the #1 ux failure of new products
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STEPH HAY
content, UX, hugs
Home The #1 UX failure of new products
I'm more active on Twitter than
LinkedIn
I'm great at clarifying content and
UX so users don't wonder, "What's
this mean?"
Here's my email address.
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THE #1 UX FAILURE OF NEW
PRODUCTS
October 23, 2012 by stephaniehay in Blergh
I got asked this question last week. At first it seemed un-answerable, but then I
realized that NOT optimizing their UX for a first-time user is the biggest issue
early-stage companies face.
The problem is clear: there is no active or loyal user base yet. So if the product relies
on having a user base to be valuable enough that users would want to return, it HAS
to cater to a first-time user FIRST.
For example, when I first got into Rdio very early on, I saw music there already. I
started listening immediately. I then had a lower threshold for inviting friends because
the proof was in the app when I first logged in. I also already was ENJOYING the
app, so returning (and becoming a paying subscriber) was also easier for me.
Now imagine if Rdio required me to upload music first because the listening library
had a minimum number of songs to start. Imagine if I had to connect my Twitter or
Facebook account BEFORE I had a chance to use the app.
Whats my incentive?
A first-time user is there to kick the tires. To change behavior and encourage users to
come back for more, there has to be a clear strategy that caters to that first-time users
context FIRST. That mainly means answering questions like what the crap is this,
why am I here, and is it worth my time?
Heres a real example of the norm. My buddy Will invited me to Biogrify. Its
homepage says nothing about what it is. So I asked Will what the crap is this? He
told me it was something like the New New Social Network with Infographics. I
dont need this in my life, but Will is awesome, so I signed up via Twitter, addedprofile info, then skipped the invite friends part of the 3-step process.
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--> Video: Who Cares About
Content?
Articles
--> AListApart: Being Real Builds
Trust
--> UXMag: What Are You
About?
--> WSS: Crafting Intentional
Content
Once in, I see content created by people I dont know.
Why didnt I see Wills posts? He invited me. And whats my incentive to do a Quick
Post, Create, or Connect with Facebook to find more friends at this point? Im
kicking the tires, but why would I want to create content for strangers to see? And
why would I want to invite friends without seeing what this product really is all about
but wait, is that the only way this would be relevant to me on first view?
Instead of optimizing the sign-up process and UI to a first-time user like me, theproduct is built for the business. Its got fun visual tools without context of why a
first-time user should use them. It offers the chance to make posts without friends.
Each of the features and networking aspects requires me to take actions without ever
telling me why Id want to take them. In the meantime, my inbox starts filling up with
X is now following you messages that try to draw me back into the application.
Startups here are optimized for power users who get it and become
evangelical. This is definitely one tactic to take, and my buddy Will is surely onboard.
Im not. Would I be if the UX was customized to creating a more oriented, powerful,and conversational first-time experience? Yes. Its fun.
But its not worth my time to figure out why it matters to me. Thats the startups job.
Taking the pitch of why it needs to exist and making it a core aspect of the UX is the
best way of communicating with the first-time user, whose buy-in is essential to
success.
Building a product for most of us is an attempt at building a business; it takes time.
Think Jack Chengs slow web time. If startups could launch products the way they
launch conversations with an Im working on this app for people who love
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14 Responses
o0odesigno0o October 23, 2012 at 4:03 pm
Good UX post. You have to walk before you can run.
Jose October 23, 2012 at 9:31 pm
Agree so much. Btw I have to say I love Rdio design.
Virginia October 23, 2012 at 11:06 pm
I wrote the same comment on your 500 post (and wheres the Speek
Party on your up next????
I love this article Steph. And Id like to share the outstanding advice you
gave Speek.
I have a great anecdote for how optimizing for the first time user works.
When a guest user first used Speek (the easiest, simplest, face-melting
conference call alternative there is out there) we used to have a div pop
up immediately asking them for their name, email, etc as an attempt to
convert them. Why wouldnt they want to convert? Speek is
AWESOME! Thats what we thought. Steph said why the hell are you
bombarding me with this pop up before I even see the virtual conference
table? Why cant I experience for myself? Let me see how awesome this
is. Give me a minute
So we did. We waited 60 seconds to show this div during the call
experience and our in call conversions jumped from 10% to 20%. Boom.
infographics rather than connect twitter, tell friends, create posts! and guide
them in that first-time experience, more of us would actually stick around for the
good stuff that makes us incorporate the new app into our daily lives. Which makes
the business grow for realz.
