Take the website revision of the simple book as an example to talk about how to complete friendly iteration of the product

The author takes the revision of the simple book website as an example, briefly analyzes some common problems in the product revision, as well as some points that need attention, and shares with you, I hope you can be inspired.

A new version of the website has been released, which is very changed and has received a lot of bad reviews (three seconds of heartache for the product and design team). Like most users, I think this version of the change was not a success. But my focus today is not to attack the new edition, but to discuss some issues from the release of the new edition:

1. Which is more important, keeping features or following trends?

2, respect user habits and improve the experience which is important?

3, how to release a big version, so that users smooth transition?

4. How to deal with negative user feedback?

5. Discuss this version on a case-by-case basis.

1. Which is more important, retaining features or improving user experience?

The website of the book has always maintained a simple and warm style, left, middle and right three-stage navigation structure. This navigational structure sets short books apart from other writing and reading products (although it is the same as note-taking products, but the Web rarely uses this navigational structure).

This inconsistency with other products has become one of the characteristics of simple books in the minds of simple book users.

The new version of the simple book home page from left to right three-stage layout, left navigation, into the top navigation of most reading products.

(The top navigation is very similar: logo+ search + main navigation + personal avatar + core action button)

The top navigation method has advantages, such as occupying less location, more obvious, in line with the user's operating habits and so on.

So the question comes, choosing A(left navigation) is the product feature but not the optimal option, while choosing B (top navigation) is in line with the user's habits but loses the product feature, how to make a choice?

My personal opinion is to look at the stage and type of product.

If the product is in the initial stage or the intermediate stage, facing the competition of many competing products, then at this time to retain product characteristics, make appropriate distinctions with competitive products, and establish brand characteristics is more important.

If the product is a niche product in a vertical market, and using the product is a way for users to advertise their taste, then it is more important to preserve the characteristics of the product, even if the product is difficult to use.

2. Which is more important, retaining existing user habits or improving user experience?

The answer, no doubt, is to improve the user experience.

It's like forcing a right-handed man to write with his left hand, and then he learns to write with his left hand. Finally, one day, you realize your mistake, and you are confused and ask yourself: Should you let him change back?

The answer is: Make him change.

If he changes back, he will be scolded, but if he does not change, he will meet other people who will allow him to write with his right hand, and he will find that he can write with his right hand quickly and well, and he will eventually give you up and go to someone else.

The same goes for users. In this case, the negative feedback is only temporary, while the improved user experience is beneficial in the long run.

3. How to release a big version gently?

A product goes along, always send a big version, this big version may be changed all the UI, may be changed the navigation structure. In short, it is a change that will make people feel fresh or confused.

Looking back, the big versions of most products (including Alipay, mobile QQ, etc.) will receive a lot of negative feedback.

The big version is definitely going to be issued, and the bad comments are definitely not wanted, how to do?

Ideally, small iterations, grayscale releases.

The first is to split a big version into several small versions, first launch a part of the function/page to trial and error, listen to user feedback, if the user's resistance is fierce, then even if not back, the cost of direction adjustment will not be too high.

The second is the grayscale release, A/B Test, so that a small number of users use the new version, both to listen to user feedback, but also as a small range of internal testing.

The problem with this revision is that it suddenly launches a new version that is immature, heavily changed, and does not listen to user suggestions. If it is a little bit of change, gradually transition, I think the user's evaluation will be much better.

4. How to deal with negative user feedback?

Whoever talks about this issue is probably just talking on paper. We revised the question to, how do we deal with the massive amount of negative user feedback?

Just these two days NetEase's mobile game onmyoshi made a major Bug, although in the eyes of a product dog, such a Bug is inevitable... but for users is not the case, a large number of users flocked to AppStore to play a star game, and KOL also led a campaign against NetEase on Weibo.

In this case, it is an important Bug in games, but by no means uncommon. Only this time has been amplified, the mass anger, and even many media have issued a follow-up.

Onmyoji official response has such a few problems, one is late, before the matter has not fermented, the official did not give a sincere apology and firm punishment of the player announcement, the second is not to guide public opinion, allowing KOL to spread negative remarks.

Seems a little off topic.

How to deal with negative user feedback?

Sincere and fast.

5. Discuss this version on a case-by-case basis

　　

A made some good decisions, but didn't execute them well

The new version of the home page added a lot of entry: operating advertising space, list entry, special entry, recommended author entry. At the same time, the article on the home page has been changed from the original title, author, and number of reads to a richer presentation form, including the introduction of the article, the subject and so on.

The addition of multiple entries can make it easier to hit the user's preferences on the home page. At the same time, the home page also recommends high-quality authors, so that the author has more opportunities to reveal, and can also promote the establishment of a "concern" connection between users.

As far as the content added is concerned, it is good for the product, but there is a problem in the presentation - unimportant content (content of limited value to the user) takes up a very large part of the space, such as the home page Banner and the list entry.

In addition, the hit rate of recommended authors is so low that I have no incentive to follow this user without knowing what value he can provide me.

B lost its original character

As I said before, top navigation is a proven way to interact, but left navigation is a unique feature of the book.

C UI processing is very rough, reduce the reading experience

Although there are different opinions on this, but the new version of the simple book to me is really like a rough version of the Zhihu, although the structure has been optimized, but the details failed to deal with, lost the original concise and clear, the page interference elements are too much, but also very unfavorable to reading.

Author: Zhang Xiaosier, public number: Zhang Xiaosier's product notes, and I continue to explore the product on the road of no return.

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