but windmills.” — Sancho Panza

See clearly. Act accordingly.