Validated Product Design

The desire to pen this article came from my personal observations of Product Managers and UX Designers not factoring in the 3 core pillars of what I would like to label "Validated Product Design" in so many different scenarios, and witnessing so many cool ideas hit a roadblock much later in the requirement definition lifecycle. As product managers and designers, we're often tempted by the allure of innovative and groundbreaking features. However, it's crucial to remember that a great idea is only as good as its execution. To ensure our products not only delight users but also make business sense and are technically feasible, we must balance the 3 core pillars of Desirability, Viability, and Feasibility.

Originating from IDEO, a pioneering design firm, the desirability, viability, and feasibility framework emerged in the early 2000s and are fundamental to the success of any kind of product design & development. ?This methodology serves as a guiding light, steering innovators toward the elusive intersection where innovation thrives. Adopting these concepts will ensure your features not only dazzle users (desirability) but also make business sense (viability), and can actually be built within the constraints of your team and technology (feasibility). In essence, integrating the principles of desirability, viability, and feasibility into design reviews offers a solid foundation for decision-making, ensuring that product ideas are thoroughly vetted and poised for success in the competitive landscape of innovation.

Desirability

When conceptualizing a new product or feature, the primary focus should be on its desirability. Without a genuine market demand or consumer need, even the most innovative creation will struggle to gain traction. Exploring desirability helps distinguish between essential needs and desirable wants in the travel booking process. Let's take the case of an Online Hotel Booking App:

• User needs: are the essential, fundamental requirements that must be met for the app to be functional and useful. These are the core features without which the app would fail to serve its primary purpose. Capabilities like Search functionality, Viewing hotel information, Ability to Book the room easily via popular payment options, etc
• User wants: are additional features or qualities that enhance the user experience, making the app more enjoyable, efficient, or attractive to use. While not strictly necessary, these elements can significantly improve user satisfaction and set the app apart from competitors. Examples include: Personalized recommendations based on past bookings or preferences, Virtual tours or 360-degree room views, Price comparison tools, Dark mode or customizable app themes, AI-powered chatbot for instant customer support, Social sharing features for travel plans, etc

Needs represent non-negotiable requirements a product must fulfill, while wants represent more desirable & delightful ways to fulfill those needs. Both contribute to a product's desirability, but addressing a fundamental need often leads to a more essential and valuable product compared to catering to a "nice-to-have" want. To develop a truly desirable product, it's crucial to conduct thorough research into your target audience and identify their pain points, whether they're related to needs or wants. Here are some sample questions to consider in the context of a travel booking platform:

• How does your platform simplify the travel planning process?
• What are the biggest gaps that exist in the current booking process that no product has yet addressed?

• Would your new feature(s) solve someone’s problem?
• Why would consumers prefer your product/feature over existing alternatives?

The purpose of this desirability research is to critically examine your concept and identify areas for improvement. By addressing these aspects thoroughly, you could create a more robust product that can withstand scrutiny from stakeholders and better meet customer expectations. Remember, the more comprehensively you address these questions and refine your product based on the findings, the stronger its market position will be. A truly desirable product not only meets a need or fulfills a want but does so in a way that resonates deeply with its intended users.

Viability

In the realm of product development, viability is the litmus test for business feasibility. Beyond being desired, a successful product must also demonstrate commercial potential and long-term profitability. It's not enough to create a product that users adore; if it bleeds money or fails to turn a profit, it's destined for failure. A truly viable product concept demonstrates its worth both in the immediate term and over the long haul.?

A great example of a viable product feature in online hotel booking is the "Pay at the Hotel" option, first popularized by Booking.com and now adopted by many other platforms. This feature allows travelers to book a room without immediate payment, instead of paying directly at the hotel during their stay. Here are some reasons why it demonstrates strong viability:

1. Low implementation cost: The feature primarily requires changes to the booking system and agreements with hotels, rather than significant technological investment.
2. Increased bookings: By removing the need for upfront payment, it reduces barriers to booking, potentially increasing overall reservation numbers.
3. Competitive advantage: It differentiates the platform from competitors who don't offer this flexibility, attracting more users.
4. Revenue model: While the platform might delay receiving its commission, the increased booking volume can offset this, potentially leading to higher overall revenue.
5. Hotel partnerships: Hotels benefit from more bookings and often prefer this model, strengthening the platform's relationships with its suppliers.

