Products-My perspective as a UX designer

every great product begins with a good understanding of the problem

Products have always been around us since we were children. But the lack of in-depth knowledge about the problem a particular product designed solves makes it impossible to appreciate the beauty and usability of the product.

As i continued to evolve and grow, i saw how the presence of particular objects made life easier and less stressful. A great example would be the invention of the raincoat for us as younger kids, it was quite fashionable, while still providing the intrinsic value which meant that we were protected from the rain.

In my teen years, a good product meant anything that enhances me and made me look cool in front of my peers. Thus, most times music players which would be used for entertainment would usually be found with me.

Reading about products since i started my career as a product designer has enlightened me and put more into retrospection for me. Take for example reading don norman’s design of everyday things made me understand the reasons why certain decisions are made in product design.

Design is an art, for me its a form of expression

Moreover, he explained how sometimes having issues with a product doesn’t always equal being a terrible user but it could simply mean that the design didn’t correctly communicate effectively what role/task it can be used for.

One product that i have come across that strikes me as a perfect product would be the google Gmail product. This is a product that has evolved over the years to adapt to the needs of its users thereby making users more confident and dependent on Google products.

I like how through continuous research and improvement, there have been additions to different features which continue to be relevant in today’s world.

When i first opened my Gmail account in 2014 i only saw the mailing tool as an app for sending and receiving messages. But in recent times, they continued to introduce features like google calendar which makes scheduling daily activities more accessible and also google meet for video chats and meetings. I saw how the use of google meet and google calendar contributed to the success of remote work during the height of the pandemic.

While we couldn’t interact with the outside world, using google calendar made it possible for me to keep track of many activities that i would have on a normal day forgotten and on the days we couldn’t make it into a physical gathering, the google meet tool made it easier for communication to occur between people in different parts of the world.

For me, the evolution of google products over the years is a good reference point on how to be intentional about the needs of your user at every stage of product development. I would say this makes a product not only marketable but also useful and of importance to every customer. To me, my Gmail account isn’t only just a tool for messaging but a tool for keeping track of my daily activities and making my day count.