Revisiting the PsychUp Checklist

Based on my previous studies I created this psych up checklist. It is for product managers to be able to quickly evaluate what their products are missing in terms of how well the products appeal to the Right brain of their customers/users. At a recent workshop I took, a lot of participants used it and I was able to find checklist items that people slipped on most frequently.

A lot of it may be due to not being able to understand it or not being able to apply it. I'd work to gather more examples and add more actionable steps so that every one can use it.

However, till that time here's the list of most frequently missed biases, and some of my commentaries.

Salience Bias - If there are multiple things seeking user's attention, the one that is most easy to understand or looks familiar is the one user is going to go for first. Hence, making the most useful feature prominent and most simple to use is very important. Your UI needs to drive the users to do what you *want* them to do.

Stereotype - Making it "look" like a winner. This is very common. Making UI look beautiful is considered one of the last things that people want to do for their products. It's ok. But, if you want to scale and you want users to perceive your product as more valuable, it is important to make it look rich.

Risk Aversion Bias - Making users feel more in control. It's again very important to make your users feel in complete control by talking to their fears and concerns. It's like people want autonomous cars, but I am sure they'd pay extra to buy the one which allows manual driving. Nothing in your product should scare your users, or even make them think or be concerned. Make sure they can reset to default settings easily.

Anchoring - Setting the expectations right. This one is difficult to understand and implement. It does require some diffused thinking and making iterative changes. It is specific to consumption and pricing.

Bandwagon effect - Providing social proof (this was a surprise!). I am surprised that people forget putting testimonials or social proof of who their current users are and what they think. It works like a charm if done correctly. Obviously, you'd have to keep it real and make it look as real as possible and it needs to "connect" with your TG.

Decoy effect - Introducing Decoy pricing plans to make the target plan look more profitable. This one is again a less used magical formula. When you add two price plans, add another no brainer high price low value option comparable to your target plan. When it looks more profitable than something, users end to think it is the most profitable. Higher conversions!

If you have had success stories or trouble using any of these do comment and I'd see how I can help you further. And if you haven't taken the Psych Test yet, now is a good time.




If you have reached this far you should totally leave a comment about how you liked it and share this post with others.  

Leveraging User Psychology for Products - Part 2

The Social Psychology checklist for products and PMs - Part 2  

Why this checklist? 

Because we are one of the users of the products we create and since we are human since birth (most of us), we like to think we know humans very well. At least we are confident that we understand ourselves. But the truth is, we don’t. Most of human behaviour is a result of subconscious processes. We are unaware of them. Lot of cognitive studies have revealed facts that startle us about our own behaviour. 

This checklist is not for every one. But, we’d figure out in a bit if this is for you or not. It would makes sense to you if you are looking to evaluate your existing product, or just before the beta release and are working on packaging for a successful launch.

Successful products rely a lot on packaging. It is easy to feel the 'Magic' that they create, but hard to comprehend. You have worked hard on a product and you wouldn't want to miss on the 'magic' part of it. This article talks a little about how PMs can contribute in packaging the product so that it creates the desired magnetism.

Is introduction of product (or promotion) consistent with beliefs (hopes, dreams) of users? [Selective Perception Bias]

Introduce the product with a 'Simple' message that are consistent with what user already believes in, or needs, or wants or aspires to be/do. That's how celebrity endorsements work at the subtle level. If users like the celebrity, they justify product being good and likewise. To use this we need to create messages that don't talk about the product, but about user's belief. E.g. Patanjali’s products

[If you are able to understand the last para, you should definitely checkout the whole list]

Messaging/Promotion
Does the message bring user in right emotional state?
Priming - Again this factor can be used for preparing a message that connect with the users emotionally. To be specific we need to take steps to bring user in the zone, before asking them to purchase. That's Priming. Try to trigger the emotion that would make them purchase a product, if they feel connected they are more likely to buy. The key to prime up the prospect is to understand what hope or fear of the user will motivate them to purchase, and then trigger that specific emotion. Essentially, it also means talking about an emotion or situation before talking about the product/feature.

