InfoKredīti

In his famous 1962 speech, JFK declared the ambition to go to the Moon “not because it was easy, but because it was hard”. 60 years later it’s still an inspirational quote printed on mugs but this wouldn’t have led to one of the greatest achievements of mankind if not for the thousands of people who worked around the clock to make this bold statement a reality. In the same way, business is driven by promises of success and innovation but it becomes meaningless without people who actually do the hard work. Unfortunately, the consulting industry is skilled to lure businesses into a trap of overpromising and underdelivering, using template solutions that don’t address the company’s specific needs. The result is a half-built rocket that crashes on the way to launch, leaving the client to pick up the pieces while the consultants move to yet another project.

It seems like the ability to make inspiring promises has become the face of our age – we see it in marketing, business, and social media, but often the crucial question of HOW to make it happen is brushed off and presented as one’s own failure to deliver.

Enough with the BS already

The consulting industry frequently thrives on the excitement of shiny new ideas and solutions, capturing clients’ attention through engaging presentations, inspiring talks, and pledges of success. Unfortunately, this leads to the vicious cycle of overpromising, failing to meet expectations, and moving from one project to another.

As a result, the business is left with a half-built rocket that was promised to reach the Moon but ended up crashing on the way to launch, and now, metaphorically speaking, Branson is stripped from his engineers and left with a wrench to fix the mess himself…

The vicious cycle of the consulting industry

The most important question of all – what is the core problem and the best possible solution for the specific business – is never asked. Instead, a template solution is used but it’s as absurd as treating depression with cancer medicine. It might sound harsh, but most often nobody genuinely cares whether the client actually needs the solution or if it addresses the root problem that caused the trouble in the first place.

Unfortunately, the process is focused on closing the deal whatever it takes and overpromising is an integral part of it. The aftermath of a signed contract becomes tomorrow’s challenge and the one left to deal with it is the business itself.

Cynical? Exaggerated?

Perhaps, but it’s difficult to overstate how often this is precisely how niche consulting operates. Take a look at any website of a consultancy agency – all of them are so skilled at promising unmatched growth and industry leadership, no wonder you start imagining an unprecedented future success if only you worked with them – it’s an irresistible hook, and you are sold!

A few months later, you find yourself watching the consultant you hired demonstrating a presentation, outlining the background, all the hard work they have done, and the findings of the investigation. You see your colleagues nodding in agreement when self-evident, but still relevant weak points are mentioned. Finally, the consultant flips to the most awaited part of the presentation – the solutions. Since you’re already hyped up from hearing the pain points you don’t question the improvement ideas straight away – after all, change is hard. The consultant mentions solutions you have already considered but abandoned because of the lack of human, time, and financial resources, but you think to yourself that perhaps the agency has found a better way to solve this. You eagerly wait for the details and try to escape the rising dread that all of this was for nothing. After all, it was your initiative to bring them on to solve the pressing problem that no one on the team had the time nor the skills to figure out. At one point the presentation is over – there are a few questions about some of the proposed solutions but the consultant brushes them off easily. Why shouldn’t you believe them, they have experienced the same problem working with other customers in the past – and the same solutions worked, at least you think so…

But what happens next? Most ideas go and die in the PowerPoint slide and some that are easier to implement and understand – the low-hanging fruit are completed. And what happens in 2 years time? The same problems creep-up again, but when you open the presentation: most of the information is outdated. The technology stack has changed, there are new products and it’s time to call in the agency again to help you figure out where to go next…

It’s so simple to propose ideas in PowerPoint presentations, but getting sh*t actually done, is another story that often requires the ‘ugly’, hard work that no one is willing to do. The business couldn’t implement the consultancy’s advice? It’s their failure! But is it really? Of course, this is painful to admit because it would mean companies are regularly spending large amounts of money on something that turns out to be partially useful.

