There is a mantra that gets thrown around when undertaking a project, product, or service that sometimes does not always get heeded: “Think about the users and their problems first”. I mean, try to really consider the users. It is easy to say but when you are making decisions, trying to come up with ideas, or crunching code for hours on end, what does it actually imply? Let’s break it down.
Why putting users first is not just an empty phrase
Have you ever thought of this: imagine creating a new app, something that you think will be groundbreaking, at least in your head? You dedicate weeks to improve the interface, work on the palette’s shades, and add astonishing features. It’s time to launch the product. And now… it’s silent. Users install the application, explore it briefly, and then uninstall it and and leave. What happened?
It is quite likely that you addressed non-issues. Or, worse still, you addressed issues which were yours and not those of your users. This is a typical case of narcissistic innovation where the most basic design and development principle gets kicked out of the door: who is the target audience and what is its purpose?
The role of empathy in reducing boundaries
Empathy is no longer a term to throw around in a tech meeting; it is the secret spice! When you take time to ask, what annoys the users? What do they wish they could do differently? What is it that they love? Such insights help bring forth understanding which no amount of market research could suffice instead. For instance, consider the breakthrough of ride-sharing apps. They weren’t simply developed in a vacuum; they stemmed from recognizing a common pain point – people were fed up of relying on street taxis or untrustworthy drivers. The founders tackled a business need by adopting their customers’ perspectives.
But how is this empathy to be cultivated? The process begins with respect. And no, I only made a reference to surveys (which are quite helpful); I mean real dialogues. Observe how users interact with other people’s products. Make a note when they hear themselves saying, ‘Arghhh, can’t it just …’ those are Safecoins fortune. Your next upgrade feature or the next version of the vaporware may hit a sigh.
Problem-first thinking: a real example
Assume you are creating an app for parents who have a busy working schedule for their children activities. You may often be tempted to focus on ‘ bells and whistles, such as animated characters or virtual props and what. How are the parents focused? They are looking for a feature that will ease their daily stress, save their time or effort. Perhaps they are not intrigued by the fun aspects of the app – they are more interested in an application that can seamlessly merge family calendars. Once that is defined, all your effort in developing a strategy to address the problem becomes easier and straightforward.
Stay humble and iterate
Here is the reality in most projects: even after the homework is done, the users have been interviewed and the feedback is taken on board, it does not end there. There are emergent user needs. Technologies advance. There are always new issues arising. To keep the users in focus requires painstakingly going back to ‘swotting the ques’ — Is there something else that they require at that point in time. It is about knowing your place – and being willing to make small changes, large changes, or sometimes, make a complete change.
Next time you’re working on that next great innovation for the world, take a second and consider: For whom am I creating it and how will this assist them in furthering their cause? And also remember – if one cannot answer this question quite well, it is probably best to step away and reconsider before actually getting started.
Prioritizing users and their pain points is not merely a tactic – it is the core of creating things that are worthwhile.