A 4-step framework for building delightful products | Nesrine Changuel (Spotify, Google, Skype)

Understanding Product Delight

The Dichotomy of Product Teams

• There are two types of product teams: those focused on creating delightful products and those prioritizing feature delivery over user experience.

• Some teams view "delight" as superficial elements like confetti effects, while the speaker emphasizes a deeper emotional and functional connection in product design.

Emotional Impact of Products

• The speaker shares a personal anecdote about avoiding Instagram due to negative feelings associated with its use, highlighting the importance of emotional resonance in product design.

• A positive experience with Uber's refund process illustrates how effective solutions can alleviate stress and enhance user satisfaction.

Framework for Delightful Products

• Nasin Shenal, an experienced product leader, discusses her pragmatic framework for building delightful products that retain users.

• The conversation addresses the challenge of distinguishing between low-impact features (termed "confetti features") and those that significantly drive key performance indicators (KPIs).

Investment in Delightful Experiences

• Discussion includes why resource-limited product teams should still invest time in enhancing delight within their products.

• The conversation explores which types of companies (B2B vs. B2C) should prioritize delight, along with a four-step framework for identifying high ROI opportunities.

Real-world Examples and Insights

• Nasin shares practical examples from her tenure at major companies like Google Meet and Spotify to illustrate successful implementations of delightful experiences.

• Acknowledgment is given to Matt Lame for suggesting topics for this insightful discussion on product delight.

Tools for Product Management

Adapting to AI Era Challenges

• DX is introduced as a developer intelligence platform that helps organizations adapt quickly by providing insights into tool effectiveness and value generation.

Streamlining Product Development Processes

• Jira Product Discovery is presented as a solution to help product teams manage ideas and roadmaps more effectively, moving away from cumbersome spreadsheets.

Collaboration Across Teams

• Emphasizes the importance of collaboration among various stakeholders beyond engineering, allowing contributions from sales, support, leadership, etc., through Jira Product Discovery.

Introduction to Nasarine Shankal

Overview of Nasarine's Work

• Nasarine Shankal introduces herself as an author discussing her new book on the polarizing topic of "product delight."

Perspectives on Product Delight

Why Invest in Delightful Features?

Understanding the Importance of Delight

• The speaker aims to help audiences understand the practical value of investing in delightful features, beyond just emotional appeal.

• A broad question is posed about why product teams with limited resources should prioritize delight and delightful features.

Emotional Connection with Products

• The speaker engages the audience by asking about their favorite products, highlighting that responses vary based on personal connections.

• Products can fulfill both functional needs (like productivity) and emotional needs (like joy), emphasizing the importance of emotional connection.

The Role of Delight in Product Success

• Even well-functioning products may struggle without addressing users' emotional experiences; delight is essential for traction and growth.

• Spotify serves as an example where features like "Wrapped" create a sense of connection, illustrating how delight enhances user experience.

Delight as a Strategic Differentiator

• In today's crowded market, creating delightful experiences is not just a luxury but a strategic necessity for business growth and customer loyalty.

• Personal anecdotes illustrate how negative feelings towards a product (e.g., Instagram) can lead to decreased usage, reinforcing the need for positive emotional engagement.

Blending Functional and Emotional Needs

• Successful products address both functional needs (e.g., booking flights, listening to music) and emotional needs (e.g., comfort, security).

• Crafting solutions that blend these dimensions fosters what is termed "emotional connection," crucial for product success.

The Gap Between Design, Marketing, and Business

• While designers and marketers often discuss emotion in their fields, there’s a disconnect with business leaders focused solely on functionality.

• This gap creates challenges in achieving desired outcomes; understanding how to incorporate delight into products remains elusive for many leaders.

Defining Delight in Product Development

• The concept of "delight" is frequently mentioned by founders and product leaders but lacks clarity on implementation strategies.

Understanding the Wheel of Emotion

The Concept of Delight

• Puchik created the "wheel of emotion," conceptualizing delight as a combination of two emotions: joy and surprise.

• Joy and surprise together create a feeling of delight, which can be experienced in moments where both emotions are present.

Practical Application of Delight

• To implement delight in product design, three main pillars must be satisfied: removing friction, anticipating needs, and exceeding expectations.