Does the message clearly convey what users are missing out by not using the product?
Loss aversion: This bias says that Fear of losing is more motivating for people then the thought of what they can gain. Assuming that users need your product, your messaging should amplify that need. Make it an urgent need. As if the world will not be the same if you don't act now. There are many ways to do create a virtual scarcity: limited time offers, limited editions, limited options, messaging as “You will lose X% savings” instead of saying “You can save X%”.

Do you talk like an expert in the field? 
Seer sucker illusion: Research suggests that people believe it when so called 'Experts' have said something relevant. ‘Following a trend’ is almost hardcoded in people, thanks to religions of the world. Using some seer's advice in your messaging can become freaking effective. That's how random certifications and research quoted on toothpaste and washing powders work. That's how "Awarded as best app in xyz" works. 'xyz' is discounted. Also, if we mix it with an Authoritative tone or gesture - it can work wonders. Milgram and Cialdini's experiments suggest that Authority can trump people's belief. Staff picks, Expert says, We recommend, Tripadvisor Ranks… all talk of Authority.

Does it beat user’s natural defence system? 
Focus on zero risk bias - Particularly for purchase related messaging, a zero risk transaction is much easier to do. 100% refund policies, No CC required trials etc. work this way.

How will the product bring the user back?
Zeigarnik Effect: In simple terms it can stated as an itch to complete something that was started. How many of you have received emails from online stores saying 'there are items in your cart'? It would be clever to introduce something that user can start but may not finish. It's a great excuse to connect with them again and it is a great way to be in a customers mind for long. Social Games use this effect very cleverly to continue long engagement with their players. Remember Farmville - "your crop is ready". Using this effect can boost your Retention multiple times over.

Do you solve a recent need/want?
Recency - Clubbing with a recent event (that triggers fear/hopes) makes it more 'wanted'. What should be running in users mind when they look at your product or promotion. This tells us why hand sanitisers sales go up in one country with outbreak of contagious diseases in other countries. This bias should be used to position the product/promotion. A user is most likely to purchase data backup app, when they buy a new phone or lost an older one. The tough part is to identify the user's recent situation/pain point and reach out when they are most likely to purchase it, but it is sometimes easier as compared to identifying when they'd most need it.

Does it make them feel elite?
Velvet rope effect: How often we wished we were on the other side of the red velvet rope at the entrance. A loosely hanging rope is hardly a barrier, but symbols are so effective that it very effectively separates two sections (at clubs, events). Creating an elite club is sure shot way to get in to the mind of the other non-elite masses. It triggers a need for acceptance. High price (iPhone), Invite only (Inbox/One Plus) are some brilliant examples of creating the velvet rope effect. Your product is not for everyone, it cannot be, it should not be. Why then, shouldn't your users be proud about using it? Put them on the other side of velvet rope.

Do they know their friend is also using it?
Bandwagon effect: (get someone in their group to like it): Fortunately in web and mobile software we have social plugins that can show friends from their friend list who have endorsed your product. This is how things go viral. If one person in the group says yes to you, getting the next person is probably half the effort and it reduces down exponentially in converting the next set of adopters after that.

What is your unit of consumption?
Unit Bias - Increase the size of your plates. User studies identified that if people are given larger plates, they tend to eat more. You may want to carefully understand your unit of consumption and play with it to inspire user behaviour. E.g. Recharge - if you keep ready slots of 100, 200, 500 people are more likely to use them, instead of smaller amounts like 10, 50. For Uber the default amount of pre-payment to your PayTM wallet is Rs 300. Most transfers will be for Rs 300. Rs 300 has become the basic unit of transfer. Also, it gives people a sense that a cab ride should cost them up to Rs 300. They’ll even think it is costly if it costs more than Rs300. Interestingly, Ola keeps 500 as their first unit.

