Alex Y.’s Post

Testing with users sharpens decisions when problems are clearly defined. I was inspired by ÌníOlúwa Abíódún’s assertion that framing problem statements is a key ingredient in problem-solving. Too often, teams quickly dive into design work without the specificity to drive meaningful action and results. Check out her insightful post: https://lnkd.in/gwqHmaUS “As you tackle challenges in your work, remember to take the time upfront to precisely articulate/frame the problem you're solving and what success looks like.” I agree. In my Helio conversations, I meet teams looking for testing solutions without clearly understanding why they need to test. This often happens because they need a complete picture of why a feature or flow is necessary in the first place. They're searching for answers, hoping testing will reveal what to focus on. Many teams know what they want to test but must understand how testing will help them make better decisions. While hunches and intuition are fine, a structured feedback process can offer a clear focus. Helio user data provides valuable signals before committing to any concept. Here’s how our service teams help customers think about this problem: Concept ↳ Provides a foundation and focus for the testing process, ensuring that efforts are directed towards a specific idea or issue that needs validation or improvement. Testing ↳ Engages real users to gather authentic feedback and insights, important for understanding how the concept performs in a real-world scenario. Leading Indicators ↳ Leading indicators offer early signals about the concept's potential success or issues, guiding necessary adjustments before full-scale implementation. KPIs ↳ KPIs provide quantifiable measures of performance and impact, allowing for objective assessment and comparison over time. Observation ↳ Direct observation and feedback review help identify unexpected issues and understand the context behind the data, leading to more informed decisions. Decision Making ↳ Ensures that decisions are data-informed and evidence-based, reducing the risk of biases and increasing the likelihood of achieving desired outcomes. When you do this in continuous weekly cycles, the learnings compound, making it easier for teams to zero in on the right problems.   #productdesign #productdiscovery #userresearch #uxresearch

Invertion Thinking: a marketer’s best practice tool for problem solving. For marketers in any business space and industry, problem solving is a master skill that should be in your arsenal. However, most of us have not been formally taught a way to do that. Our natural inclination is to sit and ponder one solution, drawing from perhaps a previous experience 🤔. But not all problems are the same, even if simular. After all, I would hope your company is offering a unique solution to a customer problem which requires a unique solution to the marketing problem you are trying to solve. Trying an invertion thinking model can open up a large pool of potential solutions, than just coming at it from whole cloth. Inversion involves looking at a problem or decision from the opposite point of view so, for example, rather than focusing on achieving success, Inversion encourages you to consider how to avoid failure. Inversion problem solving in two easy thought experiments. 1. Identify what you’re trying to accomplish from a service or product feature….and define what failure looks like for the customer. That’s right failure. Ask yourself and your team what is most likely to go wrong or prevent the customer from achieving our goal? Then create actions to avoid the worst scenario. Once you have envisioned the worst things that can happen and identified the actions that might take you there, invert again and avoid the behaviors /decisions that have negative consequences. 2. Compare ‘cons’ when making a decision. When trying to choose between two options, it’s common to consider and compare the benefits between them. Inversion would involve identifying what you dislike about both options, or the ‘cons’, and comparing those lists as part of your decision.  I mentioned having your team involved. Using “pre-mortems” is a good managerial practice arising from inversion for a project team to meet before embarking on a project to imagine that it has failed. They then discuss what could have led to that failure and how they might avoid it. You can use this in a variety of ways, but I like this for web and mobile UI/UX/CX optimization work. I’m currently working on AI promtps to garner faster performance outcomes with inversion scenario parameters. Hit me up if you’d like to know more about this method developed by Charles Munger. #inversiones #uiuxdesign #problemsolving #machinelearning

