In the corporate world, the term appears frequently and refers to various areas. But at the moment, culture is mainly associated with one particular area: the product area. That’s why we decided to look into this topic to understand the impact of a product culture in startups and companies and learn how to build it.

First Things First 

So what is product culture? It is a set of habits, values, and beliefs that foster the development of digital products. It is characterized by the formation of autonomous teams focused on achieving business goals through the creation or evolution of products. It is an essential prerequisite for the development of contemporary digital products that meet the needs of users and offer added value to clients.

As a culture, it is pervasive. It must impact not only people’s mental models, but also the company’s processes, artifacts, and tools. For example, product culture must reflect the way people are recognized, how success is measured, and even how contracts are signed with clients.

To facilitate understanding, it is sometimes easier to explain what something is not. In this sense, we can say that product culture is the opposite of project culture or IT culture.

Product Culture X Project Culture 

Project Culture, also known as IT Culture, is focused on outputs, while Product Culture is focused on outcomes. This means that, in Project Culture, success is measured by the delivery of scope, of a list of pre-defined items. In Product Culture, success is measured by the impact generated, regardless of what was done or how many items were delivered. P.S. To know more about this difference, it’s worth learning about the initiative No Projects. 

On the other hand, Product Culture is a term created by Marty Cagan. He describes the mindset where IT is paralyzed in operational, everyday processes, without realizing the importance of innovating, delivering value and impacting all the business. If you follow our articles, you know that we usually refer to this phenomenon as tasking IT. 

Those who work in Product Culture don’t usually say they work “in IT.” These people usually refer to the product or business process where they operate, even when they are programmers. 

The Central Role of User Experience 

Working with User Experience (UX) is creating a product and thinking about it from the user’s standpoint. This may seem obvious, but the truth is that the exercise of thinking like someone different from us is challenging. 

What does it have to do with Product Culture? The concern with UX is one of the symptoms of the transition from an IT Culture (self-centered) to a Product Culture (centered on the user). After all, those concerned with generating real business impact certainly need to try to improve the experience for people using the product, not simply “push for” a new solution. 

Also, in Product teams the Designer is not the only one concerned with the Product Design: all members should be aware of the user’s needs and of each of their touch points with the product, to make sure that all details are aligned with its purpose. 

Experimentation to Validate Hypotheses 

Another symptom of the transition from Project Culture to Product Culture is the adoption of Product Experimentation. In Project Culture, it is not usual to save space for learning since the underlying philosophy is a predictive rationalist approach. We define a detailed scope early, and then it is necessary to make sure it is delivered. 

But innovative products, services, or business models are only innovative because they don’t exist yet. This means that they are based on hypotheses and need to be validated, and, therefore, Product Experimentation is essential. In Product Culture, it is necessary to be open to constant learning, changes, and diversity of hypotheses. 

As much as surveys and interviews are conducted with users, collecting information to support development, what we do when defining the product is a proposition, a hypothesis of solution. It is necessary to test quickly and efficiently to learn and discover whether the user experience and the business model proposed effectively work. This is what the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is used for. 

The Sense of Ownership 

A true product culture only exists when people on the team have a sense of ownership. After all, who cares more about a company than its creator? The idea is that the entire team acts as owners, and therefore truly cares about the product.

People who care build, collaborate, improve, and help define. They have a future vision for the product, are proactive in anticipating and solving problems, and work with enthusiasm and passion. Ownership is responsible for the pride the team takes in working on the product and contributes to quality and commitment.

Metrics to Mesure Success 

Another characteristic of the transition from a Project Culture to a Product Culture is the way of measuring success. Instead of measuring by the execution of plans from the classic triangle scope, cost, and time, we start analyzing by business-related metrics. 

Your taste does not matter much; after all, we currently have many metrics frameworks. In some cases, they will be funnel metrics, in others, your product may have North Star metrics; perhaps your company adopts Key Performance Indicators (KPIs); or also you use Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). 

The important thing is to understand that there is a cultural change. In IT Cultures, people are concerned with delivering what was ordered, within the deadline. Conversations are usually about time or percentage of completeness of the tasks. 

