Beyond Usability

Cagan argues that the product design field should expand its focus well beyond usability. Usability still matters and can differentiate products, especially in enterprise software, but the harder question is whether users want to use a product at all and whether it solves the right problems. He contends that for consumer products every user is effectively a buyer who must first choose to adopt the product, and that the right tasks matter more than task completion. He also stresses that visual design shapes emotional response, trust, and willingness to engage, so prototype tests should include high-fidelity visuals. The practical implication is that UX should sit at the heart of product discovery, which asks whether a product is usable, valuable, and feasible.

01Key takeaways

• Stop framing research as only usability testing; test whether the product and its tasks are worth doing at all.
• For consumer products, treat every user as a buyer who must first choose to adopt the product.
• Usability can differentiate products, but it is usually the easier problem compared with desire to use.
• Include visual design in prototype tests, since it strongly shapes trust, emotion, and engagement.
• Position UX as central to product discovery, measuring usable, valuable, and feasible outcomes.
• Use language executives understand so the broader value of design is visible to them.

02Key sections

Rethinking the scope of UX

The author argues that User Experience is far more than usability, and that even practitioners who know this may undermine their case through their language and habits. Terms like "usability tests" and a focus on task completion keep the discipline narrow.

Wanting to use it comes first

Usability is still important and a source of differentiation, but whether users want to adopt the product is the harder question. Designers should not assume adoption is someone else's job.

Testing for value, not just usability

Prototype testing should assess whether the product is valuable and whether the tasks are the right ones, not just whether users can complete tasks. Products often succeed despite poor usability when the reward is large enough.

The emotional power of visual design

Visual design influences trust, fear, willingness to share information, and enjoyment, so it should not be dismissed as mere look and feel. High-fidelity prototypes that include visuals capture this effect.

Positioning UX within discovery

The author recommends placing UX at the heart of product discovery, with the goal of finding products that are usable, valuable, and feasible, and framing the work in those terms for executives.

03From the post

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Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.