You’re missing opportunities if you’re only thinking about the ideal user journey. Here’s why:
Users will always use things in ways we don’t expect. They cut corners, use workarounds, scan content. They find ways to reach their goal Even if it's not how it was designed
Here's an example - ordering an Uber If you asked me how to order an Uber I’d list a few generic steps But, if you watched me order an Uber, or asked me to describe my last trip, you’d see different things.
You'd find that: → I share my location with friends in WhatsApp → I check competitors for prices and availability → I'm anxious if it can't find a driver and I'm running late → I don't look at the app after I press "confirm trip" → I lose connection when I move from Wifi to data as I leave my house.
What we think users do, vs what they actually do aren't always the same. I.e perceived behaviour is not the same as actual behaviour.
Why is this important? If we don't understand user's behaviours and how they actually use things, we'll create a gap. A gap between what we think is valuable, and what is actually valuable to them.
Behaviour can be lots of things: → How they interpret content → How they interact with components → Ways they navigate through a journey → Using features for unintended purposes → Actions they complete outside of our journey → Not using the whole product or missing out on features
Understanding actual behaviour enables us to identify opportunities.
Whether these opportunities are ideas for new features, or UX improvements to existing features. If we don't deliver the right value, we risk them leaving to competitors
👇 Here's what you can do.
Conduct research to: 💡 Uncover user's mental models and behaviours 💡 Understand if you're delivering the most value 💡 Uncover differences in ideals vs actual journeys 💡 Identify tactical and strategic opportunities 💡 Prioritise opportunities by business goals and effort vs impact
Users will always use things in ways we don’t expect. It's part of what makes us human.
We can't design for every single behaviour, but we can look for commonalities and ensure we're delivering the most value, to the most amount of people.
Do you know how your product or service is actually being used?