How to guarantee the demise of any software project.

How to guarantee the demise of any software project.

If you want to fail, do not focus on the user

Nearly 70% of all IT projects fail due to a lack of user acceptance

we are conditioned to think that these are our users..

If not now, they soon will be

ANSWER: Diamond RIO PMP300 (November 1998)

The manufacture did not focus on user experience

When in doubt, ask your users

http://www.uie.com/articles/three_hund_million_button

Add the word “EMPATHY” into your job description, and put it into action by talking to your users

Be willing to throw out your ideas based on user feedback

Do not focus on your portfolio

If the user “notices” the UI, you’ve failed

If you build for everybody, you wind up building

for nobody

Huge budgets went into design

Full control over integration

It is hard to use – not intuitive

Marketing budget for familiarity

You most likely are not lucky enough to have the budget and time for innovation that Apple does

It is easier to think of people like this

Define a maximum of 3 personas for a project, and then hyper focus on them

Think about their circumstances

Classic example of launch & forget

Measure user behavior

Account for future releases up front

Integrate customer a feedback mechanism in the software

User testing during development AND post launch

Monitor your success metrics

Defining success can be challenging

Qualitative:

Customer has the perception of a fast transaction

Customer would recommend the software to a friend

Experience must be brand consistent and trustworthy

Quantitative

Reduce the time it takes to track a shipment by 20%

Increase the leads by 50%

Decrease customer service calls by half

Business Value

End UserValue

there is a conflict between you and your customers

Business Value

End UserValue

Listen to your customers and ensure that your opinions align with theirs – then speak using your customer’s words:(“this is what we heard our customers tell us…”)

Be humbly passionate about your ideas

Oversell – craft a pitch that will set the bar

Catch ALL green lights

No traffic

Tank is full

Do not forget anything

Find a miraculous parking space

Directions need to be perfect

Don’t need to pick up anything along the way

No issues with kids

No car accident

Don’t get any tickets for speeding

Sales conversation time reduced by 35%

Manufacturing costs dropped by 42%

Online revenue grew from: $5 Millions to $85 Millions

All this could happen in less than 9 months

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

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