Priz Guru Drives Behavior Change in Engineering Teams

One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves in product development is that problem-solving is a moment in time — something we do when we hit a wall.

The reality? It’s everything. It’s continuous. It’s cultural. And most engineering teams aren't wired for it.

That’s the insight I couldn’t stop thinking about after chatting with Alex Agulyansky, founder of Priz Guru, on SaaS Founder Stories. His platform helps engineering teams build what he calls “engineering thinking” — a structured, repeatable approach to understanding problems before diving into solutions.

But the real battle he’s fighting? It’s not technical. It’s psychological.

Key takeaways:

• Adoption isn’t a product problem — it’s a behavioral one.

• Engineers solve problems reactively, but few teams treat problem-solving as a continuous practice.

• Education is the only lever that moves the needle — and it has to be ongoing.

• Tools don’t stick unless you create internal champions and a shared language across teams.

The Adoption Trap: Use It, Solve It, Leave It

Alex and his team built Priz Guru to give engineers a systemized way to tackle tough technical challenges. But even with great tooling, they kept seeing the same issue:

“People were signing up, solving one problem… and leaving.”

That’s when they realized: the tool wasn’t the problem. It was the mindset.

Engineers — especially in fast-paced product orgs — often treat problem-solving as a one-time event. A bug. A launch blocker. An excursion. Once it's “fixed,” they move on.

“But every day, in every project, problems come up. Cost issues. Timeline blowups. Miscommunications. That’s all problem-solving too.”

Until teams recognize that problem-solving is a daily discipline, not a one-off task, they’ll keep treating tools like Priz Guru as a temporary fix — not a strategic advantage.

Education Is the Flywheel — Not the Feature

So how do you get engineering teams to shift their behavior?

Alex’s answer: continuous education.

“There’s no magical button. The only thing that works is teaching — over and over — what a problem really is, and how to think through it.”

That starts with onboarding. But more importantly, it continues through:

• Internal workshops

• Lightweight masterclasses

• In-app content that explains not just how to use a tool, but why it matters

The goal isn’t just to teach engineers new tactics. It’s to reshape how they see their work.

Create Champions, Not Just Users

You can’t train an entire company. But you can train a few key people.

“We train small groups — engineers who become the leaders of the new process. They’re the ones who push adoption from the inside.”

These internal champions don’t just learn how to use Priz Guru. They learn how to teach it, model it, and defend it when people default back to their old habits.

And because they’re already respected by their peers, they bring others with them.

Speak the Same Language — Across Roles

One of the most overlooked friction points in engineering teams? Misaligned communication.

Product managers, engineers, and execs are often speaking totally different languages when it comes to solving problems. That’s where Alex sees a massive opportunity:

“Priz Guru helps everyone — PMs, engineers, VPs — look at the same problem the same way, using the same framework.”

When everyone shares the same tools and terms, meetings get shorter. Decisions get faster. And teams stop talking past each other.

From Firefighting to Continuous Improvement

The biggest mindset shift Alex is pushing for? From firefighting to habit-building.

“We don’t want people to come to us only when they’re stuck. We want them to be engaged all the time, so they never get stuck.”

To get there, they’re building:

• Scalable training content for self-serve onboarding

• Gamification to reinforce learning and reward progress

• Recognition systems to elevate internal champions

The long-term goal is clear: make problem-solving a core engineering muscle, not a panic button.

Final Thought

If you’re building for engineers, here’s the challenge:

• Are you solving the real problem?

• Are you making it stick?

• And are you helping teams adopt new ways of thinking — not just new tools?

Because products don’t fail when they’re unused. They fail when they’re used once, then forgotten.

Book a Free AI Assessment if you’re navigating product adoption challenges, building for technical teams, or looking for ways AI can support continuous improvement across engineering and ops. We’ll help you identify the operational friction, map where AI can add leverage, and deliver a strategic roadmap to drive lasting change.