Hello again.
I have spent the last week working through the many subscriptions I seem to have accumulated over the last few years. There has been an explosion in software as a service. As a result, I have found myself paying a substantial monthly outlay to dozens of personal and professional subscriptions. No doubt you find yourself in a similar situation.
Subscription ‘management’ has become a real thing and, to be quite frank, a pain in the ass. It’s hardly surprising there are now apps to help you manage your subscriptions.
When I talk to software providers about this, they argue that it is better for their customers because it allows continuous deployment. We get a product that is being constantly improved and receive regular updates.
Setting aside that I don’t always want new features and am often happy with the application I originally bought, this argument ignores a valuable lesson we all need to learn as those working in digital — our work does not exist in isolation.
There Is Context to Consider
There is more to life than anyone particular product or service. It’s not just one subscription; it is dozens that together turn into a major pain in the ass, not to mention a substantial monthly payment.
You cannot look at your software, product, service, or even campaign in isolation. You need to consider how it forms part of the wider experience for customers. Is it going to contribute to a larger collective frustration like subscription apps? Or perhaps it is going to be lost in the noise of the customer’s daily life? Maybe it will reach the consumer at the wrong time when they might not be as open to what you have to say?
That Is UX Design in a Nutshell
For me, looking at the user’s broader experience is exactly what lies at the heart of being a user experience designer in preference to a user interface designer.
A user interface designer will create a stunningly easy-to-use subscription software, and a digital marketer will do a great job at selling it. But a user experience designer will fret about the end-to-end experience, which includes the long-term management of multiple subscriptions every month. We think holistically.
Because this shit matters! In fact, only yesterday, I was looking for Gantt chart software when I stumbled across one that was not a subscription. I was so delighted to find it that I stopped looking immediately and bought it. Avoiding another subscription had become a selling point for me!
That is what user experience design brings to the table, insights into user’s goals, pain points, objections, and frustrations that can provide business benefit when leveraged.
So I would encourage you to dig a little deeper on your next project. Consider the broader context and look beyond the confines of the deliverable you are creating. It will lead to a more successful project, happier customers, and greater business benefits.
P.S. I am still doing my series of How-To articles. My latest one if “How to Test Design Direction in 8 Steps“. I hope it helps!