Have you optimised your Anchor placement? 
Anchoring Bias - Consciously Set baselines, all negotiation will be around the first offer. People give much undue weight to first thing they notice or the most salient thing. If the cheapest Mc Donald’s burger is Rs 20, most orders will happen around 20 to 100. When the baseline increased from 20 to 50, the orders happen around 50 and 200. You need to carefully place the prices around an Anchor that gives you most optimum volume and margins.

You can actually try out this quiz about your product's readiness- http://bit.ly/uppsyched 

Thoughts? Questions? Please leave your comments. 

Leveraging User Psychology for Products

The Social Psychology checklist for products and PMs
Part 1  

Did you know that most Anti-smoking campaigns work in favour of cigarette companies? It's because Anti-smoking campaigns triggers the urge to smoke. This and many other studies startle us how our subconscious mind leads us to taking decisions that are not strictly logical. 

I was quite intrigued by these facts and the more I studied social psychology, the more I figured how less we know about our own biases and about those of our users. I penned down some notes to understand some common biases better and also how as a Product guy I can leverage some of them to create engaging products. 

You can take this quick test to evaluate how you fair, or read the blog and then continue with the test.    

1. Does it provide instant gratification? 

It is the #1 engaging characteristic you can add to your products. For anything that you asked your user to do, user should be able to perceive a clear and immediate return. E.g. WhatsApp - User sets-up the app and his network is ready. LinkedIn - user enters past organisation/institutes, starts finding very relevant people they know and can add to their network. Quickly gratify a users curiosity and they are hooked.

2. Are the most simple features the most useful? Or Can you make the most useful feature most simple?
Because of 'Salience bias' users will try out the most easily recognizible thing first and base their impression out of that. Many a times your product may have 'n' great features and they all work awesome. But what is it that user is going to try first? Most likey the simplest, most easily gettable feature. That also happens to be the least cared for (poorly implemented/tested) feature. Make sure the simplest feature works best and is highlighted enough to be used first. Make sure the complexity unlocks after purchase, not before that.

3. Does it look like a winner? (Stereotyping Bias) 
If it looks like a duck, it is a duck. People stereotype things. If it looks like a winner, talks like a a winner, it is a winner. Subconsciously users base their decisions on the way things look and feel. That's Stereotyping. If the product looks edgy, even if it works awesome, people may find it hard to make a purchase. Because their first impression was negative, and mind wants to keep first impressions. This is particularly true for products that require users to make 'purchase' decisions without spending lot of trial time with the product. We can use Stereotyping in our favour by aping the tone, finesse, clarity of winning products.

4. Illusion of Control 
Give enough options so that user knows they have complete control over the way product works or behaves. They are seldom going take control in their hands. They are going to use automatic operations most often. But, they'd choose to go automatic only when they know they have an option to un do it. Also, in exceptional case product should be able to help users recognise, diagnose, and recover from errors. Make users feel smart - if there is anything they do not understand, internally they feel less confident and externally end up blaming the system as too complex.

5. Does it stick to conventions
We talk about innovation, and people crave innovation. But they seek innovation in output. They do not want to change their habits. The status-quo bias. The best and most intuitive flow in your favor would be the one that people are used to. User delights comes from the fact that they do the same thing and get different results. However, if the path is unconventional there has to be a much bigger reward. That's what would make user feel like a hero. More about it in Outcome bias.

6. Does End result justify the path taken? 
PMs and designers can use Outcome bias to their favour. If there is a complexity that a user has to go through and there are no work arounds, just make sure that the outcome of it is nothing less than delightful. If the Outcome is clearly great your users will end up justifying the tedious road taken. So, if there is an unavoidable complexity, make sure you reward the user in the end, have them enjoy their moment of joy - or else get ready to be hated.

Pricing:

Is the pricing commensurate to one most important problem being solved? 

It cannot be based on number of features, because of scope insensitivity. It can only be based on one important, most needed feature that solves the most important (however small) problem for the user. Small problem = small price, Big problem = big price. Rest of the features are simply discounted. 

Did you take this quick test?
Thoughts? Questions?