From Steve Jobs ' Apple product: Figuring out who my users are

Article Description: Start with jobs: about "doing research".

In the front: the following "research" mainly refers to user research. There are many methods for user research, and the following are not just "questionnaires" and "data analysis", but also interviews, focus groups, usability tests, and more. PS, the following point of view basically refers to the "Internet" field, do not take "we dig coal when this does not work" it is nonsense.

Although the Chowa is gone, his story is widely circulated and his ability to use the media still affects the world. Once and once, when asked about Apple products in the media, he said the same thing:

1. People don't know what they want until you put it in front of them.

2. Did bell do any research before he invented the telephone?

As a result, more and more lazy people finally have the "God" asylum, the beginning of the "No research, only shoot the head", More and more "fruit powder" also began to "do not do research" blindly worship. They are constantly mocking and despising those who do "research", advocating "innovation does not need research."

Last week, Apple sent a survey of some ipad users, many of whom scoffed on Weibo: "Chowa the Lord is gone they have to do research ..." Whenever I see a co-worker forwarding these messages, I have to be very cautious and talk to them about "opinion":

1, Mr. Jobs said there were two contexts in this statement. One was in the early days of the Mac just released, and one was when he was playing with the media. Leaving such a context is most of the time not applicable.

2. Did you have any research before you invented the telephone? "Two or three years later, jobs left Apple to create next, and the initial simple position was to provide computers for university labs. His team went through a lot of repetitive research, and he liked and volunteered to do it. (The fruit powder that read "jobs biography" can brush up on the next chapter, which is written)

3, usually apple in the second generation of his products will be the user to distribute questionnaires related research (first generation of product research often only through a third party to do, or do it through the research of existing products, so we don't feel it, and there is no reliable sample group at that time. It is said that they attach great importance to the research of market data and user research in the external market every year, and they are also very frequent and serious about Apple's brand research. Forget where you've seen Apple looking for Nielsen to do third party research and related information; interested fruit powder can also go to search for the apple of the past n years of relevant research questionnaires, a lot.

4, said so much, but I am not really a "research" of the dependent and superstitious people. While I really believe in the role of "real effective" data research, the three words "truly effective" often mean "high cost" and "time-consuming".

Especially for Internet products, although he is easier to find data, but also more easily because the data is too much to be garbage data interference and confusion, the analysis process deviation and the emergence of "to prove their own point of view of the piece of data" situation is very normal, most people are difficult to avoid, including so experienced guys. And, for such an environment as we see it, often the data you can easily get is not real ...

5, often in the early period of the product, I would like to believe in a certain amount of data supported by the "leader's sense of smell." Because most Internet products are difficult to wait for a rigorous and lengthy research process, and often to get "real and effective" results through research, than to make "leaders to shoot the head" is less likely. So, I often say: "Believe that you people are free to get a few data and calculate the conclusion, rather than believe me or believe that one of our personal sense of smell."

In short, in the early days of the product, my point is: a bunch of people looking at fake data or pretending to look at the data to "shoot the head", but also to make a more people who usually understand the user (under certain data support) to pat the head. Other people rely on intuition to choose "trust him" is enough.

6, to the early days, a certain user research is absolutely necessary, because this time can be more specific to know what information, "garbage data" is less, the conclusion is relatively reliable inference. However, at this time I believe more "test" results, or the point of view: "How to do is wrong, only the face of the user can not be wrong." And it has to be a certain amount of real users. " Early Internet products, fists gently past, hear the pain and then kick a foot better. Because the probability of a "demand forecast" error is 99%, it is necessary to control the cost of early trial and error.

In short, in the early days of the product, I think the most effective way is: with the lowest cost, as far as possible in the vacuum environment (lei June), the fastest speed to do the user needs testing, demand has to force, did not have to turn around and find again.

7, to the product development period and optimization period, the user group has been cultivated, the demand direction has been clear. What to do is: let the user push the product away. At this time, there is no better way than "user research". (So, often we will habitually in the early circle good "seed user group", let them provide more direct and effective help and opinion)

In fact, there is no scientific way to be wrong. In fact, there is no one way to be omnipotent. I believe more: not negate also not sure of everything, flexible application, timely and change. More believe: To find out who is my user, is all research, innovation, design, Pat the head of the premise.

Author: white Raven

Original address: White Raven's blog