"Empower your users" & "emotional value" defined.

Written by on Oct 27 2010

What does “you must empower your users” and “give them emotional value” actually mean?

“Empowering your user” is the “ah-ha moment” when a user realizes how to inject your app into their current workflow or the moment they understand the “new and improved” workflow you’re selling them. Kathy Sierra says “Make your users feel like they’re kicking ass.”

  • I signed up for KissMetrics, but I want to know how to use their product to the fullest potential. I want a better workflow.
  • LessProjects is development methodology agnostic, so users want to know how to take the app and inject it into their current existing workflow.

“Emotional value” is when a user realizes they’re getting one of the following benefits from using your application.

  • Saving stress by using a better workflow. Basecamp, GitHub, TenderApp do this.
  • Saving stress by creating a workflow that matches what they already do or wish they could do. LessAccounting.com does this by getting rid of all the accounting crap that small business owners don’t need.
  • Saving money, this can be apart of “saving stress”. Or your app might just be a cheaper alternative to something they already use.
  • Making your users feel like they’re a part of something special/unique. Dribbble.com does this by making their users feel cooler for being apart of their “club”. Some people try to accomplish this with signup applications and invite access only.
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Allan

Hi I'm Allan,

I wrote the article you're reading... I'm one of the co-founders of LessEverything. I love my family more than breathing and I love creating videos about our family adventures.

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