Notes on product development

A living document for lessons in product development, user experience, and user interface design. Mostly relevant for consumer apps.

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1. Big features can have a small footprint
   • When having an idea for a new feature, do not give way to excitement
   • The first iteration is never correct – and often too brazen
   • Think of the Facebook like button – small user-facing footprint, but super pivotal
2. Problem first, solution second, aesthetics third
   • The problem you're solving matters more than how you solve it, and how you solve it matters more than how it's presented
   • SaaS are like screwdrivers while social apps are more like clothing—function matters, but users care about look and feel too
3. Main CTA
   • For each screen, ask: Where do I want my user's eyes to go?'
4. Mobile CTAs should be bigger
   • The thumb is less precise than the mouse, so buttons should oftentimes be made bigger on mobile, not smaller
5. Mobile first
   • ~70% of internet traffic is mobile, your app will most likely have a similar breakdown
   • Develop your app inside of a mobile view/iPhone simulator
6. Magical moment
   • New users should "get it" as soon as possible after signup/purchase
   • For example, being greeted with cookies on the kitchen table in your freshly cleaned AirBnb
   • Ask: What is my app's magical moment and how do I make it near-instant?
7. Avoid applying DRY to UX
   • Software engineering is a search for simple primitives and abstractions, product development is more about user empathy and communication
   • For example, don't be afraid to add a signup button at both the top and the bottom of the same screen if it increases conversion or helps your users understand your product
   • Just like in speech, you sometimes need to repeat yourself twice or thrice for the message to sink in
8. Avoid over-systematizing design
   • If you're an engineer you'll be tempted to systematize the design system
   • This is great in some cases, e.g. using utility classes for consistent padding and font size jumps
   • But you'll likely need more than 3 colors, many of which will have to be hand-picked as opposed to mathematically derived
9. Consumer apps are arrived at through a shit-ton of experiments
   • Make it fun and easy to experiment
   • Run conclusive tests
   • Navigate with conviction