Focus on Users

Making a great website or an application is not just enough, you have to deliver what your users want in a way they want.

How do I figure out what and how my users want? Well, there are many techniques and methods through which one can easily find this out.

If you are coming up with a new concept then you can achieve this through market research, individual interviews and FGD (focus group discussions). The data collected through these techniques and methodologies helps in understanding the user needs and wants and above all helps in creating the persona. Persona help us to create tailor made applications for our users, unlike one size fit all. Giving more than what user is looking for boosts the UX factor of the application when it is simple to use, non obtrusive, intuitive and without arrogance. If, our intent is to invite beginners with a great initial experience while also attracting power users whose excitement and expertise will draw others to the product, then we can achieve this feat without much ado by ensuring good User Experience.

In case you are coming up with a product which is already in use and has competition, then the technique used to gather data is more or less similar to the ones we have discussed above, however, in this case we will conduct extensive user tests with the similar existing applications to find out the usability roadblocks, pain points and user satisfaction of the said product. Once we have this invaluable data in our hand designing our product becomes pretty simple. What we are doing hereafter is just improvising the competitor’s product ensuring it is user and usage centered. Because there’s no point reinventing the wheel!

To design a great product and be best in the trade is not a child’s play, however, it’s neither impossible too.

Right from concept to commissioning stage, the product stake holders should have the clarity of the product and stick to that without deviation. Define product guidelines, abide to them, and follow the best practices and standards for coding, design etc to make the product a benchmark standard for others.

All said and done, end of the day, if we understand the users and focus on them, all else will follow on it’s own.

Being best is not an end point, but a starting point....