Let me tell you a story about a time I failed a project. 

I was in grad school and assigned to create a public installation to see if people would interact with it. I set up a table in a busy park with a sign asking people to write down a secret and anonymously drop it in a box. Well we all know what it’s like to be in a rush and have some stranger try to stop you to pitch a cause. Surprise, surprise, no one stopped. But I didn’t give up, I iterated. 

I decided to try to enticing users to approach the table first. It was a scorching summer day. People were sweating and cursing the heat. I again set up a table in the same spot, but this time I put out a huge pitcher, cups and a large sign that said “Free lemonade for one secret”. By the end I had to turn people away because I’d run out of lemonade. But even then some late adaptors put some secrets in the box while I was packing up. 

This was the moment I realized no project can be successful without user empathy. Customizing the experience for them, even in a small way, makes people want to participate. This is the same mind set I take to all the digital products I’ve worked on: prioritizing the user while staying aligned with project goals.