Business of getting sh*t done

Hate to admit but we were the guys on both sides of the table. The ones on the consultancy side, clearly understanding we were overselling a solution that isn’t fit to the client’s needs and the ones sinking in desperation, realizing that the presentation had created even more headaches than before.

Back then we promised ourselves to one day kill the PowerPoint presentation vibe and transform that into executing a clear step-by-step plan on how to solve the problems and achieve the business goals, backed by enough details, examples and variations to make it just a matter of doing, not figuring out HOW. Besides, executing it together with the client, instead of abandoning the ship while it’s still a float.

Problems are meant to be solved, not made even bigger. Sorry for the directness but we believe that a bit of a cold shower is exactly what the industry needs. For too long there have been empty promises that have led the companies to an even bigger mess. That’s why we are in the business of getting shit done – we are Winston Wolf of Pulp fiction and we solve problems.

No fluff, no bullshit, instead we provide:

Attentive Listening
understanding in depth why we are needed/why we were approached and the bigger picture –  to know how our work might impact other projects in the company
Root Cause Analysis
Identify hidden obstacles and issues that have prevented the business from achieving its goals.
Strategic Evaluation
Assess whether it’s the right time to start the project or if there are software, team, process, or other resource dependencies that need to be addressed before engaging with us.
Roadmap Creation
clear, step by step plan on how to get the results we propose with the resources available
Resource Maximization
Utilize budget, time, data, external factors, team capabilities, and software to craft a unique solution that sets the company apart from competitors.
Effective Communication
we will speak clearly, give examples from your industry or company and avoid overcomplicating things – to ensure we’re on the same page from start to finish
Persistence Until Success
Never give up on a client – Stay committed to the client and the project until the desired goals are reached.

In short – we take a deep dive in the root of the problem and keep going until it’s solved and turned from problem to profit. We do all of that by maximizing the resources the business already has, without selling the client something he definitely doesn’t need or can’t afford.

No more half-built, overpromised, and underdelivered rockets – getting to the Moon takes more than inspiring ambitions. It’s a lot of hard work that requires the ability to roll up your sleeves and get dirty.

Exactly How Do Social Networking Features Benefit Your Product or Service?

Social networking features are a valuable asset for any digital product or service. They can help to:

• Exponentially increase the number of new users
• Increase productivity of your service and new content generation
• Create collective intelligence that is shareable between like-minded people
• Provide a reason for users to return to the service and increase their perception of value
• Generate new ideas and innovations for future product development

Those are valuable benefits for every business and service, but it is not as easy to implement as it sounds. It is not enough to add social networking features such as content feed, comments, and the ability to follow someone, like, share and reshare. For social networking features to elevate your offering, users must find them valuable.

Value of Social Networking Features

In research, value accounts for 50% of the total long-term user experience for social features to work.
Value is subjective, as each service user will provide their definition, preferences and priorities. However, in interviews and literature reviews, a handful of benefits tend to arise more than others.

Those essential core benefits include:

Self-satisfaction – A reliable solution every time
Meeting customer needs – Critical functions and features are customisable to a meaningful degree
Pleasing to use – The service should be effortless in its use without meaningless, redundant, or duplicated steps
Socialisation – Generate social value, belonging to a particular group, and give reason to boast about the product
Creating attachment – A service that becomes a habit to use

Social Networking Features Are Here to Stay

The web has profoundly affected how people interact with each other – and in large part, social networks are the ones to blame for it. Social networking was the essence of WEB 2.0, allowing internet users to connect, share user-generated content, create communities, share opinions and find like-minded people worldwide.

The ability to connect was so powerful that every new service or app developer pushed social networking into their solution. It is a powerful concept: the idea is that you can easily find, connect, and relate to other like-minded people, especially if you have similar interests and regardless of the distance between you. It is hard to imagine today, almost 20 years later, what a revolutionary step in consumer interaction it was: there is little wonder that every new app and web service came out with a social networking feature.

Do the Benefits Outweigh the Issues?

