The initial design using the keyboard to navigate between new emails was unpredictable and inconsistent, leading to a realization that the problem was not the keyboard but the difficulty in moving through new emails efficiently.
The team realized that the core problem was not keyboard navigation but the need to power through new emails in a linear fashion, leading to the creation of a feature that stacks emails open on a single screen for easier management.
Jason Fried's involvement allowed for a pivot from the initial solution to a better one, as he questioned the premise and opened up the problem space, enabling the team to find a more effective solution within the existing appetite.
The challenge was the unpredictability and inconsistency of keyboard navigation across different email contexts, which made the feature feel unreliable and not user-friendly.
The team had enough time left in the cycle to revamp the feature after identifying the core problem, and they leveraged existing components like 'Read Together' to create a new solution that fit within the original appetite.
Creativity emerged when the team hit a roadblock with the initial implementation, forcing them to rethink the problem and come up with a novel solution that combined existing features in a new way.
The feature allowed users to handle multiple new emails in one go, making it easier to power through them and keep the inbox clean, with a design that encouraged short, efficient replies.
Before introducing a new product feature, it’s essential to first understand the problem you're trying to fix. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast, 37signals’ co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share a recent experience designing a new feature in HEY. During the process, the team pivoted and changed direction, resulting in a better design.
Key Takeaways:
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