How do designers use product thinking to enhance the user experience?

Today, the students of Baidu to talk about product thinking, so that designers from the angle of the product, standing in multi-dimensional consideration of the user's problems, solutions, product goals and product marketing, to see the different thinking can collide with which spark.

When we think of the user experience, we often think of a simple, beautiful, easy-to-use product of a series of features, it makes our life easier. But in fact the function is only a small, fine part of the product. In response to the user's problems, the product tries to solve the problem in a variety of ways, and the function is only a small part of the many ways to think about it. Thinking from a product perspective means a multi-dimensional holistic thinking solution that includes the dimensions of specific user issues, pending solutions, product goals, product revenue, and more.

The core of the user experience is not a series of features; in fact, it is the reason that users will pay for your product. The heart of Uber's user experience is the hassle of taking a taxi at any time (bringing people to every corner of the city). For example, the countdown function, can accurately show when the rental car arrives, is to expand the user taxi experience the right function. But regardless of whether the countdown function exists, Uber's products will work. On the other hand, the countdown function can not be separated from the product independent existence (at any time easy to take a taxi existence certain inevitability). There is a one-way relationship between function and product: The function is attached to the product and cannot be separated from the product. This is why designers should first stand on the product perspective.

"Think from a product perspective, not a functional perspective." ”

Why do users pay for a product?

The product's core user experience is why this product exists. It either satisfies the user's needs or solves the user's problem. From then on this product becomes meaningful and provides a certain value to the user. Conversely, if the problem itself does not exist, or if the solution does not prescribe the right remedy for the problem, the product will become meaningless and not even available to users. This also leads to the failure of the product. For the wrong solution, we can fix it, but for a problem that does not exist, we have no way to go except to rediscover it. So, how can we be sure that we've solved the real problem? Alas, no one is 100% sure, but by observing and interviewing, we can greatly reduce the risk. Therefore, we need to identify the problem and form a solution that the user really wants.

"Knowing what you want is not a customer's job" – Stephen Jobs

Clay Christensen, for example, has tried to increase the turnover of milkshakes. He tried to make the milkshake taste sweeter, offer different flavors, and increase the size of the cups in small increments. Unfortunately, these attempts did not work until he started observing customers who bought milkshakes. He found that the customers who had paid for the milkshake were actually not so bored to drive to work in the morning. The biggest benefit of a milkshake is that it is a sticky drink and stays sticky for longer than other drinks, not to mention filling your stomach. And that's the real problem: customers don't have any ideas about it. Eventually, Christensen thought of the solution to make the milkshake more viscous, which also led to a rise in sales of milkshakes.

"Falling in love with problems, not solutions"-Laura Havier? Laura Javier

Product thinking: Designed for the needs of users

Think from a product perspective to help designers build successful product functions. By defining the problem that the product solves, it is actually answering "Why do we design this product?" ” 。 First define the target population and think "who is facing these problems?" "And then find a solution and think," How do we solve the problem? "This way of thinking will lead us to find new product features. Setting goals will help measure the success of this feature.

Fix the pain point

The product becomes meaningful in that it provides solutions that can really solve the underlying problems that clearly explain how the problem will be solved. Therefore, the solution to the problem actually defines the core user experience of the product. Specific product features can support and extend the experience of the product, but the core experience is irreplaceable. Interactive design and visual design can make the product more beautiful, easy to use, pleasing to ensure that it stands out from the competition, but it does not make the product itself more meaningful. That's why an appropriate solution to the pain point is the key to product success.

Product definition

When thinking with the product, the user experience designer should first be able to answer the following questions: What kind of problems are we solving? (user problem); Who do we do for? (target user); Why are we doing this? (perspective); How do we do (strategy), what do we want to achieve? (target). The only way to think about what we are doing is to make sense (product function points).

The power of product thinking

Product thinking gives designers the advantage of creating the right product features for the right people. It helps designers understand the user experience of the product as a whole, not just in the interactive and visual detail function points. At the same time, it ensures that designers solve real user problems, thereby reducing the risk of doing no work. Whenever we start creating product features, product thinking can give you the power to make the right decisions.

"Creating product features is easy, creating the right product functionality for the right users is a big challenge"

Product thinking ensures that user experience designers find the right questions, create the right functional points, and communicate more effectively with stakeholders. It has the ability to allow designers to say "no" and to think carefully before adding new features. No matter when a product's new feature is presented, or someone has a new product idea, the designer needs to understand these questions before drawing wireframes or laying out beautifully: "Is it suitable for the product?" "-" Does it solve real user problems? "-" Does the user want or have demand? "-" Let's think it out first! "This will ensure that the product is concise and effective.

Summary

Think from a product perspective to ensure that designers are designing the right product features for the right people to solve the real problems of users. It enables designers to make the right decisions and is the basis for a successful product that "users need". Product thinking allows product management and experience designers to establish fruitful relations of cooperation, work together to make better products. That's why product thinking is the next big thing in the field of user experience design.

How do designers use product thinking to enhance the user experience?