App Design: When it FAILS

Last weekend I met some coworkers for dinner. We shared some of our biggest blunders... here is my favorite.

Picture this:

You're part of an experience team designers tasked with creating a new feature for a client's flagship product. Finally, your big opportunity to shine! After months of planning, countless design iterations, and rigorous testing, you launched the feature. Hooray!

BUT within a few weeks, user engagement dropped, and negative feedback poured in. The app STUNK.

What went wrong?

Well, turns out the product was perfectly designed for the client but not for their users, information that was found out months later after doing proper user research.

What could have prevented this disaster? All product designers should keep these things in mind:

1. Listen to your users: The most successful products are those that solve real problems for real people. But in order to do that, you need to listen to your users and truly understand their pain points. Conduct user research, gather feedback, and use that information to guide your design decisions.
2. Don't ignore the data: Product design is both an art and a science. While creativity and intuition are important, data should also play a crucial role in your decision-making process. Use analytics tools to track user behavior and measure the success of your design changes. If the data doesn't support your assumptions, it's time to pivot.
3. Collaborate and communicate: Product design is a team effort. Make sure you're working closely with developers, marketers, and other stakeholders to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Communicate your design decisions clearly, and be open to feedback and constructive criticism.
4. Test early and often: User testing is one of the most important aspects of product design. Don't wait until your product is fully developed to test it out. Conduct usability testing and gather feedback throughout the design process. This will help you catch problems early on and make necessary adjustments before it's too late.

Product design failures are costly and demoralizing for teams and companies alike, but they can also be valuable learning opportunities. Now get out there and design products that truly meet the needs of our client AND THEIR USERS!