Do Users Dream of New Features?

I think most of the readers of this post is aware the movie “Blade Runner”, the movie adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s iconic novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” — if not, please spare sometime after reading this post for the movie and/or the novel — . In the movie, the central theme resolves around the complex desires of the replicants, which are androids that are physically indistinguishable from a human being. At first glance, we can think that those synthetic beings are looking for a way of existence; but when we look between the lines, we can understand they actually desire: purpose, identity and autonomy.

I believe as product people, we often find ourselves facing a similar situation, search for something deeper than what appears on the surface. This makes us to ask: What do the users actually look for? Do users dream of new, fancy features? Or are they seeking solutions that address their deeper needs, problems and desires?

Call of the Features

As product people, we are already familiar with the siren song of features. Shiny new capabilities, delightful animations, cutting-edge tech integrations often hold undeniable appeal, both for us and our users. We have all been there, dazzled by a beautiful UI redesign or fascinated by a clever new feature, thinking “This is what our users want!” And sometimes, that is 100% true. Sometimes the story ends with features that provide authentic joy and tangible value.

But therein lies the risk of falling into the trap of believing that users crave new features. After all, who doesn’t love a shiny new button or a clever AI based integration? But if we dig deeper, we often find that users are less interested in the features themselves and more concerned with how these features solve their underlying problems or fulfill their desires.

Take Instagram, for example. When it introduced “Stories”, it was not just adding a new feature; it was solving a problem. Users wanted a way to share moments more spontaneously and temporarily, without the pressure of creating a permanent post. This feature fulfilled the need for temporary and casual sharing. Instagram didn’t just add a feature — they addressed a user desire.

Here Comes JTBD

Although I am not a big fan of frameworks, I believe this is where the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework becomes invaluable. Developed by Clayton Christensen, JTBD shifts the focus from what users are asking for to understanding what they are truly trying to achieve.

JTBD encourages us to ask a very basic question: “What job is the user hiring this product to do?” This reframing helps product teams look beyond the surface level of feature requests and delve into the core motivations of users.

For example, consider a newly-single person using a dating app. They are not necessarily there for cutting-edge AI matchmaking or video call integrations — they are seeking companionship. Or think about users requesting more storage on a cloud service. The JTBD approach would have us ask “why”. Is it because they are dealing with larger files, or do they need better tools for organizing their data? The job they are hiring the cloud service to do might be less about storage and more about peace of mind and efficiency in managing their digital lives.

Shifting the Focus from Features to Jobs

As product people, our role is not just to deliver what users ask for, but to understand and anticipate their needs. It is about digging deeper — looking beyond the feature requests and identifying the real problems users are trying to solve.

A practical approach using JTBD could involve user interviews that go beyond surface-level inquiries. In this manner, I really like Ed Biden’s template which offers a structured approach that I find highly effective, focusing on the following core components:

• Use case → what is the customer trying to do?
• Alternatives → how else could the customer do that?
• Progress → where does the customer get stuck?
• Value Proposition → what is special about your solution?
• Price → what will a customer pay for your solution?

By focusing on the job users are trying to get done, we can align our products with their real-world needs. This approach ensures that we are not just adding features for the sake of it, but are delivering meaningful solutions that resonate with our users.

The Dream of Problem Solving

To be clear, I am not dismissing the importance of novel, delightful features. Those are essential components of world-class solutions, providing the welcome spark that keeps users engaged and evangelizing.

My point is that we must be wise architects, ensuring our feature work is grounded in a solid understanding of real human needs and motivations. We should absolutely invest in creating great features — but only after ensuring those features serve the deeper job the user is trying to get done.

So what do users truly dream of? I would argue that at our core, we want solutions that elevate and enrich our lives in authentic and visceral ways.

The runaway success of products like Uber and Lyft illustrates this well. Their key innovation wasn’t a first-of-its-kind feature like mobile hailing (taxis already had that covered!). It was reframing urban transportation as an elegant, on-demand solution to the perpetual job of getting from A to B.

Airbnb, for all its wonderful features and delightful marketing, ultimately solves the very human job of finding belonging — creating localized, hosted hospitality experiences that hotels struggle to match. By nailing the core job before accruing additional functionalities, Airbnb tapped into a deep-seated dream.

Time to Dream

This is the charge for product people — to nurture visions grounded in fundamental human needs, to deeply empathize with the jobs users want to get done. Only by understanding these core drivers can we adorn our solutions with delightful features that integrate seamlessly into the experience, elevating the user’s dream rather than obscuring it.

In the end, users do not just dream of new features — they dream of solutions that truly make their lives better. As product people, it is our responsibility to ensure we are building products that fulfill these deeper, more meaningful needs, problems and desires.