In Product Cultures, the topics are different. The conversation revolves around actual indicators, such as sales, number of clients and percentage of conversions. These figures are no longer secret and are now handled directly by the team that aims at discovering, through experiments, how to positively impact these indicators. 

What is Your Company’s Culture? 

It’s palpable that these terms we have explored are intertwined, right? Product Culture comes as an alternative to Project Culture and IT Culture. It is focused on business-targeted products and users, which need to be validated through Product Experimentation. The team that truly cares analyzes data to assess the success of experiments and evolve the product with agility. 

What type of culture do you see at your company? Notice how people relate with each other (employees and clients), how success is measured, and how processes are designed. Analyzing these items, you will know in which culture your team works and will be able to see the need for a transformation. 

Do you need help to develop a Product Culture in your company? Fill out the form below and our specialists will get in touch with you. 

*Related Content: The 4 Must-Have Characteristics of Your IT Partner

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In the Development of digital products, Design appears in the interfaces of applications, systems, and platforms; and in the journeys and user experiences. Did you know that the area also supports the inception of digital solutions and their commercialization? 

In the following article, we will discuss concepts of some types of Design, in order to clarify the various functionalities of the area so that you can choose one that suits your business.

The design gives forms to ideas

There are several currents and trends that propose to conceptualize Design. In the book Design – History, Theory and Practice of Product Design, the author Bernhard E. Bürdek points out that most people’s lives are no longer imaginable without design. “Design follows us from morning until night: at home, at work, in leisure, in education, in health, in sports, in the transport of people and goods, in the public environment – everything is configured consciously or unconsciously”, he defines.

For the author, we communicate with people and define social groups through products. To understand this idea, just think about Apple. Anyone who has a device from this brand ends up belonging to a certain social group. In fact, Apple uses this awareness to create targeted advertisement that talks to this audience and further strengthens the sense of being part of such a community.

The definition by Tai Hsuan-An, author of the book Design: Concepts and methods, completes that of Bürdek, but relates more to the work of the designer: “Design is simply the professional activity that involves the entire process of creating and developing products, in order to meet the needs of the population in favor of a better and more pleasant life. These products are extremely varied in size, function, utility, style, material, complexity, quantity and breadth.”

In other words, design has the function of giving form to ideas and being the basis for the creation of products and services that meet people’s needs. But after all, what are the most known types of design in the universe of digital products, and what is their importance in the innovation journey?

Form, Function, Experience and Interface

Graphic Design is present in a very visible way in our daily lives. Its functionality consists of applying the art of design in graphic pieces. In these projects, the Designer creates solutions for digital and printed materials, which will be used in social networks, e-mail marketing, magazines, books, packaging, etc.

For this, it is necessary to have knowledge in visual communication, texts, typography, colors, layout and image editing software such as Photoshop, Illustrator and Canva. The main objective is to organize the most diverse information and convey a message that is clear, useful and interesting to the target audience. 

Web Design is also one of the types of design. This aspect is fully connected to the internet universe, focusing on the creation of digital interfaces for websites. In this area, knowledge in HTML and CSS is crucial; after all, Web Designers are responsible for creating online pages. In this sense, creating quality interfaces has to do with some non-aesthetic factors, such as the image size, which impacts: page loading speed, and layout flexibility, which concerns the responsiveness of the websites.

Additionally, there are other types of design focused on digital solutions, which are very important to ensure the best usability. This is the case with UX Design. When we talk about User Experience (UX), we bring the needs of users and businesses to the heart of the debate. Among the responsibilities of UX Designers is the understanding of the product user, for better creation of user journeys. This professional may also be responsible for writing explanatory texts that make up the solution, an area called UX Writing.

When it comes to User Interface (UI), the main concern is to create the screens of the digital product. In this area, UI Designers are responsible for defining colors, typography, composition, Information Architecture, Interaction Design and UI Guidelines (iOS and Android) so that users can use the products in a simple and intuitive way.

Think Like A Designer

We have already realized that in our routine we are impacted by design daily – both in physical and digital products – and that for the most different types of design there are the most varied forms of application. However, one area that we don’t always understand is Design Thinking. Much more than a buzzword in the technology world, this approach can be an excellent ally to solve problems and make important decisions that drive business evolution.

