When you ask a developer what their job is, the common response is, “To deliver software.” This answer, while technically correct, misses the true essence of what great software development is all about.
A developer’s real job is to create “WOW!” moments for their users. These moments occur when users feel like their problems are understood. They use software and think, “This is exactly what I need!” This subtle yet profound shift in perspective is not intuitive, but it is necessary if you want an invaluable product.
Are your teams focused on creating “WOW!” moments for your users, or just delivering software? How can you inspire your teams to roll out the red carpet and create solutions that feel tailor-made for its users?
The Common Misconception
Most developers are laser-focused on delivering software efficiently and effectively. They spend countless hours honing their coding skills, mastering new technologies, and perfecting their development processes. While these skills are undeniably important, they are the means to an end, not the end itself. Rarely do developers pause to consider why these skills are in demand and what makes their services highly sought after.
This shift in mindset can be better understood through an analogy from Dana White, the face of the UFC. He often emphasizes that the UFC is not just in the business of promoting fights; they are in the business of creating “holy shit moments.” These are the moments that leave audiences awestruck, generating excitement, buzz, and attention which drives revenue. The UFC understands that while fights are the medium, the true product they are selling are those undeniable moments.
Help Your Dev Team Focus On Value
A leader’s role is crucial in guiding your development team to shift their perspective from merely delivering software to creating “WOW!” moments for users. Here are some practical steps to help lead teams to make this transition:
Dogfood Your Product
Make your developers use the product the way your users do. When they feel the same pains and frustrations, they understand the real impact of their work. This empathy leads to better, user-focused decisions. Ask yourself: How often do your developers use your product in real-world scenarios? Are they experiencing the same pain points as your users?
To dogfood your product, have your developers spend a set amount of time each week using the product in real-world scenarios. Set up internal challenges or tasks that require using the product just like a customer would. Encourage developers to document their experiences and share feedback with the team. These practices ensure that developers truly understand and empathize with the users, leading to better product decisions.
Connect Your Users Directly To Your Devs
Create opportunities for your developers to interact with users directly. This can be through office hours, feedback sessions, or brainstorming meetings for new features. When developers hear firsthand what users love and hate, it provides invaluable feedback. Set up regular user feedback sessions where developers can ask questions and receive feedback directly. Organize user panels where developers can present upcoming features and get real-time reactions. Another approach is to have developers participate in customer support for a few hours each month to understand user issues better. These interactions will build empathy and help your developers understand the real impact of their work.
Don’t Assign Tasks, Assign Problems
Are you sharing the bigger picture with your team or just giving them a list of features to build? Instead of handing out tasks, present your team with problems to solve. Provide the broader context and let them brainstorm solutions. This approach helps avoid the feature factory mentality and encourages out-of-the-box thinking. Start by presenting a user problem and asking the team to come up with potential solutions. Hold regular brainstorming sessions where developers can propose ideas and discuss different approaches. Use techniques like problem statements and user stories to clearly articulate the issues users are facing. Try encouraging a culture where developers ask “why” and explore the root causes of problems. This method helps the team focus on achieving meaningful outcomes, not just completing tasks. By giving developers the freedom to explore and solve problems creatively, you enable them to produce more innovative and impactful solutions. Progress should be about achieving meaningful outcomes, not just checking off tasks.
Make It Safe To Fail
Innovation and “WOW!” moments come from taking risks. But no one will take risks if they’re afraid of failure. Create a culture where it’s okay to fail, as long as you learn from it. Let your developers experiment with new ideas by running small, low-risk pilot projects. Celebrate not just the successes but also the learning that comes from failures. You can use post-mortems or retrospectives to discuss what went wrong without blaming individuals, focusing instead on what can be learned. A “fail fast, learn faster” mindset is the goal, where your team can identify and iterate on mistakes quickly. By nurturing this environment, your team will be more willing to take the risks necessary for creating exceptional user experiences.
Taking Action
By taking these steps, you can help your development team shift their focus from just delivering software to creating unforgettable moments for users. This shift will make your software more valuable and can create a more engaged and motivated development team.