1. Removing Friction

• Identifying "valet moments" is crucial; these are instances when users experience anxiety or stress that can be alleviated through thoughtful design.

• A personal example illustrates this: after an Uber driver canceled unexpectedly, the app's simple refund process relieved significant stress with just two clicks.

2. Anticipating Needs

• Anticipating user needs means providing solutions before they explicitly ask for them; this creates an element of surprise.

• An example shared involves using the Revolut app while traveling abroad to avoid high roaming fees by purchasing an eSIM effortlessly.

3. Exceeding Expectations

• Exceeding expectations involves surprising users by delivering more than they anticipated; this builds loyalty and satisfaction.

Delighting Users: The Importance of Anticipating Needs

Key Concepts in User Experience

• A user had a positive experience when Edge suggested applying a coupon, resulting in a 15% discount on their purchase. This unexpected benefit exemplifies exceeding user expectations.

• The speaker emphasizes three pillars for product development: reducing friction, anticipating user needs, and exceeding expectations. These should be considered throughout the product lifecycle.

• The concept of "delight" is often misunderstood; it should not just be about superficial features (like confetti effects) but must provide real value to users.

Value vs. Superficial Delight

• While confetti can bring joy, it must be tied to meaningful value; otherwise, it's unnecessary. The focus should remain on enhancing the user's experience with substance.

• An example from Airbnb illustrates this point: celebrating superhost status with confetti acknowledges hosts' efforts and enhances their emotional connection to the platform.

Emotional Connection in Product Design

• The Superhost program at Airbnb was developed not merely to improve metrics but to differentiate quality and status among hosts, fostering emotional investment in the platform.

• Despite initial fears that the Superhost program might distract users or negatively impact conversion rates, it ultimately created happiness among hosts without significantly affecting key performance metrics.

Building Great Experiences

• Effective product experiences combine joy and surprise with practical elements like removing friction and anticipating needs—key components for delighting users.

• In B2B versus B2C contexts, while some companies may succeed without focusing on delight (e.g., Workday), as competition increases, creating delightful experiences becomes essential for differentiation.

Insights from B2B Perspectives

• Regardless of whether products are B2B or B2C, human emotions play a crucial role; all products should honor these emotions through thoughtful design.

• Interviews with professionals from various industries revealed that even in B2B settings (like GitHub or Atlassian), there is an appreciation for emotional connections within product experiences.

Understanding Humanization in Product Development

The Importance of Human Emotion in Products

• Emphasizes the significance of incorporating human emotion into product design, applicable to both B2B and B2C markets.

• Defines "humanization" as a key delighter in products, suggesting that if a product were a human, how would it enhance user experience?

Setting Higher Expectations

• Discusses the context of Google Meet's development during the pandemic, comparing its user experience not just with competitors but with real-life conversations.

• Highlights the importance of setting high expectations by envisioning how meetings could feel more human-like.

Real-Life Examples of Humanization

• Shares insights from a head of product at Dyson, who compares their vacuum cleaner's performance to hiring a real person for cleaning tasks.

• Suggests that integrating human-like recommendations into products can enhance user satisfaction and connection.

Building Trust Through Transparency

• Discusses scenarios where companies may not need to exceed expectations if they are solving critical pain points in new markets.

• Cites an example from Buffer where they proactively reached out to inactive users about refunds, emphasizing trust and integrity over immediate profit.

Emotional Connection and Brand Loyalty

• Explains how transparency can foster deeper connections with users, potentially preventing cancellations despite initial intentions.

• Uses Slack as an example of how delightful experiences contribute to brand success amidst competition.

Strategies for Enhancing User Experience

• Indicates that as competition increases, creating standout experiences becomes essential for success.

Delight Model in Product Management

Introduction to the Delight Model

• The speaker introduces the concept of the "delight model," which focuses on enhancing user experience through a dedicated approach to product management.

• The delight PM role at Google emphasizes creating delightful products, although not all companies can afford such specialized roles.

Step 1: Identifying User Motivators

• The first step involves identifying users' motivators, which are crucial for understanding why users engage with products.

• Traditional segmentation methods (demographic and behavioral) are discussed, but motivational segmentation is highlighted as particularly powerful.

