Introduction
A successful product is one that always finds the sweet spot between customer needs and business objectives. In this blog let’s see why user research is important for a Product manager.
Customers, after all, have a primary job to do, and a good product should make that job easier and more effective. To achieve this delicate equilibrium, a product manager must step into the shoes of the customer, understanding their pains, empathize with their struggles, and envision how innovation can improve their lives. More importantly, building a product is your opportunity to not only make the customer’s job more efficient but also improve their quality of life. That is your super power as a product manager.
The essence of product management lies in comprehending the user’s perspective and crafting solutions that cater to their unique needs. This is why user stories begin with the user’s role and the job they’re trying to accomplish in order to achieve their desired outcome.
“The more you engage with customers, the clearer things become and the easier it is to determine what you should be doing.”
John Russell, President, Harley-Davidson
In the world of product management, user research is the compass that guides us toward those lessons. It’s a process that uncovers the pain points and challenges faced by customers, transforming their dissatisfaction into advocacy by addressing these issues head-on.
In today’s agile world, user research isn’t just a nice-to-have; It is the heartbeat of product development; it’s the bedrock upon which great products are built. It provides the narratives that shape user stories and steer product development in the right direction.
User research is like having a friendly chat with the people who will use something you’re creating, whether it’s an app or a website. You ask them questions, observe how they interact with your product, and learn about their preferences, struggles, and aspirations. It’s an ongoing dialogue that uncovers valuable insights.
Why is User Research so important?
- Know Thy User: To craft a product that truly resonates with your audience, you must intimately understand who they are, what they want, and what they need. This knowledge serves as the foundation of your product strategy.
- Analytics: Start by examining user data. Tools like Heap, Google Analytics or Mixpanel provide insights into user behavior, preferences, and pain points.
- Surveys: Deploy user surveys to collect direct feedback. Platforms like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms make it easy to gather user opinions.
- Talking and Watching: Engaging with users directly is akin to hanging out with them to see how they navigate the world. By talking to them and observing their actions, you gain invaluable firsthand insights into their behaviors and preferences.
- Usability Testing: Watch users interact with your product and observe their struggles and successes. Tools like UserTesting or Lookback facilitate remote usability testing.
- User Interviews: Conduct one-on-one interviews to dive deeper into user experiences. You could always set-up a call with tools Google Meet, Zoom, Slack, etc.
- Checking Your Ideas: User research isn’t just about collecting data; it’s about using what you’ve learned to validate and refine your ideas. It’s like checking your homework to ensure it’s correct before moving forward.
- A/B Testing: Test different versions of your product to see which performs better with real users. Tools like VWO, Optimizely or Google Optimize facilitate A/B testing.
- Prototyping: Create low-fidelity prototypes to quickly test concepts with users. Tools like Figma or Sketch are excellent for this.
- Improving All the Time: User research is an ongoing process. You must continuously listen to your users, learn from their experiences, and iterate on your product to make it better and better.
- Being Friendly: Above all, user research is about being a good friend to your users. It’s about understanding their needs, empathizing with their challenges, and creating products that genuinely make their lives easier and happier.
- Empathy: Understand your users’ feelings and needs. Put yourself in their shoes to create products that truly resonate.
- Communication: Keep an open line of communication. Respond to user inquiries promptly and consider user feedback in decision-making.
- Transparency: Be transparent about your product’s capabilities and limitations. Honesty builds trust.
- Feedback Loop: Continuously seek feedback and act on it. Let users know their voices are heard and valued.
*Note: We have discussed a couple of tools above. But remember, the tools aren’t important. What is important is the mission and the ‘Why’ behind your mission.
Conclusion
In essence, user research is like building a lasting friendship with your users. It’s about being there for them, understanding their needs, and crafting products that bring joy and simplicity to their lives. When you prioritize user research in your product management journey, you’re not just building better products; you’re building trust and loyalty among your most important allies – your customers.
If you are keen to evangelize user research within your team/company, here’s a bunch of memes we loved on the subject – https://canny.io/blog/product-management-memes/
Watch this space for more product management related articles – engineering.rently.com
Get to know about Rently at https://use.rently.com/
Product Owner