While theories like Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) are great for identifying that products have emotional "jobs," they often lack a practical "how-to." The Delight Framework acts as an operational layer, providing tools like the Delight Grid and checklists to systematically implement and validate emotional features.
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Delight isn't just for consumers. Technical B2B companies embed emotional goals into their product values. For instance, Snowflake aims to make users feel like a "superhero," highlighting the B2H (Business-to-Human) principle: end users, even in enterprise settings, have emotional needs.
Building delightful products isn't guesswork. A four-step process involves: 1) identifying functional and emotional user motivators, 2) turning them into opportunities, 3) ideating solutions and classifying them, and 4) validating them against a checklist for things like inclusivity and business impact.
The Delight Grid plots features on functional and emotional axes, creating three categories: Low Delight (functional only), Surface Delight (emotional only), and Deep Delight (both). This model helps teams visualize and balance their product roadmap intentionally.
True differentiation comes from "deep delight," where emotional needs are addressed within the core functional solution. This is distinct from "surface delight" like animations or confetti, which are nice but fail to build the strong emotional connections that drive loyalty.
Robbie Stein's product-building framework focuses on three pillars: 1) Go deep on user motivation (Jobs To Be Done). 2) Use data to dissect problems with rigor. 3) Prioritize clear, intuitive design over novel but confusing interfaces. Humility is the foundation for all three.
Allocate 50% of your roadmap to core functionality ('low delight'), 40% to features blending function and emotion ('deep delight'), and 10% to purely joyful features ('surface delight'). This model ensures you deliver core value while strategically investing in a superior user experience.
An optimal product roadmap isn't 100% emotional features. It should be a mix: 50% "Low Delight" (core functionality), 40% "Deep Delight" (functional and emotional), and 10% "Surface Delight" (purely emotional). This framework ensures a stable, useful, and lovable product.
Shift the definition of "done" from "code checked in" to "logged in as the user and verified the feature works as intended." This simple directive forces engineers to engage with the product from a user's perspective, fostering ownership and higher quality work.
Delight goes beyond surface-level features. It's about creating products that solve practical problems while also addressing users' emotional states, like reducing stress or creating joy. This is achieved by removing friction, anticipating needs, and exceeding expectations.
To build a successful product, prioritize roadmap capacity using the "50/40/10" rule: 50% for "low delight" (essential functionality), 40% for "deep delight" (blending function and emotion), and only 10% for "surface delight" (aesthetic touches). This structure ensures a solid base while strategically investing in differentiation.