By Ashini K Ekanayake
One of the key facets of product design is designing a product which consumers actually want and need, and this is one of the main problems designers face these days. What users seek is not just some features on the product, but the core experience it provides and the solution they hope to find. Thinking in products means thinking in specific user’s problems, in jobs to be done, in goals, and in revenues.
The core user experience of a product revolves around the main purpose a user will make use of it. For instance, the core user experience of Grab is for the user to have a ready access to transportation at any time, providing enhanced convenience. The small features such as the map displaying how far the driver is located, as well as the duration they may take to reach you are features which add to the occurrence, but even if these features are not present, the core function of the product will work regardless. However, if it was the other way around, the features of the map and the timer will not work without the product. This small analogy is key in demonstrating the importance for designers to focus on the product first, rather than the features.
The core user experience is the main reason for the product’s existence, where it fulfills a need the user has, or aims to solve a problem which hounds the user. If the problem does not exist, or that the solution provided does not adequately address the problem, the product becomes meaningless and unless rectified may lead to its eventual demise. In order to ensure that a real problem is tackled, observing and talking to the potential people who will purchase your intended product is the way to go. This will minimize the risk of solving a non-existent problem, and allow you to develop a product people will undoubtedly treasure.
By engaging in product thinking, one is able to build more successful features. It begins with defining the problem the product is meant to tackle, and the reason the product was built in the first place. This allows for a better definition of the target audience, guiding the process of creating the features of the product. By going through this, the designed product will fit the needs of the consumer. Other factors to consider include Interaction design as well as Visual design, which will allow the product to stand out among competition by becoming more aesthetically pleasing and easy to use. However, all these will fail to work if the core reason for the need of the product is not addressed.