Make Your Mark

by Jocelyn K. Glei

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DEFAULT Another insight on product stewardship that I’ve learned is that users don’t follow directions. For instance, when was the last time you read an instruction manual? Most people don’t. Instead, they just dive in and start exploring. People will quickly become acquainted with your product and discover the surface features without your assistance. The vast majority of your users will continue to use the product with just those initial features that they discovered at the outset. Have you ever used the “Return to Last Channel Watched” button on your remote control? Have you ever used your iPhone to set reminders based on your location? Have you programmed your computer to use the keyboard shortcuts that let you type a few letters to insert commonly used sentences? None of these features are part of the default user experience, and so you likely do not use them. Dave Morin, co-founder and CEO of the mobile social network Path, likes to say that “the devil is in the default.” While you may have a lot of other things to offer, the “default experience”—the one that happens without any additional learning or customization from the user—will determine the success or failure of your product. Which means that the default experience is the one you want to focus on the most. It’s difficult to do this because you, as the product’s creator, will always be an advanced user. But your newest users will always matter more than you.