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About this quote

What does it mean?
Users focus on functionality and results rather than internal technical details. The value lies in what the system achieves for them.
In plain terms
Users care about results, not the internal workings of a system.
What can you take from it?
Focus on outcomes rather than internal implementation for users.

Where it applies

  • product marketing
  • system design
  • customer support

Putting it to work

  • hide complexity
  • clear feature communication
  • solve user problems

Questions to consider

  • What matters most to your users?
  • How much tech do they need to know?

Another view

Some users need transparency for security or customization reasons.

More from Jef Raskin

  1. Once the product's task is known, design the interface first; then implement to the interface design.

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  2. As far as the customer is concerned, the interface is the product.

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  3. I am only a footnote, but proud of the footnote I have become. My subsequent work - on eliciting principles and developing the theory of interface design, so t…

    Permalink to quote #4

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