"Dogfooding: How Putting Yourself in the User’s Shoes Changes the Way You See Your Product" + "How to Remember What You Read - Farnam Street"

"Dogfooding: How Putting Yourself in the User’s Shoes Changes the Way You See Your Product" + "How to Remember What You Read - Farnam Street"

Introduction:

When it comes to building and improving products, gaining a deep understanding of the user's perspective is crucial. This can be achieved through the practice of dogfooding, which involves using your own product as a user would. By immersing yourself in the user experience, you can uncover blind spots and gain valuable insights into how to enhance your product. Similarly, when it comes to reading and learning, adopting active reading habits can significantly improve retention and comprehension. This article explores the commonality between these two concepts and provides actionable advice for incorporating them into your own practices.

Seeing through the User's Eyes:

One of the main benefits of dogfooding is gaining empathy for the user. It allows you to step outside of your own perspective and understand the challenges and pitfalls that users may encounter. This is particularly important for avoiding the common pitfall of overlooking issues that may be obvious to an outsider. By signing up for your own service again and experiencing it as a new user, you can stay up-to-date on the user experience and continuously strive to improve it.

Similarly, in reading, it's essential to adopt a mindset that enables you to see through the author's eyes. By actively engaging with the text and making connections, you can better understand and remember the content. Taking notes while reading serves as a foundation for reflection and integration of the material into your own understanding. Building your own system of note-taking ensures that you have a searchable resource to consult whenever you need inspiration or confirmation of a thought.

Global Mindset:

Another aspect of dogfooding is recognizing that your users may come from diverse backgrounds and have varying levels of technological proficiency. It's crucial to build products that cater to a wide range of users, ensuring that no one is left out. This global mindset requires stepping outside of your own experiences and considering the needs of individuals who may be different from you.

Similarly, when it comes to reading, expanding your horizons by exploring books that stand the test of time, pique your interest, or resonate with your current situation can broaden your perspective. By exposing yourself to different ideas and viewpoints, you can challenge your own assumptions and gain a deeper understanding of the world.

Actionable Advice:

1. Regularly dogfood your own product: Sign up for your service again using a new account every few months to stay updated on the user experience and identify areas for improvement.

2. Develop a personalized note-taking system: Find a note-taking method that works for you and is easy to stick to. Adapt existing systems until you have a system that meets your specific needs.

3. Engage with the material and share your insights: Actively read books by making connections, underlining key passages, and jotting down your thoughts in the margins. Share your insights with others through book clubs or discussions to enhance your own learning.

Conclusion:

Both dogfooding and active reading require an empathetic mindset that allows you to see through the eyes of the user or author. By immersing yourself in their experiences and perspectives, you can gain valuable insights and improve your product or deepen your understanding. Incorporating regular dogfooding and active reading habits into your practices can lead to more impactful and meaningful outcomes. So, whether you're building a product or diving into a book, remember to put yourself in the shoes of others and embrace the power of empathy.