I’ve come across many people discussing the idea of “friction” when it comes to technology. I’ll start recording excerpts from such ideas here:
Users don’t want features. They want outcomes.
Let’s take a familiar tool, remove the distractions, and hardwire the magic.
People justify value after they taste it. If your tool needs a landing page, a product tour, and three docs before I feel the magic you’ve lost me. Don’t make them search for value. Let them feel it, before they commit.
a mental checklist I’ve been using to make sense of this:
- Principle: Zero Config
- Question: Can I use the value immediately?
- Principle: Integrated UX
- Question: Does the feature feel native, not bolted on?
- Principle: Always On
- Question: Is it persistent across updates?
- Principle: Default On
- Question: Do I need to opt out instead of in?
- Principle: No Maintenance
- Question: Does it “just work” without upkeep?