SPHERE OF INFLUENCE, INC. – software studios and services
Theresa Smith
Having been a product lead for several software products I have taken notice of what it takes to make products people really love. We can talk all day about the importance of methodology, process and frameworks, but in the bigger picture these are not enough. I don’t want to sound like I am belittling technical activities – they are important. I guess my point is that just doing the technical activities might give you good software but not necessarily a product that people love.
I have recently embarked on a mission to discover the things that are needed to achieve software products and product experiences that people love. I have come to the conclusion that Product Design is a necessary step in preproduction and when you get the right people to lead this activity, better product experiences result.
One of the most glaring attributes that I have found in software products lacking product design is what I call “floating features”. Floating features are detached from data and workflow, often strewn throughout the screens, menus and toolbars. I’ve seen plenty of software products with this problem, and the end result is always the same – users that find it difficult to know where to start or how to proceed. Why? Probably because the product was developed one feature at a time, possibly using Agile software development techniques, but neglecting design of the product experience.