Story mapping is a powerful tool for visualizing the narrative of how users interact with a product to achieve their goals. It provides a structured way to understand user needs and product functionality, helping teams to: A. Understand User Behavior: By mapping out user tasks and activities, teams can see how different users interact with the product, what their goals are, and what steps they take to achieve these goals. B. Organize Development Efforts: It helps in organizing and prioritizing tasks by breaking down high-level activities into manageable tasks and sub-tasks. C. Facilitate Communication: Story maps create a common visual language that aids in communication among team members, stakeholders, and users. D. Plan Releases: They help in slicing the map into viable product releases, ensuring that each release adds value to users and contributes to the overall product goals. E. Identify Risks and Opportunities: By visualizing the user journey, teams can spot potential risks, identify areas for improvement, and brainstorm new ideas. Steps to Create a Story Map 1. Frame the Big Picture: - Product Brief: Create a short brief to frame the product or feature, identifying the problem it solves and the benefits it provides. - Identify Users: Define the different types of users and their needs. 2. Map the Big Picture: - Backbone Creation: Start with the user type most critical to the product's success. Map out high-level activities and tasks (the backbone) in a narrative flow from left to right. - Identify Activities: Group tasks into activities that support common goals. - Add Details: Include additional users, variations, exceptions, and other product details like UI descriptions, business rules, and data elements. 3. Explore and Refine: - Break Down Tasks: Fill in the story map by breaking down larger user tasks into smaller sub-tasks and user interface details. - Collaborate: Involve others in the process to find holes and improve the story map. Gather input from developers to understand technical constraints and opportunities. 4. Slice Out Viable Releases: - Identify Releases: Slice the map into incremental product releases, each being a minimal viable product. - Define Outcomes: For each release, name the target outcomes and impact, specifying how it contributes to the overall goal. - Success Metrics: Identify metrics to measure the success of each release, focusing on changes in user behavior. By following these steps, teams can create a comprehensive and actionable story map that aligns product development with user needs and business goals.

There are 2 silent assassin's that's killing your product adoption rates: Cognitive fluency & Perceived friction..... Let me share some insights with you: 🧠 What is Cognitive Fluency in Tech? It's all about how effortlessly our brains process information. In the tech world, this translates to how intuitively users can interact with your software or platform. When your tech solutions are straightforward and easy to navigate, they resonate more with users, leading to better adoption and satisfaction. 💥 Perceived Friction I call this the invisible barrier.... When we present our users with complex interfaces, technical jargon, or convoluted processes, it creates a mental barrier. This perceived friction can deter users, no matter how innovative the underlying technology might be. It's like offering a revolutionary product in a locked box without the key. As examples: 🚀 User Interface Design: I've seen firsthand how choosing a simple, legible font over a stylish but complex one can drastically change user engagement. 🚀 Product Naming: Opting for clear, easy-to-understand product names can significantly alter market perception and trust. 🚀 Decision Making in Apps: Streamlining app navigation and reducing cognitive overload can lead to higher user retention and satisfaction. Here are a few tactics that I've implemented: 🚀 Emphasize Clarity: In every tech solution I consult on, I ensure that clarity is at the forefront - be it in the UI, documentation, or marketing materials. 🚀 User-Centric Design: I constantly remind myself and my team to see our clients products through the users' eyes - simplifying and refining the user journey at every step. 🚀 Iterative Feedback: Regular user feedback is invaluable. It helps identify areas where perceived friction might exist, allowing us to address it proactively. Mastering cognitive fluency is your secret weapon. By minimizing perceived friction, your not just improving the user experience; you're unlocking the full potential of your technology, making it more accessible and beloved by users everywhere. Enjoy this? Share this post with your network and follow me Toni J Young for more in the future.

Continuous User Testing: A Key to Better Products 📌 🗝 Continuous user testing is essential for navigating today's tech-driven world. Just as building a bridge requires more than just a vision, product development needs constant feedback. Engineers ensure structural integrity, stress tests guarantee stability and user input is collected. This ongoing process engages real users, allowing continuous refinement. Its power lies in spotting issues early, like finding a small windshield crack before it becomes a major problem. User involvement helps detect usability problems, design flaws, or bugs, saving resources and yielding a polished product. Implementing feedback fosters loyalty. Think of a neighborhood restaurant adapting its menu based on customer requests. Continuous user testing works the same way. User preferences change rapidly, and staying connected allows companies to pivot and remain competitive. Continuous user testing also bridges the gap between assumptions and reality. Companies often assume user behavior and preferences, but continuous testing provides real data on interactions, preferences, and pain points, resulting in resonant designs and features. It doesn't stop at products; it validates business decisions. Startups, for example, can test pricing models with real users to make informed choices, like having a focus group for business decisions. In a nutshell, continuous user testing is indispensable in today's tech world. Embracing it allows companies to create products that exceed user expectations, ensuring long-term success. When building bridges for customers, consulting them along the way can be the difference between a shaky structure and a reliable path to success. 💯 #productdesign #CustomerEngagement #customerfeedback #UserCentricDesign #ProductDevelopmentStrategies #usertesting #innnovation #productdevelopment