• Examples from Spotify illustrate different user motivations: searching for tracks, seeking inspiration, or wanting emotional connection.

Functional vs. Emotional Motivators

• Functional motivators include practical needs like finding a song; emotional motivators encompass feelings such as nostalgia or mood change.

• Emotional motivators are categorized into personal (how users feel while using the product) and social (how others perceive them).

Step 2: Converting Motivators into Opportunities

• After identifying motivators, the next step is converting these insights into product opportunities that address user needs rather than just problems.

• Emphasis is placed on thinking in terms of opportunity space rather than solely product space.

Step 3: Identifying Solutions Using the Delight Grid

• The third step involves categorizing identified solutions based on how they address functional and emotional motivators using a "delight grid."

• Features are classified into three types based on their focus: surface delight (emotional), functional solutions, or both.

Surface Delight Example

Understanding Delight in Product Design

Types of Delight

• The speaker introduces three types of delight in product features:

• High Delight: Creates an emotional connection (e.g., birthday balloons on a screen).

• Low Delight: Addresses only functional needs without emotional engagement.

• Deep Delight: Combines both functional and emotional needs, exemplified by Spotify's personalized music recommendations.

Steps to Create Delightful Features

• The process involves identifying solutions that are delightful and categorizing them effectively.

• The final step is validation through a "delight checklist" to ensure user and business impact, emphasizing that delight should align with business goals rather than being merely aesthetic.

Importance of Inclusion

• Inclusion is crucial when designing for delight; what brings joy to one person may not resonate with another.

• A case study from France illustrates this point where a Mother's Day notification mimicked a missed call from one's mother, which was perceived positively by some but caused grief for others due to lack of inclusivity.

Consequences of Ignoring Emotional Impact

• The negative reception of the Mother's Day notification highlights the importance of considering diverse emotional responses in design.

• This example underscores the need for careful validation to avoid unintentional upset among users while trying to create delightful experiences.

Recap and Application

• The speaker summarizes four steps essential for creating delightful products:

1. Identify user motivators—both functional and emotional needs.

2. Understand the taxonomy of emotions relevant to your product area.

Understanding Emotional Design in Products

The Role of Emotions in Product Development

• Emotions can be guided by frameworks like the wheel of emotion, but not all emotions apply universally to products; specificity is key.

• Identifying user motivators—both functional and emotional—is crucial for creating delightful product opportunities that resonate with users.

Key Elements of Delightful Product Design

• Inclusion and familiarity are essential elements in the design checklist; while innovation is valued, excessive surprise can lead to negative experiences.

• The success story of Spotify's Discover Weekly illustrates how a bug (injected familiar songs into playlists) led to greater user satisfaction than a completely new experience.

Insights from Discover Weekly's Success

• After fixing the bug that introduced familiar tracks, metrics for Discover Weekly declined, revealing users preferred a mix of novelty and familiarity.

• This case emphasizes the importance of balancing new features with familiar elements to enhance user delight rather than shock.

Steps to Create Delightful Experiences

• To create delightful experiences, remove friction in processes (e.g., simplifying refunds), anticipate user needs, and exceed expectations through unexpected features.

• Examples include cashback features or autofill options that streamline user interactions and enhance overall satisfaction.

Case Studies: Google Meet and Chrome

• The speaker shares experiences from working at Google on projects aimed at delighting users, emphasizing that delight is a discipline rather than just a buzzword.

Understanding Tab Management in Browsers

The Challenge of Managing Open Tabs

• Users often see a limit of "99+" open tabs, which can mask the actual number and lead to performance issues.

• To address this, user interviews were conducted to understand how individuals navigate their open tabs and their emotional responses to having many tabs open.

• Many users view their tabs as important; closing them automatically is not an option they want, highlighting a strong emotional connection with their browsing habits.

User Experience Insights

• During interviews, some users expressed frustration when navigating through numerous tabs, indicating a need for better management solutions.

• Understanding both functional needs and emotional responses was crucial in developing features that resonate with users' experiences.

Implementation of Inactive Tabs Feature

• A feature called "inactive tabs" was introduced on iOS, where tabs older than 21 days are automatically moved to a separate folder.

• This solution helps declutter the tab grid while maintaining user trust by ensuring that no tabs are permanently closed without consent.

