ARTICLE SUMMARY: You’ve heard the old saying, “the customer is always right”. While in some instances that may be true, let’s face it, you probably have a fair amount of customers that are not really sure what they want or what they really need.
While listening to customers is crucial in design, there are situations where designers might need to exercise their expertise and not always follow the customers suggestions.
“When You Should Not Listen to Your Customers” by Maret Kruve provides valuable guidance for designers navigating the delicate balance between customer feedback and professional expertise. She delves into
- Expressed needs
- Unexpressed needs
- Unrecognised needs
Most customers have a an idea of what they want and need. As problem solvers we need to go deeper and find out what are the customer’s desires that are so deeply rooted in the subconscious that people are not aware of their degree of influence, such as the need for social validation or the preference for familiar experiences.
Designers should approach customer feedback with an open mind, but they also need to balance it with their expertise, knowledge of best practices, and consideration of broader design principles.
The goal is to create a design that not only meets the clients needs but also aligns with design standards, brand identity, and ethical considerations.
This is a great article for old and new designers alike.
Let us know what you think in the comments.
