4 important notes for the aspiring product designer & innovator
Ever since I discovered I was massively not ready to start a solo product design project in 2016, I decided to devote more of my time to learn about successful and unsuccessful product campaigns. So far, I've been featuring commentary about progressive ideas on the Zerooz Instagram page and overall the reception has been encouraging. Here are 4 things I've learned so far in my journey:
Successful products are not about the product.
At first take, this might seem counter intuitive but it is a fact. Designing the experience wins in the debate against designing the product. Its the reason why more people are using Smart Home devices because they offer a new & intriguing experience whether its keeping your home safe or keeping track of whats in your refrigerator. For example, Virtual Reality gaming will overtake standard games & gaming consoles in the next decade. Currently, to make concepts seem real, video games and gaming system makers have put a lot of resources into developing faster processors for better gaming graphics. Virtual reality amplifies the experience by literally immersing you into that environment.
Micro Trends help you stay ahead of the curve.
Its often worth it to take a step back and track how consumer behavior got to its current state. Not only does it help you forecast forthcoming trends, it helps you decide how to scale your present project or idea. One current exciting micro trend is how voice recognition has gotten better with Amazon's Alexa & Echo. Its always listening passively and not only will it set a reminder or a play a song for you, it can order your food or even socks. With a company as big as Amazon, you know they are pouring loads of resources into making that technology better. As a result, over time, their breakthroughs will trickle down to other products and voice prompted devices will be commonplace.
Document your process
In this present day and age, individuality and authenticity are qualities that are being celebrated especially now that there's a lot of noise out there. What better way to showcase your journey or product other than documenting your own unique process. This will help you build an anticipating audience even before you're ready to share your idea. Start a podcast, share images or videos and let people in a little bit.
Patience
Lastly, but most importantly is patience. Try to shed away your need of instant gratification and learn to fall in love with the journey (I'm still learning myself). Social media is a tricky thing because it can help you propagate your ideas but on the same token, it can make you set false or hasty expectations. Attend networking events to discuss ideas with like minded people and seek mentorship from established or successful people in your field.
