Last week we've released a new mobile app for our business users (we have a SaaS-enabled Marketplace, so we have apps for those businesses' customers as well). There were no advertisements, no marketing, no previews. We were polishing it quietly, alpha & beta testing it, getting some early feedback in an F&F (friends & family) pilot.
And then we've finally released it.
Not like we've been super-discreet that we did, we may have hinted it to few people ;P ... so the news spread like fire (our users are not only smart, but also form communities - surprised? there's a whole story behind that - I'll tell you one day ...) and ...
... we've been hit with a tsunami of feedback. The user interest has absolutely exceeded the expectations, people were using the new features & featurettes, commenting on how they impact their work, makes things easier, faster or just ... different.
100% of Product Development team (designers, POs, analysts, developers, testers, ...) were following all the feedback with bated breath and flushed faces. I could swear they've stopped blinking, afraid that they may omit some comment :)
Frankly, the overall reception was nothing less than stellar (which has instantaneously boosted team's morale to stratosphere & beyond - and WELL DESERVED!), but that's actually not the point (of this post). When reading through all the comments & observations I've switched mode to self-reflecting one, trying to get through my memories & remind myself:
How many times (during my whole career) did I have an opportunity to get direct users' feedback ...
... of users who really CARED about what we've cooked for them ...
... of users who THANKED for something that had HELPED them or had MADE their life/work easier or better.
Well, hmm, yeah ...
You know, I'm not really a greenhorn kind of guy anymore. I build software for money since 2001 - for many industries, in companies of very varying sizes, in teams big or small, using insane spectrum of technologies, on 3 continents (4th was veeery close ...). But ...
... I can recall only few situations like that. When I felt an actual pride which was NOT about technical expertise, "clean" solution, on-time delivery, 100%-fulfilled contract, executing "enterprise digital strategy" ;P, but ... truly and undoubtedly helping people. Making the world a better place (just a tiny bit) for someone.
Feels good.
You should try it as well (if you haven't yet).
