Read this if,

You always think, “you are the user !”

or

You think, “you know your user very well”

Do you think, “it is very easy to open & read a new book? “,

This short video, might enlighten you !

Oh great, you are still there! Then you deserve some tips !

This is what happens when we design products by assuming that we know the user, or most of the time we think that we are the user.

Knowing your user right way, has a significant impact on your end product. Even highly trained designers & experienced entrepreneurs starts thinking that, “they are the user”, especially when deadlines & timelines are very close. This very basic assumption leads to poor understanding of user behavior & thus leads to product failures.  

An easy to use product has a key ingredient i.e. empathy (not sympathy). 

Sympathy – Feeling bad about poor people

Empathy – Being a poor.

Empathy gets generated by knowing the user properly. There are some ways (User Research methods)  to know the user in the right way like,

  1. Empathy – The best way to know your users properly is to be the user or at least try to spend quality with your users. This is a time-consuming process but it gives you first-hand knowledge & reliable insights about your user behavior.
  2. Observe your users in their habitat – Observe them without disturbing them. You’ll get better insights if you observe them, without letting them know that you are observing them. You can observe the pain points of the user in their natural environment. Users behave differently when they know they are been observed. So try to observe them in a natural way as possible. 
  3. Contextual Inquiry – Ask them relevant open-ended questions without making them uncomfortable. This will help you know the direct pain points that they are facing. While the first two methods help you to understand the direct & indirect pain points they are facing.

There are some other user research methods like interviews, surveys, diary studies, video & audio recordings, etc. They’ll also help you in case it is not possible to conduct user research with the top three methods.

These methods will help you in knowing your user in a way better way & will enhance the overall experience of your product.

.

Thanks

Tushar Pawar

Product Designer & SIIP Fellow

www.pawartushar.com

pawarts001@gmail.com

I am a passionate designer & simplicity lover. Loves to try, loves to fail. Poetry & fun lover. Tries to bring all my real-life experiences into my profession. 

Can you turn the pages?