In the book Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation, Tim Brown points out that Design Thinking explores capabilities that we all have, but which are neglected by more conventional problem-solving practices. “Design Thinking depends on our ability to be intuitive, to recognize patterns, to construct ideas that have emotional and functional meaning, to express ourselves in ways other than words or symbols. Nobody wants to run a business based on feeling, intuition and inspiration, but relying too much on the rational and the analytical can be just as dangerous.”

In recent years, large companies and startups have adopted this approach in their creation processes, with the mission of improving solutions and seeking innovation. Design Thinking can be applied to the development of applications, systems and platforms, and if you are thinking of creating a digital product, you will certainly need to use it. However, exploring this universe alone can be risky. After all, the approach has specific tools and practices that require knowledge. At SoftDesign, we solve problems based on the designer’s way of thinking through Design Thinking. Thus, we seek to understand the user’s perspective to test ideas and ensure the creation of an ideal product.

Design Is For Everyone

But we don’t use just Design Thinking. UX and UI Design also support us in various ways in our services. They are the starting point for investigating and understanding scenarios, problems and behaviors. Through them, we raise hypotheses, improve processes, create solutions and transform ideas into desirable products.

• Product Conception: in this creative process, we use theories and knowledge such as Design Thinking, Design Sprint and Lean Startup to establish project goals, plan development and define investment.
• Product Experimentation: we put the idea of your solution in the hands of users to validate hypotheses and experiments. Thus, we help you to save time and ensure investment security.
• Software Development: our product team has knowledge in UX, UI and Research, which allows us to create user-centered solutions. As a result, we deliver applications, systems and platforms with excellent usability.
• Consulting: to improve your users’ experience, we carry out diagnosis and implementation of strategic solutions focused on User Research, User Experience and User Interface.

Now that you know, what types of designs need to be integrated into the development of your digital product, fill out the form below and talk to one of our experts. Together, we can shape your ideas.

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Thus, before approaching the principles of good design, it is important to cite the contribution of the German designer and theorist Gui Bonsiepe (2011, p. 21)*. He defines it from a humanist perspective, understanding it as “the exercise of design activities in order to interpret the needs of social groups and develop viable, emancipatory proposals in the form of material and semiotic artifacts”.

Gui Bonsiepe. Source: https://estacaoq.com.br/2019/2019/01/24/astronauta/.

Less But Better

From this perspective, the field is understood as resource-oriented to the process of identifying and solving demands, as well as to the potential for individual and social development.

With this in mind, and understanding its role as a design tool that permeates the stages from Product Conception to the final realization of a product, understanding the principles of good design is the first step to developing more consistent, viable ideas that have a sense of existence and meet the needs of real people.

Dieter Rams, a German designer known for his contributions to the products of the company Braun and the iconic phrase “less, but better”, was also responsible for defining the Ten Principles of Design. Its purpose was to qualitatively evaluate any design product, be it a physical product or a digital interface product.

Dieter Rams. Source: https://designwanted.com/design/dieter-rams/.

According to Rams, the Ten Principles of Design are:

1 – Is Innovative

The first principle is established from the ability of a product to keep itself in constant evolution and to walk in parallel with technological development. Consequently, good design is characterized as innovative.

2 – Makes a product useful

The second principle is how much this design makes a product useful, being responsible for not only aesthetic criteria, but also functional and psychological ones. Here the emphasis is on its usefulness and the reasons why this product was designed.

3 – Is aesthetic

Even so, it is understood that aesthetic quality is also influential in the acquisition and use of a particular product. While guaranteeing functional quality, the third principle of good design is identified as aesthetic.

4 – Makes a product understandable

In addition, it should also clarify the product’s structure objectively and boost user intuition. Thus, as the fourth principle, design also helps in understanding the product.

5 – Is unobtrusive

The fifth principle is related to ensuring that the product is discreet, insofar as, despite the aesthetic aspect mentioned above, products are not decorative objects and must serve a purpose.

6 – Is honest

The sixth principle is related to its honesty, that is, it should not manipulate the consumer in order to sell something that it is not.

