Users are Birds
They're Pecky [heh]
They like seeds and you only have about 5 seconds to convince them to like you.
So I’ve been deep into user research and feedback for the past month for my startup VF Protocol.
And honestly this startup stuff is hard…but once again I’ve come to accept the fact that it’s not that complicated.
It’s humbling, but not rocket science [unless, of course, it actually is].
Anyways, here’s the emphatically not groundbreaking, but hopefully concept reinforcing content you’re looking for:
Users are Birds.
So birds basically fly around and eat seeds (or berries or bread or trash or whatever).
They mostly try to do things that get them more seeds (to feel good)
They mostly avoid things that get them less seeds like dying (which feels bad)
And if a bird lands nearby, you basically have like 5 seconds before they move on to the next thing that might get them more seeds somewhere else.
Users are like that… like exactly like that.
They mostly like to do a few big things like eat, sleep, procreate, play games, seek fulfillment, etc (to feel good)
They mostly like to avoid things like pain, hunger, dying, rejection, emotional vulnerability, etc (which feel bad)
Now people are slightly unique in that they do a lot of other things like have jobs and socialize in order to facilitate the big things, but it’s basically the same thing with extra steps.
And!
In the Year of Our Information Superhighway T+25, we’ve now trained everyone exceedingly well to thin-slice everything into A. “Feels Good” or B. “Feels Bad” pretty instantaneously.
And since our startup things have to compete with ALL of the other things that already clearly provide Value Prop A, we’re in a tough spot.
But!
If we remember Users are Birds we can really focus on how we’re going give them that sweet, sweet Value Prop A (seeds).
So!
If you can't distill your value like you would for a bird (Bird want seed), your value prop is probably too complex.
You only have 5 seconds. Less really. People bounce off websites in about 3 seconds of page load time pretty consistently.
Now.
Let’s be real.
Birds are obviously more complex than this [here’s a peak into how interesting birds actually are if you don’t believe me] and people (usually) are even more so, but for most of the interactions you’re going to have with birds most of the time it’s probably good enough to assume that any given bird in any given situation is basically trying to get some seeds and most of their activity is oriented around pursuing that goal [which is seeds].
You can assume the same for Users [who, if you forgot, are Birds]
Godspeed, anon.
I hope this added value to your day.
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