The Impact of Remote Work on Google Meet

Transitioning to Remote Meetings

• The speaker joined Google Meet just before COVID-19 led to a surge in remote meetings, necessitating an understanding of new user behaviors during this transition.

• Interviews revealed significant emotional impacts from back-to-back virtual meetings, leading to feelings of boredom and low interaction among users.

Identifying Demotivators

• A term coined during this period was "Zoom fatigue," which highlighted the challenges faced by users in virtual meeting environments.

• Instead of focusing solely on motivators for engagement, identifying demotivators proved easier; understanding what frustrates users can inform better design solutions.

Addressing Zoom Fatigue

Understanding User Engagement and Leadership Buy-In

Minimizing Self-View in Virtual Meetings

• The concept of minimizing self-view was introduced to reduce fatigue during virtual meetings. Users can still share their video without seeing themselves, which helps alleviate discomfort.

Enhancing Interaction with Reaction Imagery

• To combat low interaction and boredom, reaction imagery (like thumbs up or waving hands) was implemented. This allows participants to express agreement or engagement without interrupting the speaker.

Shifting Perspectives for Leadership Buy-In

• When seeking buy-in from CEOs or leaders resistant to new ideas, it's crucial not to try convincing them directly. Instead, focus on aligning proposals with their values and goals.

Understanding Perception vs. Perspective

• The difference between perception (individual understanding) and perspective (how others view a situation) is vital. Leaders may see new initiatives as non-essential due to their own perspectives.

Aligning Strategies with User Pride

• A founder's initial resistance to introducing user delight shifted after realizing that users needed to feel proud of using the product. This insight led to a strategic pivot towards enhancing user pride, resulting in business growth.

Prioritizing Ideas for Investment

Delight vs. Functionality in Product Development

The Shift from Delight to Functionality

• Emphasizes the need to move away from the binary choice of prioritizing delight or functionality, advocating for a holistic approach that integrates both.

• Introduces the 50410 model, which suggests a distribution of features: 50% low delight, 40% deep delight (functionality with emotional consideration), and 10% surface delight.

Understanding the 50410 Model

• Clarifies that while functionality is essential (50%), deep delight should be prioritized at 40%, ensuring users feel valued through enhanced experiences.

• Suggests that only a small portion (10%) should focus on surface-level delights, indicating these can be introduced sparingly throughout the year.

Examples from Spotify's Approach

• Discusses Spotify’s roadmap blending functionality improvements (like search enhancements) with delightful features such as video podcasts and canvas clips.

• Shares personal anecdotes about how engaging features like looping videos can create joy for users, illustrating the impact of thoughtful design.

Creating a Culture of Delight in Organizations

Establishing Delight as an Organizational Pillar

• Defines "delight culture" as essential for organizations; it must be ingrained in company values and practices rather than treated as an occasional topic.

• Cites Google’s strategy where "delight" was a permanent product pillar, reinforcing its importance in feature development.

Implementing Routine Practices

• Highlights the significance of regular rituals like squad health checks at Spotify to ensure teams prioritize and reflect on their performance regarding user delight.

• Describes hack days at Spotify as opportunities for innovation and creativity, fostering an environment where delightful ideas can flourish.

Engaging Teams Through Innovation Days

• Advocates for implementing "delight days," similar to hack days, allowing teams to brainstorm and develop innovative features focused on user enjoyment.

• Shares success stories from working with Migros supermarket chain in Switzerland, showcasing how playful environments lead to effective idea generation.

Deep vs. Surface Delight: A Nuanced Understanding

Differentiating Types of Delight

• Reinforces that true delight goes beyond superficial elements; it includes solving functional needs while exceeding user expectations.

Observations on Fast-Growing Companies

Delight in User Experience: Anticipating Needs and Maintaining Engagement

The Importance of Delight in AI Applications

• The concept of delighting users is exemplified by AI tools that anticipate user needs, such as code-writing applications. These tools aim to exceed expectations and create a memorable experience.

• In a competitive market, particularly within AI, creating delightful experiences has become essential; it’s no longer enough to just meet basic expectations—products must truly amaze users.

Managing the Habituation Effect

• A challenge in maintaining user delight is the habituation effect, where initial surprises lose their impact over time. Continuous innovation is necessary to keep users engaged.

