When Users Want Less and the Business Wants More
1. Users want less, and businesses want more
Even when looking at the same product, the two sides expect different forms of success.
- Users want minimal input, fast procedures, and a simple experience
- It is important to finish the purpose without unnecessary friction
- Businesses require data collection, regulatory compliance, conversion rates, and profitability at the same time
- As products grow, it becomes easier for more conditions and mechanisms to enter the screen
2. If you implement the request as-is, you miss the problem
You should first look at the reasons and risks behind the surface-level solution rather than the solution itself.
- Do not immediately interpret the request to “reduce the input fields” as deleting information
- Later authentication may become difficult, or customer support inquiries may increase
- Do not accept the request to “add a popup” as a fixed solution either
- Separate out the actual goal, such as increasing sign-ups or improving revenue
3. If you change the questions, you can design the tradeoff
The starting point is not how much to reduce or add, but when and why it is needed.
- Change “How much should we reduce the form?” into a question about the timing of when information is needed
- Distinguish between information that is absolutely necessary now and information that can be collected later
- Ask both sides about the side effects that would occur if the proposed plan were implemented as-is
- Reveal the real discomfort behind the user’s expression and the purpose behind the business requirement
4. Designers translate both sides’ language
Rather than stopping at finding a good compromise, they connect what each side’s requirements create as outcomes.
- Explain user complaints as business risks such as churn, support costs, and a decline in trust
- Turn business requirements into outcomes that affect user experience, such as friction, cognitive load, and a sense of control
- The role of a senior designer is closer to creating language that can be judged than to speaking for either side
