Principles of Product Design
Joshua Porter's framework for creating successful products, emphasising usefulness as the primary goal, experience-driven design, and user-centred approaches to product development.
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Usefulness is job
Products must help people do something valuable in their lives, whether functional, social, or emotional. Without usefulness, design has failed.
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The experience is the product
Every interaction matters and becomes part of the total product experience. Users don’t distinguish between the product and their experience using it.
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Solve existing problems
Innovation isn’t about new products solving new problems. It’s about solving existing problems better than they’re currently solved.
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Look for investment
The best features solve problems people are already investing money, time, or energy into. Existing investment predicts future use.
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Model features on real artifacts
Look for real-world objects people use to get jobs done. These artifacts translate directly into useful features worth building.
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Fit and finish matter
Polished details build trust with users. Attention to precision signals care and professionalism, giving products a better chance to succeed.
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Release quality sets expectations
Every release, no matter how small, should be your best work. Consistent quality builds trust; rushed releases lower expectations over time.
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Release a smaller, better product
Every feature adds friction and burden. Truly focused products say no to far more features than they say yes to.
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The last 10% is the hardest
The difference between good and great is the final 10% of detail. It might take 50% of your time, but it’s what separates you from competitors.
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Know who your real competitors are
Email and Excel compete indirectly with many products. Look beyond direct competitors to understand the full competitive landscape.
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Actual vs desired use
Be honest about actual vs intended use. Don’t confuse the two or dismiss unexpected usage patterns.
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Users are not product designers
Users are right when something doesn’t work, but wrong about how to fix it. Dig deeper to understand underlying issues.
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The behavior you're seeing is the behavior you've designed for
Observed behaviour is what you’ve designed for, whether intentional or not. Focus core interactions to guide user efforts.
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Great products are focused on a single problem
The best products appeal to people doing something specific, starting with a small, focused market.
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Disruptive products look like toys
Disruptive products often start unpolished, but their edge in usefulness, cost, or ease makes them a threat.
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Positioning is crucial
How you describe and compare your product gives people a framework to understand it. Usually best to position based on existing categories.
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Product/market fit is when people sell for you
When users understand your product’s value enough to share it with others, and you can replicate that experience, customers become salespeople.