With SOOOOO many other risks startups face, why risk leaving your first-time user
to fend for herself and discover the value of the app through its features?
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stephaniehay October 23, 2012 at 11:09 pm
VIRGINIA YOU ARE AWESOME. Thanks for this killer
comment!
hkon October 24, 2012 at 3:21 pm
I like your statement: That mainly means answering questions like
what the crap is this, why am I here, and is it worth my time?
I think part of the problem is that creators might have a hard time
actually answering these questions themselves.
stephaniehay October 25, 2012 at 11:10 am
So true! New products are understandably still trying to find
their way. Alienating some users up-front by using specific
language catered to a specific user means the target audience
can get in and start doing stuff faster, which means more data
and learning. That makes answering the questions a clearer,
faster process.
Jeremy October 25, 2012 at 10:13 pm
I worked on Biogrify as a freelancer a while back, and Id warn
you guys not to draw too many conclusions regarding the UX
failings of this site. The founders are non-technical in the most
extreme sense, have almost a comical misunderstanding of how
social networks work, and have bought into the incoherent
strategy as suggested by their design team. Hopefully no-one
gets suckered into investing for this company.
John F Croston III October 25, 2012 at 10:46 am
This is what Ive been looking for on how to write up my verbiage for
my event application, since I need it to be from small gatherings to large
conferences.
Thanks, greatly.
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jfc iii
stephaniehay October 25, 2012 at 11:11 am
Sweet, glad to hear it, John!
2 Pennies October 25, 2012 at 4:10 pm
Love the article.
Although, I think comparing Biogrify with Rdio is a bit inaccurate.
While Rdio does use your friends to discover songs, in the end, your
relationship with Rdio is ultimately you and the music. You dont need to
see Wills activity when theres a play button ready for you to click.
When did we become so overly dependent on your friends. If my friend
recommends a local organic grocery, do I need to see his shopping list
and go shopping with him to get the benefits of this new store? Simply
inviting me and bringing it to my attention should be good enough for
me to figure out what to do.
Rdio is also an ironic choice of UI to highlight as simple and done the
right way. Compared to Biogrify, Rdio is a clusterf*ck. Rdio gets way
too much props for its cluttered UI. Weve all heard of the saying Do
one thing and do it great. Rdio doesnt do anything great. Granted, it
looks nice as a graphic design, everything laid out neatly with a nice blue
gradient BG that constitutes the majority of its coolness, but its not a
great utility.
Look at this screenshot of Rdio: http://tyckr.se/wp-content/uploads
/2010/06/rdiofirstpage.png
Browse Music
Dashboard
Queue
History
Collections
Playlist
Reviews (why?)
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People
Heavy rotation sorted between: You | Your Network | Everyone
Top Artists
Following
Activity
Find People To Follow
And More..
All of these features are little bitty text words placed cleanly around the
UI. Id personally be more apt to stay on Biogrify than Rdio. The only
probably with Biogrify, is I, like most people, dont really care for the
format of their content (text, designed well). Rdio is pushing music,
something I, and all of us love, and because we love it so much, we all
deal with and learn to accept overly complex UIs simply because well
do anything to get a taste of some music. Spotify is uglier than Rdio, but
they are both overly complicated UIs that I refuse to use. Im just glad
people call it clean, this means theres lots of room to innovate UIs in the
music sphere.
Just my 2 pennies.
stephaniehay October 25, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Thanks for such a thought-provoking comment! I used Rdio in
the example because of their FIRST UI (not the current one),
though I dont have a screenshot of how simple it was early-on.
The point is just that it was optimized for the first-time user,
rather than how its evolved (to become more feature-rich) since
its grown from early-stage to scale. Totally agree with you that
the focus on inviting friends is a symptom of trying to skip to
scale too quickly (before theres data to suggest traction or
retention). Thanks again!
2 Pennies October 25, 2012 at 4:18 pm
I hear you on that!
Your point stays the stay, meanwhile Rdio changed
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I'm not accepting new clients these days, but here are some awesome people who are.
Good stuff!
Peter October 27, 2012 at 9:47 am
As long as this site is unusable on mobile there is not much point talking
about no. 1 errors
stephaniehay October 27, 2012 at 10:48 am
If by this site you mean my blog, Id love a screenshot and
your device details. Im using Origin, a responsive WordPress
theme.
If youre referring to the Biogrify site, it might be that theyre
optimizing for web users first. But your comment re: including
mobile users is an important one.
Comments are closed.
On doing what you love that matters
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