Designing a product with innovative features requires a smart balance between innovation and user preference. There's no magic recipe for this! You got to test your designs as early as possible with users to find out if it is meeting their needs. By performing user research, leveraging prototyping and iterating based on user feedback, you can ensure that your product not only meets but exceeds customer expectations.

Building a product with cutting-edge features is an exciting goal, but user needs must always remain the priority. Depending on your target audience, these features may not even align with their preferences. Thorough user testing is essential, not just for the features themselves, but for the overall product, user journey, and flow. Modern features alone won’t guarantee success. In my experience, users are often happiest with products that feel familiar, and this familiarity can sometimes be disrupted by the push for innovation. It’s crucial to strike a balance between innovation and user comfort.

One thing I incorporate a lot in my designs are JTBD (Jobs to be done). It is a good way to identify the user goals and motivations. In order to get to that, its important that we base our decisions on qualitative data. So in order to come up with the JTBD, I would conduct user research to gather as much data as possible. I will then use that information to base my JBTD on. This is just one part of my design process that has evolved over the years in terms of user research.

Empathize deeply: Spend time in users' environments and engage in casual conversations to uncover hidden insights. Educate and inspire: Show users possibilities through engaging demos that help them envision how new tech could transform their lives. Anchor in familiarity: Introduce revolutionary features within familiar experiences. Embrace "aha" moments: Use those instances when users grasp a feature's potential as guiding stars in design refinement. Stay humble and listen: Check your ego and truly consider all feedback. Great innovations often come from admitting initial mistakes. Remember the human touch: Inject personality and joy into your product. It can transform a cool tech item into something people truly love.

If I have enough time then, to ensure a new product with cutting-edge features meets customer preferences, I prioritise user research and involve customers early in the design process. I start by gathering insights through surveys, interviews, and usability testing to understand their needs, pain points, and expectations. I then create prototypes and conduct iterative testing with real users, gathering feedback at each stage to refine the design. I ensure the final product is both innovative and user-centric.