If you replace the word Hacker with Tinker, the answer might become clear. He reverse engineered the "real thing" and came up with a cheaper solution that met his needs. Think Unix to Linux.

Also, his actions embodied the LEAN startup principles: Fail Fast, Fail Often.

* He asked for feedback immediately. "He fashioned a sanitary pad out of cotton and gave it to Shanthi, demanding immediate feedback."

* When he didn't get feedback fast enough, "I can't wait a month for each feedback, it'll take two decades!" He got 20 more volunteers. But it still didn't quite work out. On the day he came to collect their feedback sheets he caught three of the girls industriously filling them all in. These results obviously could not be relied on. It was then that he decided to test the products on himself.

* Test Driven Development - He created a "uterus" from a football bladder by punching a couple of holes in it, and filling it with goat's blood.