Is BUILD WITH THE PUBLIC, A Good Idea?

I recently joined Sameer’s discussion on his four rules for building in public and suggested that seeking feedback from one's community or target audience regarding the product being developed is also essential. While I am aware of numerous other methods for surveying an audience, none are as effective as receiving direct responses to a question. Therefore, do you believe involving the audience in the development process is a valuable addition to Sameer's rules for building in public – is it also important to know how to engage and collaborate with one's audience??