Failing to advocate for users

This is a blog about:

- Good UX isn't manipulation. It's alignment: that famous sweet spot where business goals and user needs meet.

- How tiny little details in our designs matter: friction lives in the small stuff.

- How I failed to advocate for my users: and why "we are not the users" is crucial for business.

- And that sometimes, we won't be able to see our designs grow: the unfinished work that stays with you and the precious metrics you will never see.

Context: Our product's earlyvangelists were spontaneously (and passionately) reaching out to join the VIP List to test and refine the experience alongside us. A dream come true for any designer and team, and an interesting fact I discovered about the Web3 community: they're diehards who help build products like they're the founders.

When I was designing the VIP List form, there were two decisions that lived on the fine line between deceptive design and the sweet spot of user needs × business goals:

Decision one: to include a chevron icon facing right in the CTA button - a subtle affordance that has been proven to encourage progression - a mix of "Don't Make Me Think" and "Nudge" practical examples. Because it served the user's need and aligned with business goals, it wasn't a trick, it was a bridge. Design presented, no resistance here.

Decision two: to make the VIP List subscription form as a modal window. The idea didn't please the CTO/one of the founders. I tried to explain that yes, a pop-up component is usually annoying or even aggressive, but our users were actively looking to subscribe and the form was the first thing they wanted to see on the website. It would reduce friction/steps and so on. Big no. The other presented option - a banner - didn't please either. I failed to advocate that we were not the users, and we implemented it as just a section of our landing page. The users' feedback didn't take long to roll in: "make the list the first thing people see".

And now comes the hard part. I had to step out of the project before seeing the next iterations and the precious glow-up of the % conversion rates going up after listening to the users. The business and product development impact metrics will never be on my resume or in my folio 😭

What I would have done differently:

Treat our earlyvangelists like the co-founders they are and run a quick usability test, then go to the meeting with the findings.

Bring examples of products that use pop-ups to empathetically serve users and intentionally serve business.

*Turns out I love writing these design dramas as much as ranting about them at the pub (where my friends pretend to show empathy for my pain), so I’m adding a ‘UX Diaries’ section to my portfolio and LinkedIn because visibility = jobs = afford living in Sydney. And I want to keep a record my work life.