User Feedback – When to respond

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So you’re a developer or software company, and you made a great tool that doesn’t exist. It blew everyone’s mind. Suddenly, two customers appear complaining they want this or that, and you’re freaking out. It’s okay. Nothing will be perfect for everyone. Don’t become a contractor for individual customers.

You want voluminous feedback

Avoid the knee jerk reaction to the first few users feedback. Here’s how I do it instead. I wait for feedback from 100 people before adjusting. I keep in mind I’m not building for one person but for a persona or a collective of people. When listening to the feedback, you’ll notice 2-3 items requested over and over again. It’s almost as if you don’t need to write them down because everyone says the same thing. These are the items to focus on in the next release.

It matters how you ask

When getting feedback, the method I prefer is asking what they like about the application. When you analyze the feedback though, look for what they say they don’t like. This is where you can add value. Still, don’t specifically ask for negatives. When asking for positives, if criticism appears it’s something that really bothered them. If you ask for a critique they search out the negatives which might not be that important.

One foot, then the other

The feedback process becomes unfocused if you try to change too much at once. In scientific experiments, if you modify too many variables the data gets too noisy to get any real meaning. So I’ll change only the most requested items which brings the most value to the most poeple. After the next release, I’ll ask for feedback again.

Personas are people

Even though personas are an abstract representation of a group of people, I’ll get to know real people that represent the persona. For example, if I’m working on an app for attorneys, I’ll get to know an actual trial attorney, corporate lawyer, personal injury lawyer, etc. That way if I’m looking for specific input on something, like a new transcriptions feature, I have a real person I can ask. Since I’m not an attorney there’s no way I can see things from their point of view. I leverage my resources to build the best product, and their experience is a valuable resource.

What should you do?

Wether you are building a new product or growing an existing one, it might not be clear exactly what to do feedback and this can be tricky. The people at the top in life are always working, growing and improving with the help of others. It’s how you got to where you are. And it’s how you will get answers to make through to the next stage on your journey.

I have experience that you can leverage. If you don’t use me, use someone else. The point is for you to get what is on your mind resolved immediately, don’t wait. Set an appointment with me and tell me about your situation so I can help. Click this link to reach out. Something else on your mind? Whatever you need, I’m here. Life is meant to be done together, just reach out.

Joel Beasley

Joel Beasley founded the Modern CTO Podcast in 2017 while writing his book, the Modern CTO book, with the goal of interviewing CTOs and sharing their experiences with others in the tech community.

Joel’s conversational style and insightful questions quickly gained traction, attracting high-profile guests such as Microsoft’s CTO, Kevin Scott, and T-Mobile’s CIO, Cody Stanford. With each episode, the podcast’s popularity continued to grow, and soon, Joel found himself with a waiting list of future guests.

Today, the Modern CTO Podcast has become the number one leadership and tech podcast in the world, with over 150k active listeners, including CTOs, lead developers, and rising tech leaders. Joel’s commitment to creating a conversational atmosphere for his guests to share their experiences has inspired a new generation of leaders and innovators.

As the success of the podcast grew, Joel founded ProSeries Media, a podcast production company that helps companies worldwide create their own podcasts. With a team of producers, content creators, and podcast bookers, ProSeries Media produces over ten shows, providing a platform for companies to connect with their audience and share their expertise.

Through his work on the Modern CTO Podcast and ProSeries Media, Joel Beasley has become a respected voice in the tech industry, inspiring others to share their knowledge and insights with the wider community. His passion for creating engaging content that informs, inspires, and entertains has made him a sought-after speaker and advisor on all things tech.



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