Is your product talking your customer's language?
Why do users uninstall my app? Why do they spend less time on my website than I'd like? Why does Google Analytics show my product is doing well one day, only for users to abandon it mid-journey the next?
These questions bothered me in board meetings, and for a long time, I had no clue what was wrong with the product we had developed. It was a beautiful app that represented our brand colors and showcased all the healthcare services our organization offered. What was missing? Why was there a huge difference between the number of user visits and the number of appointments booked?
After studying User Experience and Interface Design, I realized our product wasn't speaking the customer's language. We used technical jargon and medical terms that made no sense to a user without a medical background. They weren't sure what they were looking at, or perhaps they didn't want to provide too much information just to book an appointment. Why should anyone have to buy spectacles before an eye examination? I invented a term for that product we developed back in 2014: the "Fancy Blunder."
Different users have different levels of patience. Some people are more suspicious and impatient, while others are more trusting and optimistic. Sometimes, even a small mistake can make a calm user frustrated.
Have you ever told your boss it's a terrible idea?
We made a critical mistake by designing a long, scrolling online form to book an appointment. But that wasn't our only mistake. Following a suggestion from a senior board member, we decided to ask more "friendly" and "personal" questions to lower a patient’s tension. His proposal? A field that asked:
“What is your Dog's name (if any)?”
Seriously? What on earth does a healthcare provider want with my dog's name? This is a perfect example of a well-intentioned idea leading to a frustrating and confusing user experience.
Common Frustrations in Digital Products
1. Long Waits for Human Interaction
I'm sure you've had a similar experience with online chat. I've rarely waited for more than 30-40 seconds until a support agent replied. Often, after a few moments of silence, I'll click on another tab, start exploring something else, and completely forget about the chat I started.
2. When Value Trumps Visuals
While poor interactions drive users away, a product that adds immense value can overcome a lack of visual polish. People appreciate beautiful design, but almost no one leaves a site just because it doesn't look great—as long as it delivers. One of my favorite sites is www.kenrockwell.com. It's decidedly old-school, with prominent hyperlinks, simple black text on a white background, and no flashy promotions. Yet, this site is known globally for trusted camera reviews because it provides immense, no-nonsense value.
3. Unnecessary Cognitive Load
Write a couple of extra lines of code to lower your user's cognitive load. If a user wants to buy a product, don't force them to format the data; put your system to work.
- The system should detect the payment card type (VISA, Mastercard, AMEX) automatically from the number.
- Instead of showing a generic error like "The email address provided is not correct," point out what is wrong.
- A message like "There is some important information missing in the form" is useless. If the information is so important, the design should have made it impossible to miss in the first place.
4. Misleading Notifications
One of my most frustrating experiences came from app notifications—not how they appear, but where they take you. I used to follow the NDTV News app closely. Whenever I tapped on an exciting news notification, it would take me to their homepage, and I could never find the story. I left feedback in their app and on the App Store, but they never replied or improved the experience. After a couple of months of struggle, I finally uninstalled the app.
Conclusion
So, whether it is medical jargon in a healthcare app, or senseless question about a pet's name, or a notification that misslead, the common thread in above examples or say "Fancy Blunders" is a failure to see the product from user's perspecitve. A beautiful design cannot fix broken task completion rate. You will find most successful products are those who speak customer's language, respect their time, reduce cognitive load, and deliver clear value without friction. Once interaction at a time.