Make the product simple enough

For more than two years, has been the internal product, but also the RD,QA used in the development process of the tool platform, so the product has some special.

When I first came in, I took over a Linux tool that had 13 parameters and was required, then as the PM of this tool, I studied the usefulness of these 13 parameters thoroughly. After that, I can easily deal with the various problems that the user encounters with this tool, and when a user touches the tool, I can teach him how to configure each parameter. At that time, I felt that the big NB can solve any problem.

This lasted for a while, and I started to feel so annoyed that most of the day I was being consulted by a variety of user questions and had no time to do anything else. So we cut off the 10 parameters of the tool as optional, leaving only 3 required parameters. The first time the user's learning cost is greatly reduced, the probability of the problem is also much smaller. I also take it for granted: This is good, there are 3 parameters left, or learn to use it!

Then someone recently asked me about the tool, and I found that it was a product line I had previously instructed, and I asked, "Your product line should be understood." He said, "Yes?" I don't know, maybe I'm leaving. "Well, I should think that in the Internet industry, where people are moving so fast, it's too common for old people to leave new jobs," he said. But every time I have to coach them again, Mom!

At this time I understand, although the parameters from 13 to 3, for users he still want to understand the meaning of these three parameters, that is to say: The product is not simple enough!

What is simple? is a target user, the first contact with the product, a little bit of groping, you can use the most basic functions, let him feel the benefits. Instead of the user first contact the product, you first give him a link to use instructions, let him carefully read and then back to use. Whether it's a user product or a professional tool platform that I've written above, this should be the case. Products are ultimately to meet user needs, solve user problems. Users are always concerned about whether to use the product to achieve the purpose he wants, rather than the product itself is more NB more fancy.

The product is simple enough to make the first contact with the user can successfully achieve his goal. That's enough.