Digital products come in a variety of forms, but they all have one thing in common: to be successful, they need to be well-designed. One of the most important jobs a product designer has is to help identify what digital products a brand should focus on, how they should be created, and how the product’s success can be measured. Product designers should be comfortable in participating in the entire design process, from idea to launch. A successful design will help create a useful product, generate brand recognition, and grow an audience.
Designing a Successful Digital Product
It should come as no surprise that a well-designed digital product is also well-researched. One of the initial stages in the product design process should be to define the end goal of the product. What issue does the product need to address? Who will benefit from the product? How does this product vary from another offered by a rival, and what advantages can it provide?
At the beginning of the design process, you will also need to specify which audiences will be using the product. A user persona will help you to identify who the product is intended for, as well as their goals and challenges. Investing time in user mapping will also help you avoid self-referential design, where you only consider the product’s function from the perspective of the design team, and instead focus on user-centered design. A well-thought-out user persona will help guide the entire design process and create a customer experience that will help grow your audience.
Launching a Digital Product
Testing is a key part of creating a scalable digital product. Identify testers who are a good match to the user persona you have created. As the design process progresses, you should test several times. There are several options for testing, including beta testing, prototyping, A/B testing, and conducting surveys. All of these testing approaches can provide input on what is and isn’t working.
Listen and Measure
After launching a digital product, it’s essential to track growth to see if the product is working as intended. There are many ways to do this, but you should concentrate on a few key metrics. Choose and track the metrics that align with your business model. As goals shift, the metrics may shift to correspond.
Your metrics should be a tool to help you improve the product and expand a user base. They should be quantifiable and actionable. What are they telling you about your retention rates and who is using the product? Your metrics will help you to tweak the design based on the feedback you receive.
After you’ve launched your product, it’s time to do some listening. Today’s consumers are connected, and they want a personalized experience and expect responses to their issues. Many of them are willing to tell you what your product needs, and it’s important to hear them and actually implement changes. Customers who are happy with the product will spend more time and money using the tool and share it via word of mouth.
To be successful and grow, digital products must be well-designed, tested, and updated to provide the target audience with what they’re looking for. After all, even the best-designed product doesn’t work well without an active user base.