Get rid of FoMO clutter around your SaaS.
With UCDC you can.
SaaS business sometimes can be a shitty place. It’s like a big swamp where only the strongest can manage to stay on the surface. And we know that everyone, definitely everyone is afraid of being sucked in. Including you. Because being sucked in, sucks! It means that your business is out and you lose. And nobody likes to lose.
SaaS business is a shitty place because if you do not make the right decision this comes for you and rips your head off. So you’re desperately trying to keep up with all the news that comes out on the market. You are looking for every new software, new ideas, cool tips for optimization. Stop it! I mean it.
You don’t have time and nerves for FoMO. You don’t have time for checking every revelation that promises to change your business. You are a busy man, a working man. Let’s face it, you are who you are and your business is what it is, no “10 tips on how to improve your business” will help you.
So what can you do? What are the options?
If you run a business for people, you need to meet their needs. And we know that you have neither the time nor the money for research. With UCDC you don’t have to have either of those. Bear with me for 6 minutes and I assure you, you won’t regret it.
So what is UCDC, anyway?
UCDC is a tool created by UX designers Alina Prelicz-Zawadzka and Leszek Zawadzki. Its form was inspired by Lean Model Canvas and Business Model Canvas. But a different selection of fields is the result of user-centered approach. It’s easy to use by your team. It’s great for brainstorms, stakeholders interviews. And frequently it can substitute expensive, time-consuming and engaging methods.
UCDC helps you plan the strategy of your business whether at the very beginning or later, during the development of new features in your product. You can use it for research purposes or for creating your unique value proposition. It is just a simple framework but yet so powerful in business, especially in the SaaS world.
Here in The Rectangles every new ongoing relationship with client always starts with UCDC, which we send to them. And we are often surprised by the feedback we receive. Believe it or not, some clients are amazed by the new and fresh look at their business. This gives us the freedom to create and ensure that we design the right things for the right people. And that’s rad!
Why should I use UCDC?
It is simple, easy to use, and free. It will save your time and money while providing you with exceptionally valuable stuff. UCDC is based on your knowledge and assumptions but when done right, it can be very powerful. And don’t be discouraged by the risk of assumptions. They are a great place to start and very often they lead to discovering “new” facts about your business.
What is very important is being honest with yourself. If you are not comfortable with sharing your thoughts and fears with your teammates, you can lock yourself up in your office and fill the canvas alone. But don’t be afraid of the truth even if it’s painful. It sets your business free.
Research with UCDC
Using UCDC for initial research is crucial for many reasons. Being able to step into your user’s shoes gives you a perfect advantage. It eliminates all the guessing and in the end saves your money. Bear in mind that nothing can replace traditional research methods. But do not underestimate the power of intuition!
Doing a research may take a long time, especially when it is not planned. So equip yourself with UCDC and get started. Put basic information about your business in Filed 1. Than fill Filed 2 (Users) with all the potential user you may have. There is no need to be very precise in describing users. Shape your users’ profiles, including characteristic attributes which make a given group of users your target.
All that is necessary but the real work starts with the Field 3 (Problems). This is the place where you need to face the reality. What value will your product bring to lives of users? How you can change the way they work / play / live? You have to start thinking like your users. Imagine different scenarios for users using your product for solving their problems.
Often business owners have a tendency to glorify their products. But you need to keep both feet on the ground here. So if you provide email marketing software you might think that users can change the world with it. But in fact all they want is an easy tool for sending email campaigns. That’s all.
Next step is a Field 4 (Motives). Extract all the emotional reasons that will make users turn to your business. Keep in mind that as usual, motives are hidden, so this is more of a psychological dancing here.
Now it can get pretty scary! Try to think about the doubts that users may have about your business. About the fears they need to defeat. Write them all in Field 5. Once again, you should think as your user would think. Do not hide the weak points of your product, be honest with yourself. Thanks to that you will draw conclusions quicker and easily correct your mistakes.
This users’ part can be very useful. It can give you valuable insights. Sure, they may not be completely true, because they are just your assumptions. But still you have solid foundations for doing further research. You can for example create user personas based on what you filled in.
Business on roids
UCDC takes care of the users but also of your business. The owners tends to favor one side of this equation, forgetting about another. UCDC gives you balanced perception making your decisions smarter and safer. The right side of the canvas is perfect for coming up with fresh ideas both in the infancy of your business and later during further improvements. Try to fill Field 6 (Solutions) with all the ideas you have about your product. While doing it peek into list of problems you created earlier. And do not take any shortcuts, don’t think only about easy solutions that are effortless to apply. Think bigger and bolder and don’t be lazy!
But no matter how hard you’ll try, you’ll always have competitors. It’s inevitable. So list them all in Field 7 (Alternatives). And do not pretend that your competitor that you hate is not your competitor at all. Write everything down. But users may have other ways of solving their problems beside your business. Remember, not doing something is also an alternative.
And yes, a user who churns because he or she wants to spend money that usually goes to you, on a new pair of kicks should also be considered.
Field 8 is the hardest. Look at all the solutions and alternatives you have. What makes your business special? So special that users will choose it rather than any of the alternatives or competitors. Any of those new kicks. If for most of the time you have been honest with yourself you will see the strengths of your business.
But remember, all the things that your competitors can have in a week are not your advantages. They’re only your features. Write down your wonderful customer support here or a blog with a lot of valuable content.
The last Field is Unique Value Proposition. This is a summary of your business so look through the canvas, analyze it and write your UVP in a few sentences.
Add some extra powers
When you look at UCDC from a wider perspective, you’ll see a great tool to manage all work inside your company. Imagine having trouble with conversion rates on your website. You can fill the canvas specifically and only for the sign up section. Think about all the problems users have. Their motives and your suggestions for a solution. Write it down and immediately you’ll realize how handy this framework is.
By keeping everything in one place (page to be exact) you have an organized and clear path to take. It’s even more powerful when combined with Google Analytics or screen recordings. Extract the data you need and complement it with UCDC. Don’t rely on quick tips, don’t get trapped by those articles with clickbaits in the titles. All you need is sincerity with yourself, awareness of your business and UCDC. And love of course!
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