Building The Next Wave of Innovative Indie Products

In the last two years, I've seen many products come and go in waves, some great, some awesome, and others, well... can be better. With so many small products released every day, I think it's essential, now more than ever, that as product makers, we aim to design and build toward innovation; to make holistic products that truly connect; to align business goals and user needs to build startups that stand the test of time. We can do this when we: Understand users. Dive deep into their world, empathizing with their needs, pain points, and desires. It's not just about knowing their names; it's more about understanding why they do what they do. Understanding human behavior really helps to create a great product experience (and keeps the product profitable). Keep it small: Simplify and streamline relentlessly whenever possible to make the overall experience more intuitive and user-friendly than the previous iteration. Learn from your mistakes. Improve your processes. Remove unnecessary steps, reduce friction, and provide crystal-clear instructions. Every interaction must be simple, directed, and seamless. Dare to defy. Design is a scientific process that asks questions and solves problems with new methods. Yes, we could just stick to popular methodologies made popular by big companies and experts, but then, we're only proving what's been proven millions of times. Don't be afraid to experiment and push boundaries. Question the norm and the trends, and seek to constantly surprise and delight users with something better than they ever imagined.