Today’s post is on the importance of user feedback. User feedback is a vital element in product development, driving continuous innovation and ensuring products resonate with their intended audience. This short writeup sets out to explore the multifaceted importance of user feedback, emphasizing its role in refining products, catalyzing continuous improvement, and inspiring innovation. Highlighted below are the importance of user feedback on products.   User feedback serves as a direct line of communication between users and development teams, providing invaluable insights into real-world experiences. By actively seeking and analyzing feedback, product managers identify pain points, understand preferences, and uncover unforeseen challenges, making it a cornerstone in the iterative process of product development.   Beyond troubleshooting, user feedback is a catalyst for continuous improvement, offering a roadmap for refining features, fixing bugs, and enhancing overall usability. The iterative nature of incorporating feedback ensures products remain relevant and aligned with evolving user expectations, preventing stagnation, and meeting dynamic demands.   Moreover, user feedback is a powerful tool for innovation, as users often provide fresh perspectives and creative suggestions. By fostering an open channel for feedback, development teams tap into a collective intelligence that can inspire new features and functionalities, propelling the product to heights not conceivable without diverse user input.   User feedback isn't just about enhancing the product; it's a key driver for user satisfaction and loyalty. When users feel heard and witness tangible improvements based on their input, it cultivates a sense of ownership and engagement. Prioritizing and responding to user feedback actively builds a loyal user base, fosters positive word-of-mouth, and establishes products as customer-centric solutions in a competitive landscape. I would conclude with this; in the ever-evolving realm of product development, user feedback is the lifeblood that fuels iterative improvements, sparks innovation, and fosters a connection between users and products. As development teams actively listen, respond, and adapt based on user insights, they commit to creating products that resonate, adapt, and thrive in a landscape where user expectations continuously evolve.

🔍  Do you envision a project plan that prioritizes user feedback? How often is #software developed without truly understanding what users want or what their top priorities are? We can always ask #product or business personnel, but their feedback often arrives outdated and takes a lot of time to process. I believe the future of development will be more iterative, user-centric, and automated 🔄👥 Recently, I used a new app that lacked some features. To my surprise, the app allowed me to suggest new features, vote on suggestions from other users, and view which features were in progress and scheduled for release—all from a simple page within the app 🤯 This approach made me feel a sense of belonging and reassured me that the developers were incrementally considering user feedback and incorporating it into their project plan. The app seamlessly integrated the observations through Featurebase, significantly enhancing daily workflows for development teams. Similarly, in B2B environments where insights gathered by sales teams—whether related to selling the tool or reasons for not doing so—often receive less attention, tools like RevMap are indispensable. RevMap consolidates customer feedback and introduces high-demand features. ⚖️ Balancing user feedback with business/project perspectives is crucial. While user input is valuable, it should not solely dictate development decisions. Incorporating the business or project perspective ensures that the product meets both user needs and business objectives effectively. 💬 Looking ahead, I think #softwaredevelopment will increasingly focus on iterative improvements and user-centric approaches. By integrating real-time user feedback with business insights, products can better meet user needs and achieve business goals. These tools are not being advertised, but they are genuinely valuable resources for improving development processes and delivering more satisfying products. Embracing such innovations can lead to greater user satisfaction and successful outcomes.