This feature demonstrates how a well-conceived product element can create a win-win-win situation, driving business success while providing value to users and partners.?

However, viability isn't just about profits - it also encompasses societal and environmental impacts. Consider the effect of some booking platforms on local housing markets. In cities like Barcelona and Venice, the proliferation of short-term rentals has led to increased housing costs and changes in community dynamics. While financially successful, these platforms face growing regulatory pressures and community backlash, challenging their long-term viability. Or, consider the controversy surrounding dynamic pricing algorithms. While these algorithms maximize profits by adjusting prices based on demand, they've been criticized for potentially discriminating against certain user groups or exacerbating economic inequalities during crises. In another example, during natural disasters or emergencies, some booking platforms have faced backlash for dramatically increased prices, raising ethical concerns about profiting from people's distress. While this practice might boost short-term revenues, it could damage the company's reputation and lead to customer distrust or regulatory scrutiny in the long run.

Large corporations may have the resources to weather such controversies, but smaller companies or startups could face existential threats when confronted with similar issues. So, like other aspects of product development, evaluating viability demands thorough research, analysis, and rigorous testing of ideas to ensure they are not only profitable but also sustainable and ethically sound in the long run. When assessing viability, consider things like:

• What are the costs involved in transforming your design & requirements into a functional product?
• Is there adequate capital to develop the new product or feature?
• How long before the investment yields positive returns and is it sustainable in the long term?
• What are the development and operational costs?

Feasibility

Ever poured your heart and soul into crafting a killer feature, only to see it vanish in the development abyss? Not sure about you, at least I have run into this blackhole a few times in my experience! When Product managers or designers do not engage with the developers early enough, it can lead to mismatched expectations and subpar outcomes. For example, a designer may create a design that they believe is perfect, but the developer may not be able to implement it as intended due to technical limitations. This can lead to frustration and conflict between the designer and the developer, as unnecessary efforts could have been avoided if simple considerations had been made upstream in the cycle. Feasibility brings a practical perspective to the table and involves assessing if the product can be developed with existing resources and within a reasonable timeframe. It considers technical, financial, and operational constraints.?

Let's consider a real-world example: the implementation of a "carbon footprint calculator" feature by a travel booking app. This feature allows users to see the estimated carbon emissions for their trips and offers options to offset these emissions through donations to environmental projects. While environmentally conscious and potentially attractive to users, its potential has? to be carefully vetted through several feasibility questions:

• Does the current tech stack support real-time carbon emission calculations?
• Are there enough data scientists, UX designers, and developers to build and maintain this feature?
• Will the company need to hire environmental experts or partner with carbon offset organizations?
• How will this affect customer support? Are they equipped to handle questions about carbon calculations and offsets?

By thoroughly examining these feasibility aspects, the product team can determine whether implementing a feature like a carbon footprint calculator is practically achievable within its current capabilities and resources. So, when considering the feasibility of a new product or feature like this, it is good to consider questions like:

• Can the desired features be implemented with existing technology and infrastructure?
• Do we have the necessary talent in-house, or will we need to hire specialists?
• What are the potential technical challenges of building and scaling the product?
• Are our customer support, sales &marketing teams prepared for the additional workload and knowledge requirements?

In conclusion, the pursuit of innovation should be tempered with practicality. By striking a balance between desirability, viability, and feasibility, you'll be able to create products that not only delight users but also drive business success. So, the next time you're brainstorming new features, ask yourself: Is it desirable, viable, and feasible? If the answer is yes, then you're on the right track!