What do you do if your product design needs evaluation and iteration using logical reasoning?

When your product design isn't hitting the mark, it's crucial to step back and assess it with a critical eye. Logical reasoning is your ally in identifying what's not working and why. This process often involves stripping down your design to its core functions and asking hard questions about its usability and appeal to your target audience. It's a chance to take user feedback and translate it into tangible improvements, ensuring that your product not only meets but exceeds expectations. Remember, great design isn't just about looks—it's about creating a seamless and satisfying user experience.

1 Gather Data

Before diving into the redesign, you must gather data on how your product is currently performing. This involves collecting user feedback, analyzing usage patterns, and understanding the market context. Talk to real users, conduct surveys, or use analytics tools to get a clear picture of where your product stands. This data forms the foundation of your evaluation, highlighting the strengths to keep and the weaknesses to address. Remember, your goal is to make informed decisions based on evidence, not just intuition.

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Marcus Aurelius Bothsa

Design @ Google AI
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It feels obvious to gather data, but not every product/team might have the liberty of gathering data due to various roadblocks. These could be financial, timeline based, lack of easy access to user base etc. If there are users, work on figuring out the right user group—quantitative or qualitative—and conduct research. If there are no users, internal critiques with trusted members is the way to go.

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2 Identify Issues

Once you have your data, the next step is to identify specific issues with your product design. Look for patterns in user feedback that suggest certain features are confusing or unwelcome. Consider usability tests to pinpoint where users struggle. It's important to differentiate between subjective dislikes and objective design flaws. Use logical reasoning to filter the feedback and focus on changes that will have the most significant impact on user satisfaction and product performance.

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Marcus Aurelius Bothsa

Design @ Google AI
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Once the issues are identified, there are two sets of prioritization that needs to happen. Firstly, we focus on short term and long term issues. These are the issues that can be solved rather quickly (1wk-8wks) and the longer ones that need structural/major changes (2mo-6+mo), respectively. Once this is done, we then prioritize the problems within each of the category.

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3 Prioritize Changes

With a list of potential issues, you need to prioritize which changes to make first. Use a logical approach to evaluate the importance of each problem. Consider factors like the impact on user experience, the feasibility of implementation, and the potential return on investment. It's tempting to tackle everything at once, but a focused approach ensures you address the most critical issues effectively. Prioritization is key to a successful iteration process.

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4 Develop Solutions

Now it's time to develop solutions for the prioritized issues. This involves creative thinking backed by logical reasoning. Sketch out new design concepts, prototype them, and test how they perform against the current design. Keep your target users in mind and ensure that any changes you make align with their needs and expectations. Remember, the best solutions often come from a blend of creativity and analytical thinking.

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Marcus Aurelius Bothsa

Design @ Google AI
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One of the key points while sketching out changes that designers often tend to overlook is how one change might affect other parts of the mental model that have been set. So after sketching a few things differently, its important to pay extremely close attention to the granular parts of the experience and the high-level mental models that it might end up breaking.

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5 Test Iterations

Before rolling out changes broadly, test your iterations with a small group of users. This step is crucial for validating your design decisions. Create prototypes or beta versions of your product incorporating the new design elements. Observe how users interact with these changes, gather feedback, and be ready to make further adjustments. Testing ensures that your iterations move the product design in the right direction.

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6 Refine Design

Finally, use the insights gained from testing to refine your product design. This is an iterative process where you tweak and adjust details to perfect the user experience. It's important to remain flexible and open to ongoing feedback even at this stage. Your product design is never truly finished; it evolves with your users' needs and preferences. Logical reasoning helps you make smart refinements that resonate with users and set your product apart.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What do you do if your product design needs evaluation and iteration using logical reasoning?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Gather Data

2 Identify Issues

3 Prioritize Changes

4 Develop Solutions

5 Test Iterations

6 Refine Design

7 Here’s what else to consider

Product Design

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What do you do if your product design needs evaluation and iteration using logical reasoning?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Gather Data

2 Identify Issues

3 Prioritize Changes

4 Develop Solutions

5 Test Iterations

6 Refine Design

7 Here’s what else to consider

Product Design

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