Of course, there was an almost inevitable shift in perception: due to seemingly unending social and political scandals – social networks gained negative sentiment. Now, decisions around incorporating social networking must consider newer shiny technological advancements and promises of WEB 3.0 are pushing discussion of whether your next project should have social integration. Even the big players haven’t figured it all out, and whether social features bring more problems than benefits is hotly debated.

To that end, a longitudinal research study took place to determine how people benefit from social networking features and to identify what user experience dimensions account for a reason to keep using these features.

Multiple literature reviews and field studies claim that usability, with its subdomain UX, is the most critical aspect of product or service success. However, the research concluded that usability is essential only during the first week of product use. That is when the user learns interaction patterns with the product, the product’s navigation and information architecture, and the execution of general use cases.

UX Subfactors That Create a Sense of Value

Self-satisfaction

The degree to which a product/service gives a user satisfaction with themself or their achievements. Self-satisfaction manifests in how the user’s personality and identity are reflected through the product use: whether the product compliments their personality and worldview. This can be summarised by whether the user has enough confidence and reliability that each time they open the service with a particular goal in mind, they can execute their requirements without any obstacle.

Customer need

This is the extent to which functions or appearances of a product/service satisfy the user’s needs. Expectations are a compelling feeling that gets users pumped up and excited – they are not “hope” that represents the possibility of positive and negative outcomes. On the contrary, expectations are strongly positive feelings based on the product, and if the expectations do not match with the result, it usually causes devastating emotions and letdowns.
When advertising a product, customers’ needs need to be matched by the product being practically useful – this requires a variety of tools and functions that meet core product promises.

Pleasure

Your users’ feeling of being pleased or gratified due to interacting with a product/service. If working with the product or service is fun and relaxing – what’s not to like about it? On the other hand, in a strictly practical sense, if a task comes to mind as something that you would rather postpone for later – it is likely not fun, relaxing, or pleasurable.

Attachment

The user can attach subjective value to a product/service. The keyword here is ‘subjective’, as each of us has different personal meanings that we link to things we own and use. For example, for some, a smartphone brand can symbolise status, belonging to a group, a statement, or simply a messaging and internet-connected device for work. Of course, you won’t get all the meaning from your users on your product/service, but it’s essential to distinguish the most important ones that align with your brand and integrate them.

Conclusion

When creating a product, web service, or new app, don’t just add a user feed, an option of sharing, social metrics, or other features hoping that that is what users want and with which they will engage. Of course, all of that and other even more innovative features are valuable, but only then if the value of the service is already in place.

When users understand that your service is something they will not willingly let go of, social networking features will help you gain exponential user growth, increase productivity, grow a community, and increase customer lifetime value.

In today’s digital landscape, where technology is constantly evolving, user experience (UX) is an essential factor for the success of a software product. A good user experience is key to making a product easy to use, intuitive and satisfying to the end user.

Leading companies and technological products stay ahead because they prioritize UX. They pay attention to UX aspects by making the user experience a top priority in their product design and development process. UX is an essential aspect of software products, but the importance of a specific UX aspect may vary depending on the category and purpose of the product.

Here is an example to illustrate

Imagine UX aspects as ingredients in a recipe, and depending on what kind of dish you are making, you will need different ingredients. The same applies to software products and UX aspects.

Financial software requires high security and accuracy, therefore the UX depends on the ease of use, efficiency, and overall satisfaction for the user.
On the other hand, mobile game prioritizes visual design, responsiveness, and performance to enhance user satisfaction.
An E-commerce store will prefer to focus on its visual design and navigation to improve a user’s ability to locate and purchase a product.

These examples point to one thing- Investing in UX aspects will not only improve user experience on the product but the overall revenue generated by the company.

This highlights one of the ways a software product can be successful in today’s competitive market. With presence of many software products, you need to edge out the competition with investing in human centred design and good user experience.

A deep dive
into UX aspects
and its importance
to software products

What does UX aspect mean?

