I recently conducted research which revealed that we had failed to consider one of the most important questions for our users: what’s next? \u00a0During the research, users successfully got through each individual step. \u00a0When it was time to transition to the next step, they couldn’t figure out what to do. \u00a0They knew what their end goal was, they couldn’t figure out how to get there. \u00a0One of my recommendations to the team is to consider how we will guide the user through the whole process so that people can accomplish what they set out to do.<\/p>\n
When we develop applications, we break workflows up into features, and we often break up features into smaller pieces. \u00a0This process helps us build software. \u00a0It’s very easy for this process to make its way into the interaction design process: we design part of a workflow, and forget to design the glue between the individual parts of the workflow that turns it from a string of features into a workflow that helps users accomplish their goal.<\/p>\n
Laura Klein looked at this problem from the other direction: coming up with an idea to improve your product, and then watching it get bigger and bigger as you consider what happens next<\/a>. \u00a0Nothing exists in a vacuum. \u00a0There is always something that happens next. \u00a0A successful product considers what happens next, and sets its users up for success in getting to that next step and accomplishing what they really want to accomplish.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I recently conducted research which revealed that we had failed to consider one of the most important questions for our users: what’s next? \u00a0During the research, users successfully got through each individual step. \u00a0When it was time to transition to the next step, they couldn’t figure out what to do. \u00a0They knew what their end … Continue reading what’s next?<\/span>