7 – Is long-lasting

Heading in a direction against the discard system and culture currently adopted by society, the seventh principle refers to the timeless potential that a given product has, with it being considered long-lasting.

8 – Is thorough down to the last detail

This long-lasting quality is also linked to the care and precision in details, with no unnecessary information being inserted by chance. Thus, the eighth principle of design is to be thorough down to the last detail.

9 – Is environmentally friendly

Knowing that such principles are intended for applications to physical and digital interface products, Dieter Rams also understands that design is sustainable and plays an important role in caring for the environment, configuring it as the ninth principle.

10 – Is as little as possible

For the last principle, we have the definition of simplicity, understanding that less is more by focusing only on what is essential. Design does not stand out from the purpose of use, but contributes to the purpose being emphatic and providing a unique experience.

Inclusion and diversity are essential

In addition to Dieter Rams’ considerations, it is worth mentioning that good design cannot be achieved without inclusion and diversity. The lack of resources given to this theme not only negatively affects the products – which end up not being suitable for the breadth of the audience to which they would be destined – but also within the institutions themselves. It is necessary to think about this diversity of professionals who bring different perspectives to the support and technological development of new products.

Soon, I will publish a number of articles on the topic of Inclusion and Diversity in Digital Products. Stay tuned!

*Bonsiepe, G. (2011). Design, cultura e sociedade (Design, culture and society). São Paulo, Brazil: Blucher.

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The first article in this series explored the profiles, roles, and expertise needed in a product team. The second article delved into the Product Owner (PO) universe to understand his role in the development journey. To end the series, in the next article we will address the role of Developers and Testers.

Why do we need Designers?

A decade ago, it was rare to see designers working with technology teams to build software. So, what happened since then that made the role of the Designer become so fundamental?

The truth is that the reality in the IT universe has changed a lot in the last decade. Some of these changes are:

• Popularization of technologies;
• The exponential increase in the supply of digital products on the market, and in competition between them;
• Users easily switch from one product to another and reduced overall brand loyalty;
  The growth of social networks and communities of influence leads people to adopt and “cancel” products quickly.

These changes have made users more demanding: today they expect a better experience. People want quick responses, easy access to information, uncomplicated processes, consistency across a brand’s various channels, and a clear and inspirational value proposition.

In the past, in a market with few solutions, Design focused on UX (User Experience) emerged as a differentiator on which very innovative brands relied to seek growth. Today, in a market full of products and demanding customers, design has become essential for a successful product.

Is design’s purpose to make products more beautiful?

Actually, Design is much more than that. Since the discipline began to develop in the so-called Modern Design, from the Bauhaus period, there is a definition that design should be concerned with two inseparable issues: form and function.

Within the concept of form, there is indeed the aesthetic component, where beauty is part of the concerns. However, design is also concerned with function:

• How will the product be used?
• What is it for?
• Does it meet a real need?
• Is it convenient to use?
• Is it satisfying to use?

In other words, Design is not about beautifying a product, but about planning it so that it is both aesthetically and functionally pleasing. For Mira Hennemann, UX/UI Designer at SoftDesign, “design is understood as a project tool that enhances individual and social development, based on the identification and solution of problems; in the same way that it emancipates users from the use of these digital products on a daily basis”.

UI Designer or UX Designer: What do I need?

This very important question leads us to clarify the different areas of Design. The discipline is very broad and includes everything from designing industrial products to creating posts for Instagram, for example. Therefore, it is common not to know exactly what we need.

In a digital product, the subareas of Design that matter most are:

UI Design – is the part that is concerned with creating the interface. In the most common software, the interfaces are screens, but nowadays there are other types, such as voice interfaces. Within this area, we have:

• Colors, Typography and Composition – everything in the interface needs to be thought out in order to convey the message we want because the elements have meaning and impact! A well-known example is an increase in clicks on an e-commerce purchase button, depending on the color of that button.
• Information Architecture – how to organize the elements and the contents in the interface, with hierarchy, structure, etc., so that the user understands what he sees and finds what he needs.
• Interaction Design – focused on user interaction, including issues such as success and error feedback, the possibility to undo actions, etc.
• UI Guidelines – are guides to be followed so that the user can use the product in a specific environment. For example, iPhone and Android users have very different guidelines!