User experience (UX) aspects in design are elements that impact the user’s interaction with a software product. It refers to how a user interacts with and perceives a product or service. These aspects include elements such as ease of use, navigation, visual design, and overall satisfaction. Other important UX aspects include accessibility, performance, as well as responsiveness.

The ultimate goal of UX design is to create a positive and seamless experience for the user.

A perfect example of the impact of UX design is the redesign of the United Airlines mobile app. The redesign focused on simplifying the booking process, making it easier to use. This redesign led to a 17% increase in mobile bookings and a 27% increase in revenue for the airline.

A well-designed product that is easy to use and visually appealing is more likely to be adopted by users. On the other hand, a product that is difficult to use or unappealing is more likely to be ignored or discarded by users.

Additionally, a product that is accessible to a wide range of users, including those with disabilities, is more likely to be successful in the long term. Overall, good UX design can lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and conversion rates. This is why software designed with several user groups in mind does better than others.

These case studies demonstrate how good UX design has a significant impact on the success of software products. By focusing on usability and user experience, software products can improve efficiency, and ease of use, and increase customer satisfaction and revenue.

User Experience aspects in software products

Here are the UX aspect used in the study.

Ease of use. This refers to the simplicity and ease of use of a product. It includes things like clear labeling, easy-to-understand language, and logical navigation.
Navigation. The way users can move through the product or service, including the organization of content and the use of menus and buttons.
Visual design. The overall aesthetic of the product or service, including the use of colors, typography, and images.
Accessibility. This refers to how well the product can be used by people with disabilities.
Performance. The speed and responsiveness of the product or service, including load times and the ability to handle large amounts of data.
Learnability. This refers to how easy it is for users to learn how to use the product.
Efficiency. This refers to how quickly and easily users can accomplish their goals.
Memorability. This refers to how easy it is for users to remember how to use the product after they’ve used it before.
Error management. This refers to how well the product helps users recover from errors.
Satisfaction. This answers questions like- Does the user enjoy the product? did it help them complete their task or need? It helps to know how much users enjoy using the product.
Flexibility. This refers to how well the product can be used in different ways and with different types of users.
Aesthetics. Aesthetics plays an important role in how users view a product. It refers to how visually pleasing and attractive the product is.

In a study to know the UX aspect considered when a user engages in a software product.

A positive User Experience is important to the success of a software product. However, User Experience is a highly subjective concept, therefore it can be challenging to measure. Users of products are dynamic, therefore they may have different preferences, requirements, and experiences when interacting with a product. It is crucial to consider the context and objectives of the software and its target users while determining the importance of specific UX aspects in the design process.

When making a product, it’s important to think about how people will use it. By understanding what is most important to the people who will use the product, designers can make better choices. Also, it’s important to think about how culture, location, gender, or age might affect how people use the product.

How to evaluate and measure User Experience Aspects

In a bid to evaluate UX aspects and its importance to software products, a study was carried out. A questionnaire containing a list of UX dimension was created on how user rate attractiveness, efficiency, control, learnability, controllability, helpfulness and originality of a product.

A selected number of participants who understand UX aspects and its description was selected for this study. The study was simple- each participant was given an excel sheet to rate 15 products categories using the important UX aspects.

Each cell could be filled
with rating from 1-7

Meaningless

This is used if the UX aspect did not make sense at all for the product category

1 – Extremely unimportant,
2 – Somewhat unimportant,
3 – Slightly unimportant,
4 – Neutral,
5 – Slightly important,
6 – Somewhat important,
7 – Extremely important.

With 16 UX aspects and 15 product categories the participants had thus to fill 240 cells, i.e. had to make 240 decisions.

