The Principle of Highlighting the Unhideable in Product Design

In product design and startups, there is often the temptation to try and hide or downplay aspects that may be seen as flaws or bugs. However, experienced product designers and startup founders know that it is usually better to highlight and call attention to these issues rather than try to sweep them under the rug. The principle of "What you cannot hide you need to highlight" encapsulates this idea. It means that rather than trying in vain to conceal inevitable shortcomings in a product, you should make those shortcomings a feature. Turn the bug into a benefit and fully disclose and call attention to aspects of the product that may otherwise hurt its appeal if discovered accidentally by users.

There are several reasons why highlighting the unhideable is a wise product design and startup strategy:

• Transparency builds trust. By openly acknowledging and disclosing flaws, you signal to users that you have nothing to hide. This fosters goodwill and trust.
• You control the narrative. Highlighting the issue allows you to shape how users perceive it by putting a positive spin on it. This is better than letting users discover the flaws themselves.
• Shows your product in its true light. Every product has limitations. Highlighting them presents a more authentic picture of what your product can and cannot do.
• Makes a weakness a strength. With creative positioning, you can turn a shortcoming into a benefit. Features that originate as bugs can become differentiators that set your product apart.
• Prevents "surprise" reactions. Users tend to have stronger negative reactions to shortcomings they uncover themselves versus flaws presented upfront. Highlighting issues defuses this.
• Promotes iteration. By openly acknowledging areas for improvement, you signal to users that future product iterations will address these points. This promotes loyalty.

Of course, highlighting product flaws does require proceeding carefully to maintain a positive tone and frame the issues in the best light. But done right, illuminating the unhideable aspects of your product demonstrates confidence and helps establish transparency and trust with users. For product designers and startups, making the bugs features is often far smarter than a futile attempt to obscure them.

Examples of Turning Shortcomings into Strengths

There are many examples of startups and technology companies successfully employing the “highlight the unhideable” principle in their product design and messaging.

• Uber – When Uber launched, driver availability and reliability were huge question marks. Rather than hiding this, Uber marketed itself as “Everyone’s Private Driver” and emphasized the convenience of tap-to-request. They turned the uncertainty of drivers accepting rides into a benefit of on-demand access.
• Slack – Slack’s interface was initially quite confusing, with hidden gestures and shortcuts. Rather than minimize this, Slack leaned into the messiness by calling itself “Where Work Happens” and celebrated the diversity of workflows it enabled.
• Snapchat – The ephemeral nature of Snaps that disappear after viewing was originally meant to hide questionable content. But Snapchat amplified this bug into a feature, marketing the impermanence as fun, authentic sharing without the pressure of permanence.
• YouTube – Early YouTube video quality was poor and uploading difficult. But YouTube branded itself as democratic self-expression and highlighted that anyone could broadcast themselves, overshadowing technical limitations.

Implementing “Highlight the Unhideable”

Here are some tips on implementing the principle of highlighting unavoidable product flaws:

• Identify the flaws. Conduct rigorous product testing to find weak points and surface areas of improvement. Get user feedback to know where the bugs are.
• Give flaws a positive name. Come up with a creative name that puts a constructive spin on the flaw or limitation.
• Describe flaws in product copy. Weave acknowledging and positioning of flaws into your product descriptions, marketing materials, and announcements.
• Train support staff. Brief customer support teams on flaws and how to reframe them positively when addressing user complaints.
• Share the evolution. Communicate openly when flaws are addressed iteratively, keeping users updated on progress.
• Make fixes visible. Draw attention to bug fixes and product improvements related to previously highlighted flaws.

With the right approach, the unhideable aspects of a product can become cornerstones rather than liabilities. Flipping the narrative transforms shortcomings into strengths. By spotlighting its imperfections, a product presents itself honestly while stimulating iteration. For startups looking to build trust and loyalty, illuminating flaws is truly the best policy.