User choice is absolutely required on the web. But, too many options and features will drown your company. ”The customer can have any color as long as it is black”, the (in)famous quote from Henry Ford is actually pretty good advice. The point being limited choice is not only better for profits, it’s often preferred by customers.
We’ve all seen it. Too many times the desire to make an application feature-rich gets in the way of the functionality being usable. You end-up with a bloated feature set that 95% of your audience never uses. (Think Microsoft Office.) In trying to appease every customer type, you actually loose your base in the process. Given most of us don’t have the market cornered like Microsoft, what’s the answer?
You start by embracing simplicity and elegance in design. If something can be accomplished with one button, there is no need to add the noise of five more. Now apply that same philosophy to every feature of the product, and you’re well on your way to building something people will use.
When it comes to choice, the 80/20 rule still rings true. You only need to solve for 80% of your audience, which should comfortably fit within three to five personas. The other 20% (that matter) will be drawn to the larger halo, and the ones that leave were always planning on ditching you for a niche-ier brand someday.
The same rule applies to product options. Segment-driven choices are a good thing, but too many options only cause confusion. The best products in the world are ruthless in what they cut during the development cycle, as the companies behind them know intelligent simplicity equates to sales. For proof, just look to Apple as led by Steve Jobs.
Once you embrace your core audience, the first thing you’ll feel is a glowing sense of freedom — and relief. Your product now has clarity and market vision (i.e. things that increase sales). The other good news is you just reduced your costs without loosing the majority of your customers.
And that’s mass customization. Welcome to the brilliance of Henry Ford!
Tags: product design, simplicity
