This is a follow up to my Sales = Support post about how the delivery and consumption of web-based products is changing the way we need to think about aligning around the end-user.

Like many of my blog posts, this was inspired by a conversation (an email exchange in this case) about whether to focus on adding features or focus on the user experience given limited resources.

I had been meaning to write this for some time so decided to post here what I shared with a friend:

Do one thing and make it really simple (to start).  There are always features to add and complexity to consider but people use products and unless they have to use it (do x to get paid/keep your job, etc.) they choose to use products based on value delivered.  

I definitely believe that product = experience in an on-demand world.  You want people to find, try, use and love your thing with limited to no involvement on your part.  This makes it all about experience. You get involved when they have a question or observation:  sales = support.  The product = experience blog post is coming soon:)

That said, if you are not quite to the point where the one thing you are doing really well doesn't solve someone's problem yet, then focus on that.

Consider a product like Dropbox.  They get a lot of buzz but one of the things that stands out to me is not their fame but how dead simple the product is to use and works itself into my existing knowledge. I didn't have to learn how to use it, it works like a file finder/manager – looks the same, even integrated into that view.  

They are not the first (or last) company to do cloud-based file backup but they made it work for me with limited brain cycles to learn it.  Most people are not curious enough to figure it out so the focus has to be on quick time to value.