Products are built by people — for people. The people who use the product are called the product’s “users”. The people who build the product will be referred to as the “product team”. If you are part of a product team or are interested in being in one sooner or later, this article is for you!
Building a successful product requires some serious detective work, and you’ve got to be willing to roll up your sleeves and do the digging. If you think you can just wing it and write a bunch of boring requirements, think again.
Sure, building a product is fun and all — but let’s be real, we’re in this to make money! Building a product that’s profitable requires a lot of hard work, but it’s worth it in the end. It requires a deep understanding of the end user, their emotions, their day-to-day problems, situations, and expectations.
If you want your product to be a hit, you’ve got to get inside your user’s head! Engaging them from the outset helps you create something that truly meets their needs and solves their problems.
Why?
Here’s a summarised explanation of why end-user should be involved in the development process from the get-go.
- To build a product that addresses their needs and meets their expectations
👉🏻 By involving end-users in the development process, product teams can gain insights into the user’s needs, pain points, and preferences.
👉🏻 These insights can then be used to design and develop a product that hits all the right spots for your users.
- Identify the right problems to solve at the right time
👉🏻 Dig deep into the problem that the users have. What seems like the problem might not even be the one that needs solving.
👉🏻 Early engagement with end-users can help to identify potential issues with your idea and usability problems before they become ingrained in the product.
👉🏻 Bad experiences will repel customers. This is not something you can afford right after a product launch. Avoid this at all costs.
- Build their trust
👉🏻 When it comes to building products, involving your end-users is more than just a smart business move — it’s a way to build trust and credibility with your users.
👉🏻 By involving end-users in the development process, product teams can build trust and credibility with their users.
👉🏻 When users feel heard and respected, they’re more likely to adopt and be satisfied with the final product.
👉🏻 So, if you want to build trust and create a loyal user base, make sure to involve your users in every step of the development process!
- Scope out your MVP with the end user.
👉🏻When building a new product, it’s important to start with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that addresses your users’ most pressing needs and pain points.
👉🏻 Realize what would give them that “aha” moment in the product.
👉🏻 But it’s not just about identifying those key features — it’s also about understanding how quickly and easily your users can achieve that ‘aha’ moment with your product.
- Identify if your product would be a money maker
👉🏻 Let’s get real — the ultimate test of a successful product is whether people are willing to pay for it.
👉🏻 So don’t be afraid to ask your users that million-dollar question — would you pay to use this product? And if not, why not? What features or benefits would make it worth their hard-earned cash? By asking these tough questions, you’ll gain valuable insights into what your users really want and need from your product. And who knows — you might just discover the key to making your product truly irresistible!
Overall, end-user engagement is essential to building successful software products that meet the needs and expectations of the users, and it can lead to increased user satisfaction, adoption, and business success.
Building a product without ever talking to the people who will actually use it is like throwing a surprise party without asking the guest of honor what they like!
Stay tuned for the next article on how you can engage end users while building the product.
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