# 1. Give what consumers want!

Pure action on User Research and Execution

Ever wonder why some products hit the market with a bang while others flop faster than a bad stand-up routine?

Quick Spoiler Alert: it’s often because they miss the mark on what consumers actually want!

I have seen many products fail not due to a lack of innovation or creativity, but a disconnect between what businesses believe consumers want and what they actually need.

The journey of creating a successful product involves understanding consumer problems on a deeper level ---- this ‘micro-level’ understanding goes much beyond just trying to put yourself into the customer’s shoes

To me - it's the most critical lever! 

It’s easier than you may realise to lose sight of what truly matters: The Customer or End User

And it happens with the best of us!

User research eliminates the fog of assumptions, clearing the path toward solutions that resonate with real users.

It all starts with asking, asking, and asking!

How many times do you find yourself asking:

• How can we ensure that the product we are building truly aligns with the diverse needs of our users?

• Could unsuccessful users be the key to revealing underlying critical product issues?

• How often do we revisit our user personas to ensure they still reflect the needs and behaviors of our current audience?

So, let’s put on our detective hats and explore the curious case of product failures. What are the hidden consumer problems lurking beneath the surface?

And how can user research be the superhero that saves the day for you.

Buckle up, because we’re about to find it out with some interesting real-life examples and stories. 

The Essence of User Research: Be with Users

At the core of effective product development lies a simple yet profound truth: Listening to & Watching users’ actions

Confronting the reality of user experiences is more important for businesses which makes engaging directly with consumers an essential and ongoing practice.

For me, this is not just about collecting data.

Stepping outside the echo chambers to foster genuine conversations is an opportunity for me to reveal the nuances of user needs.

Simply because -

When users articulate their challenges, they provide you with a treasure trove of insights that can guide product adjustments and innovations. 

So, here’s what we learned during the development of a music ed-tech subscription-based app that was designed to help users achieve their music instrument learning goals. The app offered personalized learning paths, feedback uploads, video looping, and a dashboard for progress monitoring.

Pretty much all the boxes ticked, right?

No!

I encountered an interesting challenge with the app’s core expectation which came out from the user research

It baffled me when I noticed that many users were articulating that they don’t need tons of video lessons which were more theoretical in nature but a short 5 min challenge/exercise every day through which they can have a short-term gratification of learning a chord, a song intro and a few basic techniques. 

These exercises were the motivation for most users to engage with the app every day and NOT the thousands of lessons that take a user step by step from beginner to advanced.

So, how did I fix it?

As we delved deeper into this “new” revelation, it became amply clear that this is the way forward for the DIY learning segment, through practical application, tests, and challenges. We got a crack team together to record these 5-minute sessions, got them uploaded, and sent a newsletter to our entire user base with this new update. 

The Result-

This approach led to a remarkable increase in daily engagement which was a user coming to the platform from once in 11 days to once in 3 days. User satisfaction improved, which was evident from the continued client calls that we made.

Just basic observation highlights the key usability issues and uncovers the motivations behind user behaviours, making it an indispensable tool for user research. 

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Learn from Unsuccessful Users

Isn’t it tempting for us to be drawn to the stories of successful users?

And while it certainly is, it is also true that some of the most insightful lessons come from those who struggle to register, use, or fail to remain engaged with a product.

Gaining an understanding of the experiences of these "unsuccessful" users is essential for fostering meaningful product improvements. 

What do I mean by that?

Unsuccessful users often hold the key to uncovering critical issues that may be invisible to you or those who have adapted to a product (which will be a small cohort anyway as compared to TAM)

By studying their experiences, you can identify friction points, confusing interfaces, and missing features that are deterring adoption and engagement.

Acknowledge the Power of ‘Why’

When a user disengages from a product, the most important question you should ask is "Why?"

Wondering what I would focus on.

To me, understanding the core reasons behind their decision not to continue using a product is essential for addressing the possible underlying problems.

-        Was the onboarding process too complex?

-        Did they encounter a deal-breaker bug?

-        Or did the product simply fail to meet their expectations?

Digging deeper into the "why" allows you to prioritize the most impactful improvements. And we can understand it better from Instagram’s example.

From Burbn to Instagram - Becoming a Global Phenomenon

I have always been fascinated by this story and I am sure it will not fail to intrigue you either!