This UX aspects used in this study are

The products categories tested with the above UX aspects are

Word Processing: Ms Word, MS Power Point, LaTex, Writer (Open Office)
Spreadsheet: MS Excel, Calc (Open Office)
Messenger: WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat
Social Network: Facebook, Xing, LinkedIn
Video Conferencing: Skype, Google hangout
Web Shops: Tokopedia, Bukalapak, Shopee
News Portals: CNN, BBC, Daily Telegraph
Booking Systems: Traveloka, Trivago
Info web pages: Wikipedia, Lifehacker
Learning platforms: Udemy, Udacity
Programming tools: Eclipse, Visual Studio
Image processing: Photoshop, CorelDraw, gimp
Online banking: m-BCA, mandiri mobile, jenius
Video portals: Youtube, Netflix
Games: DoTA2, Mobile Legend

Results and discussion

Results from the study shows that different products vary massively with UX aspects. The study looked at how important different aspects of user experience (UX) were for 15 different types of products. The study found that different products had different levels of importance for these aspects, but products that were similar in how they were used tended to have similar levels of importance for these aspects. The study also found that people had different opinions on how important these aspects were.

The study also found that some UX aspects, like intuitive usage and clarity, were seen as similar in importance across different products, while others, like content quality, varied a lot.

Multi-dimensional scaling

To visually show how similar different aspects of user experience (UX) are to each other, multidimensional scaling was further used. This was done by creating a matrix that compares the similarity of each pair of UX aspects based on how closely their importance ratings across different product categories match up. Multidimensional scaling then displays these aspects as points in a two-dimensional space, with the distance between the points reflecting how similar they are. The closer the distance, the more similar the UX aspects are.

Multi-dimensional scaling of the UX aspects.

The smaller the distance between two UX aspects is, the more similar are their importance ratings over 15 product categories

The analysis showed that there are two main groups of UX aspects: those that are related to pleasure and enjoyment (hedonic aspects), and those that are related to practical tasks (pragmatic aspects).

This two main UX aspects are: those that were related to pleasure (like beauty, aesthetics and novelty) and those that were related to how well the product worked (like usefulness and efficiency). The study also used MDS to show how similar some products categories were. The study found that some groups of products, like games and video portals, were not similar to other groups, while other groups, like image processing and programming tools, were similar. While games designs needs to be visually attractive and responsiveness, a video portal product needs efficiency, intuitiveness and ease of use.

Key takeaway from this study

One of the key findings of the study was the large differences in how user perceives the UX aspect of a product. This shows the need for products and its builders to consider the needs and preferences of their target audience when designing and evaluating the user experience for a particular product.

Another important takeaway from the study was the consistent high ratings for certain UX aspects across different product categories. These include Intuitive Usage, Clarity, and Content Quality. These findings suggest that these aspects should be considered as key factors when designing and evaluating the user experience for different types of products.

The study also utilized the multidimensional scaling (MDS) visualization technique to identify the similarity and dissimilarity of the aspects and product categories. This technique helped to provide a clear and concise representation of the data, making it easier to understand and interpret the results.

In conclusion

The study provides valuable insights into the importance of different UX aspects in different product categories. It also highlights the need to consider the needs and preferences of the target audience and the importance of key factors such as Usage, Clarity, and Content Quality when designing and evaluating the user experience for different types of products. The study’s use of MDS visualization technique is also a great way to help identify the similarity and dissimilarity of the aspects and product categories for future research.

How can product builders make use of this result?

As mentioned earlier, some certain UX aspects are important to a particular product than other. Its is important that product owners and builders, factor the only UX aspect that will positively impacts their products. Users or target audience can be contacted to know their preferences.

User experience is very important to the success of a product.

How we help your product stand out irrespective of its category

All successful products consider the needs and preferences of the target audience and important UX aspects such as Usage, Clarity, and Content Quality when designing and evaluating the user experience for different types of products.

References

The Six Steps For Justifying Better UX (Forester, 2016)

Modeling aesthetic preferences: Color coordination and fuzzy sets (Shamoi, Inoue, Kawanaka, 2019)

Importance of user experience aspects for different software product categories (Santoso, 2018)