The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Design
Start with the Customer Experience First and Work Backwards From There
In the midst of creating digital platforms, websites, or services, it's easy to get caught up in the technology, the aesthetics, or the features. At the core of every successful venture is the customer. Their experience dictates your success. Listen to Steve Jobs explain why that’s important:
Empathy Mapping
Place yourself in the shoes of your customers. Understand their needs, pain points, and emotions at various touchpoints.
The Customer Experience
This is the sum of all interactions a customer has with your brand, from landing on your homepage to post-purchase support. It's how they feel, what they think, and what they remember.
Your Northstar
Starting with the customer experience isn't just a strategy; it's a mindset shift. By placing the customer at the heart of all decisions, you set up your venture for success that is rooted in genuine satisfaction and loyalty. When customers are happy, growth isn't just possible, it's inevitable. As a final point that is probably the most important in this entire guide, speak with your customers often: it seems so obvious, yet very few people do it.
Design Resources For You
There are a lot of great resources out there to get you started. Many of them are free: here are some resources that can help you create better customer experiences.
The 7 Design Principles
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Design Great CTAs
Design CTAs that convert.
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Design Effective Typography
Get tangible tips for improving your product’s typography.
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Use Color with Intent
Color can help introduce your brand, show your personality, and help with conversions.
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Make Navigation Intuitive
Make it easy for your customers to find what they are looking for.
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Create Pixel-Perfect Layouts
Build layouts that not only look great but work better for your users.
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Make the Most of Social Proof
Word of mouth is everything: leverage it.
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Start with the customer experience first, and work backwards from there
Set your customer experience as your Northstar.