Building Customer Experiences and Learning in Public: The Path to Success

Building Customer Experiences and Learning in Public: The Path to Success

In today's fast-paced digital world, the success of any product or service heavily relies on the customer experience it provides. Whether it's a feature, functionality, or an entire product, the ultimate goal is to change the behavior of the customer. But how do we achieve that? How do we understand their needs and motivations? This is where user research comes into play.

As the Airbnb Global Product Lead emphasizes, questioning how users behave and why they do it is crucial. By understanding their psyche and what they are trying to achieve with your product or service, you can make a significant difference. This concept aligns with the idea of "Job to be done," where the focus is on fulfilling the user's desired outcome.

When building a product, timelines are undeniably important. However, a more effective approach is to look at the overall shipping goal and work backward from there. By doing so, you can prioritize tasks and identify items that may not be necessary in the initial launch. This method not only ensures efficiency but also allows for a more seamless user experience.

Interestingly, the ability to predict how a product will change user behavior without relying on machine learning models is a remarkable achievement. It demonstrates a deep understanding of the user's needs and preferences. Ultimately, the goal should be to solve user problems and drive meaningful changes in their behavior. As a product manager, it's crucial to focus on the ultimate outcome rather than getting caught up in individual features or projects.

On the other hand, learning in public is a concept that has gained traction in recent years. Swyx.io highlights the idea that the fastest way to learn is by openly sharing your knowledge. Instead of learning in private and lurking in online communities, it's more beneficial to actively participate and contribute. People notice genuine learners, and they are often willing to help.

One key aspect of learning in public is embracing the discomfort and feeling like an imposter. This discomfort indicates that you are pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone, which is essential for growth. It's important not to assume that you know everything but to try your best anyway. The internet can be a powerful tool for correction and learning from mistakes.

To truly make a difference and help others, it's crucial to create content that you wish you had found when you were learning. By sharing your experiences, insights, and knowledge, you can provide valuable resources for others who are on a similar learning journey. The focus should not be on external validation in the form of likes or retweets but on the personal growth and knowledge gained.

Additionally, engaging in workshops, attending conferences, and summarizing what you have learned can further enhance your own understanding and contribute to the collective knowledge of the community. The idea of open-sourcing your knowledge is particularly powerful. By sharing your expertise openly, you create opportunities for collaboration and growth.

In summary, building successful customer experiences and learning in public share common principles. Both require a deep understanding of the user's needs and motivations. They demand a willingness to step out of your comfort zone and embrace discomfort. By focusing on the ultimate outcome for the user and openly sharing knowledge, you can drive meaningful changes and contribute to personal and collective growth.

Actionable Advice:

• 1. Prioritize user research: Invest time and effort into understanding your users' needs and motivations. This will lay the foundation for building a successful product or service.

• 2. Embrace discomfort and learn in public: Actively participate in online communities, share your knowledge, and be open to correction and improvement. This will accelerate your learning and help others in the process.

• 3. Focus on the ultimate outcome: Don't get caught up in individual features or projects. Instead, prioritize the overall goal and work backward to ensure a seamless user experience.

In conclusion, building customer experiences and learning in public are essential components of success in today's digital landscape. By incorporating user research, prioritizing the user's needs, and openly sharing knowledge, we can create meaningful changes and drive personal and collective growth.