Strategy: Product Strategy

UX-driven product roadmaps are powerful tools that foster a direct connection between users’ needs and product strategy. But how can we create and execute such roadmaps effectively?

In this article, I’ll explore the practical steps to building a product roadmap that not only meets users’ needs but also ensures a product’s success by keeping the user experience at its core. So let’s get ready to dive into a roadmapping strategy that enhances user experiences, increases user satisfaction, and delivers successful business outcomes. Read More

Creating an effective product roadmap that addresses users’ most critical needs and delivers the highest value requires a deep understanding of users. However, in many companies, product managers (PMs) and leadership make all product decisions without leveraging the valuable insights that UX research can provide. They instead rely solely on their own understanding of customers. Lacking an adequate understanding of users’ needs carries some inherent risks because product teams might fail to prioritize user-centricity or favor meeting business objectives that might not align with what is best for users. In this article, I’ll propose strategies for UX researchers that enable them to actively contribute to decision-making regarding product roadmaps, even on teams where this approach might not be the established norm.

To foster a strong partnership between product managers and UX researchers, it is crucial to initiate the research and analysis process by educating the team about the invaluable role that UX research can play, by harnessing existing knowledge about users or by initiating new studies to understand what features would enhance customer satisfaction. Educating your team on how to collaborate effectively can yield remarkable outcomes for both users and the business. Read More

When your organization’s goal is to differentiate on the experience, you must start every product-development project by defining the experience that you want people to have with your product or service. Companies that differentiate on the experience do not begin by defining feature sets. They first define a vision for the experience outcome that they intend to deliver to their users and customers. Only once your team fully understands the experience outcomes that you want users to have can you make good decisions about what features and technologies would optimally support that vision.

This is the fourth column in our series about what companies must do if they want to stop producing average user experiences and instead design great experiences. As we have already stated in our previous columns, great UX teams focus on differentiating their companies through design. If that’s your goal, you need to work for a company that shares your aspirations. Read More