You're wrong about your Product and so the reason it FAILED.!

After tremendous applause for my previous post - Strategic Way to sell a pen like a Pro, I thought of writing an article about product pitfalls and on the same regards, I've started speaking with people with failed startup's (products). I've met bunch of people who're Entrepreneurs, Product managers and designer.

I was surprised, shocked and bit annoyed after speaking with them regarding the root cause of product's failure. Following this conversation, in many cases the reason which I understood is -

Their conception for the failure is absolutely wrong and the conception is - Designing (and front end development) means UI and UX. 

Let's take a look at the stats globally:

First of all, let's define User Experience - As per Wikipedia: 'User experience (UX) involves a person's behaviors, attitudes, and emotions about using a particular product, system, or service" 

Precisely making Users feel delighted - The WOW Factor.

So what exactly User Experience include?

1. User Research - It focuses on understanding users behaviours, needs, motivation and couple of observation techniques, task analysis and other feedback methodologies. For this User research strategy - you should have your own strategy for research, conduct usability studies, interviews with the users, conduct surveys. The end result of this user research will be Voice of the customer.
2. Business Analysis - With this you'll understand the strategy and objectives. This phase outcome will be defining the business value and the voice of business.
3. Interaction Design - This phase is more like a blueprint design where you define the things. This phase outcome will be Wireframes, Story boards and user interface (not complete UI - but the look and feel - you'll get an idea of what you're going to do)
4. Information architecture - The major difference between a mainstream designer and UI/UX developer is Information Architecture. The main stream designers will never know the parameters or elements which should be present - whereas the UI/UX designer will be aware of parameters and the entire flow with the help of above phases.
5. Visual Design - Many people mistake that visual design and interaction designing is same. The phase where the designing tools comes into picture (Photoshop, illustrator etc.,). In this phase you'll define the UI (User Interface) along with the brand strategies, typography, icon etc., The outcome of this phase is UI (User Interface). 
6. Front End Development - This phase is an integration of both Visual design and interaction design. This phases mostly deal with front end development and frameworks like HTML, CSS, Ajax, JavaScript and native OS framework. The outcome of this phase will be a working prototype (Can be bare bars, MVP or a well finished product).
7. Content Strategy - Most of the people think that UX ends with Front End Development. This phase deals with content development, mapping, placements, organizing and copy-editing. This phase outcome is the outcome you're expecting (before launching) 
8. UX Strategy - This phase deals with the Assessment, vision, objectives, planning, execution and measurement of the User Experience.

Finally, User experience is:

• Not tangible- it's a feel/emotion
• Not a methodology - It's a philosophy
• Not decided by the product developers - but the product users
• Not mere designing - it's defining, building, integrating, measuring and pivoting

How to differentiate & recruit an UI/UX Designer:

The best practice to hire an UI/UX designer (but not mainstream designer is) - Ask the designer to come up with a concept where he/she will revamp their favorite product or a mobile app.

Also you can take a step ahead and in case if their favorite product is web based - you can ask for mobile based or vice-versa. In case if the product is both web and mobile you can ask for revamp (may be 4-5 screens which are important) and let them decide which screens are to be designed so you can understand their choice in selecting the want and need) and spotting someone will be very easy with the outcome. If they've come with:

• Same application but with some changes in Icon and typo - He/she is going to be mainstream designer. If you're a design thinker (You've clear state of mind how your app is going to be) and if you like their design you can go with this person and they can help you out with Branding stuff even. However, don't expect them to be bootstrappers. 
• If he/she tried making some changes in the placement of objects and if they simplified the application (from complex state) - You can appreciate the efforts and take your call
• If he/she done a good visual design and if they take some leverage and adds their own features into the product which are not available. Hire that person without a second thought.

Golden rules:

A great interface is like a joke - If you've to explain it, it's not good

Try reducing the number of scrolls or clicks

Automate as much as possible

Try going with an MVP - measure and pivot it. Always invest in First time User experience

Less is more - Be Lean

Always ask for feedback

Allow reversal of action and always make it easy

End note: I don't mean to Say UX is Everything. It's obvious for any product or company to fulfill the checklist and every parameter in the list holds it owns impact. But Why UX carries more weight among the parameters? - And the reason is it's the biggest value proposition any product or company can provide.

Apologies for grammatical mistakes if any. This article is a thought and my perspective. Comments/ Feedback/ Corrections are always welcome. Drop me a line to [email protected] or Inbox me or Skype me on macharayya.g - All the Best.!!

About Me:

This is Macharayya - a Startup enthusiast - who can help you in filling the missing part of the puzzle (Startup/product/Service) | Ideapreneur | trying to bridge the gap between process, people and technology | Industry and Market Analyst | Enterprise Sales and marketing consultant | Branding professional | An Individual contributor | Growth Hacker.