The Symphony of Product Building

Inspired by a talk by Scarlet Key on Songwriting

Just as a song is more than a mere arrangement of sounds, a successful product is more than a collection of features. Drawing inspiration from the art of songwriting, we uncover valuable lessons for product building. Creating a song — through tone, melody, lyrics, and chords — parallels the meticulous design, functionality, narrative, and emotional connection that product developers strive for.

Tone and User Experience

In songwriting, tone sets the emotional scene. Similarly, the tone of a product — its look, feel, and usability — creates the initial emotional engagement with users. Just as a song’s tone can uplift or soothe, a product’s user interface and user experience (UI/UX) design can make users feel welcomed and understood.

Melody and Functionality

With its tension and release patterns, Melody mirrors a product's functionality. Like a captivating melody, a well-designed product guides users through its features smoothly, balancing the stable with the innovative, ensuring a satisfying and intuitive user experience.

Lyrics and Narrative

Lyrics give a song its story, much like the narrative built around a product. This narrative doesn’t just sell a product; it connects emotionally with consumers, telling them how this product fits into their lives, solves their problems, and enhances their experiences.

Chords and Emotional Connection

Chords in music define the mood of a song, similar to how a product’s design and features evoke emotions in its users. The choice of materials, colors, and interaction styles can make a product feel reliable, exciting, or comforting.

Repetition and Memorability

Repetition in songwriting ensures a melody sticks in your mind. For products, memorable experiences — whether through branding, catchphrases, or distinctive features — ensure users return and remain loyal.

Harmony and Integration

Just as harmony enriches a song, seamless integration of features and services enhances a product. The product should work harmoniously within the ecosystem it belongs to, connecting with other apps and services to enrich the user experience.

Empathy and User-Centered Design

Songwriting often aims to build empathy, connecting deeply with the listener’s emotions and experiences. In product design, a user-centered approach, understanding and addressing the real needs and emotions of the users, is key to creating solutions that resonate deeply and foster strong user engagement.

Conclusion

The process of creating a song — with its emphasis on tone, melody, lyrics, and chords — offers profound insights into product development. By focusing on user experience, functionality, narrative, emotional connection, memorability, integration, and empathy, developers can create products that meet users’ needs and touch their lives in meaningful ways. Like a timeless song, a well-crafted product becomes a cherished part of its users’ daily rhythm, evoking emotions, facilitating tasks, and, ultimately, making life a little bit better.