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Draining My Cognitive Resources

July 29, 2013 By Chase Clemons Leave a Comment

From Kathy Sierra:

If your app is confusing and your tech support / FAQ isn’t helpful, you’re drawing down my scarce, precious, cognitive resources. If your app behaves counter-intuitively – even just once – I’ll leak cog resources every time I use it, forever, wondering, “wait, did that do what I expected?”. Or let’s say your app is super easy to use, but designed and tuned for persuasive brain hacks (“nudges”, gamification, behavioral tricks, etc.) to keep me “engaged” for your benefit, not mine (lookin’ at you, Zynga)… you’ve still drained my cognitive resources.

First, go read the whole thing. It’s that important. And make sure to check out her pony photos.

Now, specifically to support teams – you’ll have some input into how your company’s product works. Your job should be to minimize confusion inside the app. Then, make sure your help site is as clear and concise as possible. Your help articles are there to help the customer, not just make them more confused.

On to the company as a whole –

What you consume here, you take from there. Not just their attention, not just their time, but their ability to be the person they are when they are at their best.

Your product should help customers be more awesome. It should give to them rather than take from them. She uses the deathbed analogy but I think it’s apt here. On their deathbed, your customers won’t be wishing they used your product more.

Seriously, go read the whole thing if you didn’t earlier. Kathy’s writing always makes me think more about what I’m doing.

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