397: Customer Feedback vs. Team Intuition

Design Details

This week, we talk about the tension between building what customers explicitly ask for versus building towards a team’s internal vision. In The Sidebar, we talk about the lack of public software critique: Why isn’t there an MKBHD equivalent for software design?

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The Sidebar:

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Follow up:

• Bran Hills tweeted: the bit about not being a thought leader, but being more open about what I'm learning personally really hit home. This will help whittle away at imposter syndrome if I frame what I share in this way. Thanks fellas!
  • Read more from Shawn @swyx Wang about learning in public.
• Michael Knepprath tweeted: Favorite newsletters rn:
  • rendezvous with @cassidoo https://cassidoo.co/newsletter/
  • @jbouie’s NYT newsletter (currently taking a break for paternity leave) https://nytimes.com/newsletters/jamellebouie
• JB Design joined Twitter for the show! Welcome to Design Twitter 😊

Main Topic:

Victor Kernes asks on GitHub:

Curious to hear both of your thoughts on the decision making process of building features that you’re users explicitly ask for (i.e. edit button on Twitter) versus features that your team, whether it’s Design, Product, Engineering, feels are the right things to build based on the company’s priorities.

User research plays a large part, however, it’s something I’ve been struggling with lately. Especially as I’m working on new features that the company’s prioritizing, which is another process I’ve been removed from so far.

• Learn more about elephant paths: Elephant path is a name for a path that is formed in space by people making their own paths and shortcuts; it is an unofficial route.
• This talk by Adam Mosseri, Data Informed, Not Data Driven, is a good one.

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Cool Things:

• Brian shared Invincible on Amazon Prime Video. Quick synopsis: Mark Grayson is a normal teenager, except for the fact that his father, Nolan, is the most powerful superhero on the planet. Shortly after his seventeenth birthday, Mark begins to develop powers of his own and enters into his father's tutelage.
• Marshall shared Returnal, a PS5 exclusive: After crash-landing on this shape-shifting world, Selene must search through the barren landscape of an ancient civilization for her escape. Isolated and alone, she finds herself fighting tooth and nail for survival. Again and again, she’s defeated – forced to restart her journey every time she dies.

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Byeee!