• Google Meet's approach to background features illustrates how ongoing enhancements (e.g., from simple blur effects to immersive backgrounds) can sustain user interest and avoid habituation.

Strategies for Continuous Innovation

• Snapchat serves as an example of a company that consistently innovates with new features (like lenses), keeping its audience excited and engaged through regular updates.

Case Study: Apple's Reaction Feature

• Apple introduced a feature allowing gesture-based reactions (like fireworks), which received mixed feedback. Users found it disruptive during serious conversations, highlighting the need for thoughtful implementation of delightful features.

• Complaints arose about this feature's lack of inclusivity; for instance, one user experienced inappropriate fireworks during a therapy session due to an accidental gesture.

Unforeseen Benefits of Delightful Features

• Beyond enhancing customer loyalty and retention, creating delightful experiences also boosts employee motivation. Product managers feel more energized when working on engaging features that elicit positive user reactions.

• This insight was shared by a product director at Dr. Lip, emphasizing that employee enthusiasm can significantly improve productivity when they are involved in developing delightful products.

Conclusion: Striving for Joyful Experiences

What Books Do You Recommend?

Recommended Book: Factfulness

• The first book recommended is Factfulness by Ola Rosling, Hans Rosling, and Anna Rosling, which has been a bestseller for years.

• The speaker shares a personal story about finding a cargo bike that belonged to Ola Rosling, the author of Factfulness.

• The book emphasizes the importance of using facts over biases in our thinking and has received endorsements from notable figures like Barack Obama and Bill Gates.

• The speaker had the unique opportunity to read Factfulness on its release day after meeting the author.

Recommended Book: Strong Product Community

• The second recommendation is Strong Product Community by Petra, who has previously appeared on the show.

• Transitioning from research to product management highlighted for the speaker a lack of community support compared to academia.

• To combat feelings of isolation as a PM, the speaker initiated community-building efforts at Google, such as inviting external speakers.

• This book serves as guidance for those looking to engage with product communities effectively.

Favorite TV Show and Movie Recommendations

Favorite TV Show: Leoric

• The recommended TV show is called Leoric, akin to America's Greatest Baking Show but featuring non-professional bakers.

• The appeal lies in relatable failures experienced by contestants, making it more engaging than shows with only professional chefs.

Favorite Movie: Antu Shab

• The movie discussed is Antu Shab, which was remade into The Upside. It’s based on a true story and evokes a wide range of emotions throughout its runtime.

• A standout feature of this film is its memorable soundtrack that enhances emotional impact; disappointment arose when this element was missing in the remake.

Recent Product Discoveries

Favorite Products

• One favorite product mentioned is Revolute, noted for consistently surprising users with new features each time it's used.

Yo-Yo Stroller: A Personal Story

Emotional Needs in Parenting

• The yo-yo stroller addressed a significant emotional need during travel with small children, providing affordability and convenience.

• It alleviated stress associated with flying with kids, allowing the speaker to feel more confident while managing their child in busy airport environments.

Life Motto and Career Aspirations

Pursuing Ambitious Goals

• The speaker's life motto is "shoot for the stars or even higher," which has guided their career choices.

• They aimed for prestigious opportunities, such as applying to Stanford for an exchange program, demonstrating ambition despite initial setbacks.

Continuous Growth and Achievement

• The speaker emphasizes a consistent pursuit of excellence throughout their career, including working at top tech companies like Google.

• Their current goal is to present on a prominent stage like TED, showcasing ongoing aspirations for personal and professional growth.

Finding the Best Croissant in Paris

Culinary Tips from Experience

• The best croissants are found in small corner bakeries rather than fancy establishments; the aroma of butter is key to identifying quality.

• If you can't smell butter from outside the bakery, it's likely not worth visiting; this sensory tip enhances the experience of finding good pastries.

Product Delight: Connecting Emotionally with Consumers

Promoting Emotional Connections

• The speaker discusses their book "Product Delight," focusing on how emotional connections can make products stand out in competitive markets.

• They encourage listeners to share delightful stories that inspire creativity and connection within product development.

Life as a Movement

• Writing about unknown problems can be challenging but rewarding; it fosters innovation and helps create a more delightful world through products.