Not many might know that Instagram’s actual journey started as Burbn- the brainchild of Kevin Systrom and a location-based app inspired by Foursquare which allowed users to check in, make plans, and share photos.

Despite a whole slew of ambitious features, Burbn struggled to gain the anticipated traction. Systrom kept on tweaking the app and on boarded another programmer Mike Krieger.

Keith Sawyer, a creative researcher recalls the journey- from Burbn to Instagram.

Analyzing user behavior leveraging analytics led the duo to an interesting finding.

To everybody’s surprise, people weren't using Burbn's check-in features at all. What they were using, though, were its photo-sharing features.

This insight led them to pivot Burbn into Instagram, focusing solely on simplicity and photo sharing, which ultimately transformed it into a global phenomenon. The rest is history as you know!

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Understand the 3 Key User Cohorts

When developing a new product, I always consider three key cohorts: light-house customers, early adopters, and the resistant majority.

In my experience, catering to different user cohorts is instrumental in product success.

Let’s see how!

Light-house customers are those early adopters who are always up for trying new things. If the topic interests them, they jump onto every possible product in the market to try it out. Like I am a freak for investment based products (Zerodha, Groww, Scripbox, Smallcases….)

They’re the ones who can provide you with invaluable feedback to help refine your product in its early stages.

Understanding what motivates you as a light-house — like that desire for novelty and a bit of status—can really guide your product development to appeal to this group

Early adopters come right after light-houses, they will see the initial success that their friends, colleagues have got from the product and they give it a try. They’ll stick with your product only if they see genuine value in it, otherwise they’ll churn. This group tends to be more pragmatic, always on the lookout for solutions to their problems. 

By identifying the barriers they face—like a steep learning curve or missing features—you can tackle these challenges head-on and keep them engaged with your product. Sounds like a smart strategy?

The resistant majority is the largest group out there. They’re like that friend who takes forever to try a new restaurant because they’re convinced their favorite takeout is unbeatable!

Reluctant to adopt new products, this group needs a better understanding of their needs and barriers.

They look for proven solutions and can be easily put off by complexity or a lack of support.

By addressing their concerns and simplifying the experience, you might just turn them into enthusiastic fans.

Light-House	- 0.10%
Early Adopters - 0.90%
Resistant Majority - 99%

Think of your user cohorts as your crew or inner circle. Get to know what makes them tick and what trips them up. Then, create experiences that vibe with them.

Turn their feedback into your superpower!

Become un-biased through outside-in perspectives

Un-biased on what ’you’ think is right!

It’s easy to get lost in the whirlwind of product development, and you aren’t alone, trust me!

When I build categories, the focus is way too much on the pricing, promotion, database, hiring, GTMs - forgetting the most important piece of the puzzle: user research.

When you’re too focused on what you think is best, you might miss out on what users actually need.

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Address Adjacent User Needs

I always push my teams to "dog food" our products from the perspective of adjacent users.

What does that mean?

My usage might be different from how my mother or someone in Africa or any other profession uses the same product…

For instance, when we onboard users for your music subscription app, in different regions, we found that the way a learner used the app was very different from the way a music teacher used the app.

The learners basically aim to master a song or a technique through video based lessons but a teacher was coming to the platform to see how the curriculum was structured, what was the duration of various lessons so that they can get better at their own curriculum design in offline classes that they took.

Eye Opening and Amazing Insight!

This deeper understanding can reveal new opportunities and enhance our offerings for a wider audience and now we can clearly make an enterprise offering for unorganised music teachers and help them curate a curriculum!

Don’t just focus on your usual user base—explore adjacent users! Try to understand their experiences and needs to tap into their unique perspectives. Alternate revenue streams will follow

The Big Takeaway

User Research isn’t good to do, it's mandatory in any product cycle.

Understanding your users is about more than just collecting data—it's about turning those insights into actionable strategies that lead to product success.

By focusing on authentic user experiences, tackling key challenges head-on.

Recognising the diverse needs of different user groups, you can create products that truly resonate with your audience.

Ready to Level Up Your Game?

Hey, I am Saurabh, and I’m here to help you navigate the sometimes messy world of starting up, scaling up and becoming the best at your careers! Whether you need deep user insights, some friendly advice on polishing your product, or clever solutions to real-world problems, I’m your go-to strategic partner! Send me a mail to:  saurabh.substack.2407@gmail.com

Let’s Get It Rolling