You ≠ user... but maybe you should be
May 2025
A key principle in user experience and product design is that you are not the user. The idea is that you need to listen to those who use your product, not just rely on your own assumptions.
Recently, I became the treasurer of the local scout group. The Scouts use Xero to run their accounts and send out invoices for club subscriptions. For the first time, I had to use the accounting product I work on each day with a clear goal in mind. I was now a user. It instantly showed me some of the features I had assumed were there. Some things were hard to find. I should know this software really well, but like a first-time user, I got confused, had to look up support documentation, and Googled for community help.
My point here is that maybe more of us should be the user. Find a way to use your product like a user. Volunteer somewhere. Become the treasurer. Use the product to achieve an organisations objectives. While this presents its own bias and doesn't replace direct user feedback, it's far more insightful and leads to greater empathy than only having a maker's understanding of your product.