UX Design – is the part concerned about the user’s experience with the product, including:

• Value Proposition – does the product we are going to build solve a real problem for the customer? Does the customer see enough value in this product to use it?
• User – who is our user and how does the product fit into their routine?
• Journey – what is the customer’s path when using the product, from the moment he discovers the product? What touchpoints does he have with the product on this journey and how do those touchpoints affect his satisfaction?
• Onboarding – how are we going to help customers in their first experience with the product?
• Retention – what mechanisms do we need for the customer to continue using our product?
• UX Writing – is concerned with writing explanatory texts and messages displayed to the user.

User Research – is the area dealing with research and data collection, including but not limited to:

• Interviews – a technique for collecting data through a structured conversation with users.
• Observation – a technique for collecting data by observing users in their real environment.
• Usability Testing – a technique for testing and collecting feedback on the product.

It is worth noting that these areas are not completely independent; they interact and influence each other. For example, UI is a part of UX, and UX is not defined without Research. The separation is more for instructive purposes, to help organize all topics of interest.

In addition to these areas, there are still other areas of Design that can be important for a digital product, but that is not part of the product team. For example:

Brand Design – if you are creating a product, you may also need a branding effort, which includes designing the brand’s symbols or logo.

Design of material for product marketing – if you are going to promote your product in the market, you will also need a designer to create advertising material, campaigns, and sales or product presentation materials.

How does a designer affect the product?

The expected result of the Design work is to improve the following product factors:

• Usefulness: Is the product useful and connected to the real needs of users?
• Value: Does the product offer something of value to the customer?
• Findability: Can the user understand the product proposal and find its usefulness?
• Usability: Can the user use the product to achieve his/her purposes?
• Accessibility: Can users with permanent or temporary limitations also access the product’s utilities?
• Reliability: Do people believe in the product, and trust that it will deliver what it promises?
• Desirability: what emotions does the product evoke in those who use it? Do users have positive emotions that make them want the product?

Can the designer work only on the definition of the product?

This is a question we’ve been asked a few times. Why does the Design person need to be part of the team? Why can’t the Design person act just at the beginning, “create the UX”, with the product team then following the definitions throughout the development?

Well, actually, the design doesn’t “create” the UX. What the Design person initially does is propose a solution that he or she believes is adequate. Experience, however, is what the user actually experiences when using the product.

This is where the iterative nature of product development comes into play: a first version is put to use or tested with a small group of users; feedback is collected, and the product is tweaked to improve the experience.

Therefore, the Design person has a continuous role, iterating and continuously evolving the user experience proposition, in addition to creating the UI of new functionalities. According to Pricila Sales, UX Designer at SoftDesign, among the principles and practices of a designer we have strategic performance, which goes far beyond the initial stage of definition. “We continually seek to identify opportunities, as well as to promote the construction of products that allow a good consumer experience and that provide prominence, generating value for the business”, she emphasizes.

How is the daily life of the Design person in the product team?

The Design person works very closely with the Product Management person. This duo works together all the time in activities such as:

• User research and testing;
• Analysis and proposition of solutions;
• Meetings with the team to refine and debate the proposed solutions;
• Testing of solutions, creating prototypes, improving them through validation, and testing with stakeholders and users.

Each planned solution then needs to be detailed, which requires some solitary work in which the Design person will structure:

• Flows, to analyze and propose the interaction;
• High-fidelity prototypes, which represent the UI, with all the details, such as sizes, spacing, colors, messages, etc.

In addition, Designers work closely with the team during the development sprint, actively participating in day-to-day activities to clear up doubts and, mainly, to reconcile the proposed Design with the restrictions and possibilities of technology.

One designer or multiple designers?

To conclude, the last question that we will answer is about the number and specialty of Designers that should compose your product team. In an early-stage product, when only one team is working and you have up to five engineers involved, one design person is likely able to meet the demand. This number is a proportion that is accepted in the market, according to the NN Group’s survey. Also, at this stage the Design person will probably be a generalist, accumulating UI, UX, and Research tasks.

However, as the product evolves, the team will grow and complexity will increase. Therefore, it is normal not only to increase the number of designers but also to start working with people specialized in each area.

