User motivationa product development framework

-navneet nair

• more features the better• less is more• form follows function• the competitors have it, let’s have it

Lets talk features

• i want it yesterday• time to market• feature creep• delays

Lets talk schedule

• feature rich but buggy• looks great but delayed• missing key features

Where does it meet

• look at the market• speak to the user• develop a framework

Good place to start

Framework?

• not a new concept• based on maslow’s pioneering work• hierarchy of needs

User motivation

• the desire or willingness to achieve something• can that something be a product• how motivated is the user towards purchase

Motivation

• physiological• safety• belonging• esteem• actualization

Maslow’s levels

• basic need• ‘must have’ feature• every competitor has at least this much• defines the product

Physiological=functionality

• works• does not break• does not loose user information• does the company/community support the product

Safety=trust

• do the voyeurs use it • do your friends use it• is there a community you can fall back upon

Belonging=social

• end to end experience • beyond user experience• user delight

Esteem=experience

• no further motivation required • beyond competition

Actualization=pride

study the market, define the product, build the basic product, get the interactions right

get a stable product, invest in quality, customer support

gather evangelists, build the community, make sure the right people are using it

invest in the brand experience cycle, marketing-to-point of sale-to-user experience-to-support

sit back, relax, start work on the next great product

The ideal process

• it is not feasible to use these stages as release cycles• market conditions will determine your release• getting the needs in the right order could determine success• is user motivation a reasonable framework• some examples

The world is not perfect

Case studies

• stunning industrial design• object oriented operating system• high performance display postscript• high speed magneto-optical drive

NeXTcube

Steve Jobs

“If you want to make a revolution, you have to raise lowest common denominator.”

• by raising the denominator the pyramid was inverted• too much focus on the top of the pyramid• this delayed the project and did not allow the market to react early• this is another way of saying the market was not ready

The NeXTcube failed

• stunning industrial design• excellent integration with a music web-store• intuitive user interface

Apple iPod

Steve Jobs

“I wish developing great products was as easy as writing a check. If that was the case, Microsoft would have great products.”

• it does look like a product that was developed top down• but that’s not the truth• it began with the soundjam acquisition for itunes• there were mp3 download sites users were used to• but the itunes music store made things easy• sales did not take off dramatically till 2004• after the usb and pc versions made the appearance

The iPod is a success

Q&A