Coming from the ship building industry, our newest consultant Imaad Shaik knows a thing or two about the user centric approach. ”Engineers are great at solving problems, but that doesn’t automatically mean their solutions are what users want to use. Involving the users from the start of development process is the key, from need finding to testing and iterating. Having people from diverse backgrounds gives many different perspectives and produces more thought out end product. Combination of these two things sets Bofor apart”, Imaad shares.
WHEN DIVERSITY LEADS, HAPPINESS FOLLOWS
To actually be user centric, product development needs loads of information from the users. Lots of things are universal, but if you only know the similarities between users, you are just half way there. The most cost effective way to ensure maximum usability is to have people with diverse backgrounds developing them. ”When diverse people are working together as equals, the usability becomes much better. Bofor’s teams produce more thought out solutions, and as a bonus, everyone learns new things and viewpoints from each other”, Imaad affirms.
START FROM THE USERS NEEDS
For Imaad, user centric development is not just buzzwords. ”I see developing things around the users and their needs to be essential. There may me multiple user segments who have their own needs, so in true Bofor spirit, I never stop asking questions. At Bofor, the initial Catalyst phase tackles most points and constant user testing ensures most angles are covered before the launch. Our ”swag” comes from the confidence and curiosity that drives us to create better and more usable solutions. So involving users and diversity, constant learning, Boforian swag, our values are embedded in what we do, I love that”, Imaad concludes.