#AssumptionsInDesign Let’s elaborate on the idea of how people’s behavior and feedback can change over time, the challenges in obtaining genuine feedback, and the role of assumptions in user studies. 🧠 The Dynamics of Behavior and Feedback: It’s crucial to recognize that human behavior is dynamic and subject to various influences. This dynamism extends to the feedback individuals provide, especially in the context of user studies or product evaluations. People’s preferences, attitudes, and expectations can evolve over time due to factors such as changing life circumstances, technological advancements, or personal growth. As a result, the feedback they offer may not remain consistent. 🧠 The Illusion of a “Perfect” User for Studies: Selecting a particular user for a study with the expectation of obtaining 85% genuine feedback is a noble but challenging goal. In reality, it’s difficult to predict with such precision how a user will respond in a controlled study environment. Users may consciously or unconsciously modify their behavior when they know they are being observed, potentially leading to biased or less authentic feedback. 🧠 Real-time Use Case Variability: Users might react differently when engaging with a product or service in their daily lives compared to when they are participating in a study. This variation can be attributed to the context, urgency, or emotional states experienced during real-time usage. 💡 The Role of Assumptions: While it might seem counterintuitive, making certain assumptions in user studies can sometimes be a practical approach. These assumptions can serve as a baseline for understanding user behavior, but they should be used cautiously. Assumptions can help when it’s challenging to access users for continuous feedback or when rapid decision-making is required. However, it’s essential to revisit and validate these assumptions periodically to ensure their accuracy. #UserBehavior #FeedbackAnalysis

🚀 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🚀 𝟭. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 🔍 Before starting development, thoroughly understanding market needs and expectations is crucial. Analyzing competitors and identifying your target audience helps tailor the product to meet customer demands. 𝟮. 𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 (𝗨𝗫) 🎨 Users expect intuitive and user-friendly applications. Investing in UX research and usability testing is essential. Creating prototypes and regularly gathering user feedback helps develop an application that truly meets user needs. 𝟯. 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 🏗️ The stability and scalability of an application depend on its technical foundations. Choosing the right technologies and ensuring high code quality is an investment that pays off in the long run. 𝟰. 𝗔𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 🔄 Using agile methodologies, such as Scrum or Kanban, enables quick responses to changes and efficient project management. Regular iterations and delivering successive versions of the product help quickly identify and fix issues. 𝟱. 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 ✅ Comprehensive testing is essential before launching the application. Automating tests, unit testing, and integration testing ensure the product is ready for market challenges. 𝟲. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 📢 Even the best product needs a proper marketing strategy. Communication plans, advertising campaigns, and collaborations with influencers and media are key elements of a successful launch. 𝟳. 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 📞 Take care of your customers even after the application is launched. Fast and effective customer support, regular updates, and fixes contribute to long-term user satisfaction. Each of these elements is integral to the success of a new application. At Smithing Systems, we are ready to support our clients at every stage of this process. Contact us to learn more! 💼 #SmithingSystems #ProductLaunch #NewApplication #UserExperience #Agile #Technology #Marketing #CustomerSupport #SoftwareDevelopment

One thing that surprised me about #userresearch is how infrequently research leads to "new knowledge." Far more often, it's about capturing the lived experience of users and sharing those stories. For a long time, I thought: if we can't get the best practices we already *know* about into software, what’s the point of adding even more research-fueled design recommendations to the backlog? That sentiment was fueled by the frustration that if you don’t have an org structure and processes that support the change, and if you don’t have stakeholders who will prioritize it, and if you don’t have engineers who know how to implement it... #usertesting can be almost perversely self-serving: “Hey, look at us! We’re listening!” But I've developed a more nuanced view since: -- Acting on insights is important, but building a culture of empathy is a victory won not in miles but inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later, win a little more. -- Not all research is about finding "new knowledge." Sometimes its about other important things like validating assumptions, measuring usability, or capturing user sentiment. -- Sometimes research falls apart at process: are the insights being communicated clearly and to the right audience? Can people act on the recommendations? -- The best research is often done in small loops, more closely integrated with the development cycle: not just finding problems but also confirming that solutions fix the problem and being a part of iteration. -- People sometimes say they need “research” when what they need is clearly articulated rationale and better tools for prioritization. I still believe that the effectiveness of a research practice isn't solely determined by the insights gained, but by an organization's ability to get those insights into software. If an org doesn't have the processes, culture, or willingness to prioritize or make user-centric change happen, then the user research discipline is just performative. But I also believe that the best chance we have to see change in an organization is by sharing the experiences of users with the people that design, build, and fund the work in order to build empathy and resolve. "Changing organizational culture is not like changing a flat tire. It’s not an action, but a process." —John Kotter