Designers at SoftDesign

In our work process, designers participate in the Conception of new products and throughout the life cycle of Development, performing activities focused on UX, UI, and Research. At SoftDesign, our main mission is to deliver products that will be used, loved and that generate value and in order to achieve this, design work is essential.

If you need help creating useful and desirable products, proposing user experiences, and developing successful products, please contact us using the form below. Together, we will connect technology, design, and strategy!

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At SoftDesign, User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) Design are present in all services, but with different purposes. So what are the occasions when the ideal solution to the design issue is Product Conception? Which ones require UX Design Consulting?

Two services, two purposes

Product Conception aims at exploring ideas, better understanding users, identifying features, and choosing technologies. Through Product Conception, the digital product is designed, focusing on the issue it solves and on how it will generate value.

The Product Conception team is multidisciplinary, made up of product managers, product owners, architects, and designers. Together with the client, they apply Design Thinking techniques, carry out user research, determine Value Proposition, define personas and user journeys, and plan the construction of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP).

In UX Design Consulting, the designer dedicated to the project diagnoses usability problems in existing software to suggest improvements. Based on a heuristic analysis, the professional designs and presents new design suggestions.

Another possibility for the application of Consulting is in the creation of a new UI design for a digital product when the designer researches with potential users to understand the context of use. A design proposal is delivered to the client, who can develop the solution internally or continue the work with our team.

In both cases above, the designer holds frequent meetings with the other designers in the company to explore the problem and exchange knowledge. Thus, the client has access to our entire pool of UX/UI designers who can contribute, each with their own expertise, in a different way to the solution.

So Conception is only for startups, right?

No. Startups benefit from this service because it offers the development of new digital solutions and their business models, helping in the structuring necessary to effectively start software development.

However, established companies that are creating new solutions on existing platforms or systems may need Product Conception to think about this new part. For example, an internal software that manages sales needs to meet a new customer control need in the sales department.

Furthermore, Product Conception can be essential in a digital transformation strategy, since it requires the development of Product Thinking, that is, product-oriented thinking – which helps to transform needs into practical solutions to be prioritized and delivered. Here is an example.

One of our partners in the benefits card area (food vouchers, transport vouchers, etc.) had an internal management system that controlled the balance of each client (company) and its employees. This information was visible internally, but could not be accessed by clients: in other words, for each company to know its balance and confirm its transactions, it was necessary to call our partner. In short, the service’s end-user could not learn about their status and the status of their employees digitally.

Through Product Conception, our partner understood that it could not simply grant visibility to the system, as the user journeys and objectives of internal operating users were completely different from those of external users: our partner’s employee needs to control the balance of one hundred clients, while each of these clients only wants to know their own balance. In other words, the company already had the database, the structure, and the system – and was able to use this base. However, for this new audience/persona, it was necessary to think about how they would access the platform, understand it, their issues and needs, among others.

What about UX Design Consulting, is it only for existing products?

Mostly. This is because our Consulting services are always oriented to solve problems. The main objective of UX Design Consulting is to solve usability issues and those related to the experience of using a digital product or service.

Such problems can be: users do not understand the system; they complain that the platform is difficult to use; people delete the app because it is confusing, etc. Therefore, the client needs a study that analyzes how this usability and interface can be modified and improved.

However, in rare cases, UX and UI Consulting can be used to propose the usability and interface of a new product.  If the entrepreneur has an idea already conceived, already knows the business model, has already designed the flows, and has his own development team, he may need a design specialist to think about the experience of use.

For example, we recently provided Product Conception services for a partner. His idea matured and it was already possible to develop the software, but he did not have all the necessary financial support – he was looking for investors. With the available value, however, he opted for UX Design Consulting to already create the interface, think about the product’s usability and develop high-fidelity navigable prototypes. Thus, it was possible to materialize his idea further to present it to potential investors, which facilitated its sale.

Other cases

In Product Conception, we think of a digital product or service under different aspects: value proposition, business model, design, functional structure, technical structure, software architecture, among others. In UX Design Consulting, we only look at Design, for journeys and experiences of using the solution.

Now that you know the best service for your needs, just request contact from a consultant.

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