Tag: product design

Hate Threads

Every so often,
someone will start
a social media thread
by asking all the things
readers (customers) hate
about romance novels (products).

I’m always tempted
to read those threads.

If I know
what readers (customers) don’t like,
I can craft a better-selling story (product),
right?

Wrong.

Because there’s a hater
for every story (product)
out there.

There’s nothing I can produce
that will make everyone happy.

And reading those threads
annihilates
my confidence,
my joy,
my drive to create.

There are hate threads
in almost every industry.

Protect your passion
and your happiness.

Don’t read them.

Other Uses For Your Products

I plant radishes
every year.

I do this primarily
for the bulbs.

But sometimes
the bulbs don’t form.

If that happens,
I will eat the leafy part,
the greens.

Or I will allow the radish
to produce flowers
and then seeds.

That feeds the bees
and it gives me seeds
for the next season.

When I design products,
I always ask myself
what other uses
the products can serve.

Sometimes
the primary use
fails.
There’s no true market
for it
or
the product simply doesn’t work
for it.

How else could customers
use your product?

More Complex Doesn’t Mean Better

Every month,
MailChimp changes
their newsletter product.

It becomes
more and more complex.

It now takes
ten times longer
to do simple activities
like archiving
unsubscribed users.

Which means
completing the hard work
of switching newsletter providers
becomes more appealing.

More complex
doesn’t mean better.

It usually means
the opposite.

Don’t add complexity
unless it is absolutely necessary.

The Right Amount

I stayed in a hotel
recently
that offered guest soap
that had the dimensions
of a regular bar of soap
except it was half as thick.

Because that is all
the average hotel guest would use
during a stay.

More is wasteful.

It costs the hotel
additional money to supply.
It creates more garbage.
And it doesn’t add value
to their guests.

More is not always better.

Figure out what your customer
needs
and offer your products
in that size.

You Are Not Your Customer

I don’t read books
in a series
in order.
I usually start
with book 3
and then go backward.

I am NOT my average reader.

Most of my readers
read my books in order.
They expect the series
to build.

I design my books
and my series
to do that.

You are NOT your customer.
Don’t assume
your preferences
are their preferences.

Ask your customers.
Research them.

Unwanted Improvements

For decades,
people have justified
fireworks
by saying they love
the show they give us.

Now, we have drone displays
which can provide
even more magnificent shows,
but without the danger
or the loud booms.

This has forced people
to admit
the danger,
the loud booms,
the blowing up of sh*t
was a big part
of the appeal of fireworks.

They don’t want
safer
or quieter
or less destructive.

Ensure the ‘improvements’
you’re building
into your products/services
are truly desired.

Less destructive,
for some products,
isn’t necessarily better.

Early Bird Specials

When I was younger,
I would make jokes
about seniors
and early bird specials.
I didn’t understand
why older people ate dinner
so early.

I was missing a key component.
I didn’t realize
that our night vision degrades
as we get older.

Older people don’t necessarily
WANT to eat at 4pm.
They HAVE to eat then.
If they plan to drive
to and from the restaurant,
the sun has to be shining
when they leave.

They’ve changed their schedules
to accommodate this restriction.

If a large group of people
says or does the same thing
and
we don’t understand
why anyone would ever
say or do that,
we are likely missing
a key component
influencing that choice.

Uncover that component.
It could mean the difference
between success and failure
with that demographic.