Do I need to think about user needs if my users have to use my service?

I hear a variation of this on an almost weekly basis.

There are many issues our organisation might have with ‘user needs’ ( from making assumptions about what they are, to becoming so disconnected from our users that we don't even know who they are). A major cause of conflict around user needs is the idea that we don't have to think about what our users need from our service because our users have to use our service.

This shows up a lot in the public service with services that are mandatory like tax or legal enforcement but shows up equally for internal staff services where members of staff ‘have’ to use a service. Often it isn't an outright belief that user needs aren't important, but that they’re less important because that person does not have a choice in using the service.

So how do we deal with this?

User needs ≠ user wants

Just because your user doesn't want to use your service, it doesn't mean they don't need to. And when they do, that service will need to work for that user in order to help them reach the outcome they’re supposed to reach.  A person who has to pay tax needs to understand how much tax they owe and be able to pay it. An employee needs to be able work quickly and effectively without a pile of administrative hurdles. Just because someone doesn't want to use the service (or has to) doesn't negate the fact that they have needs when they do.

If your user doesn't want to use your service it needs to be even easier to do so

In situations where a user is either actively avoiding interacting with the service, reluctant to do so or simply not strongly motivated. Their level of tolerance for blockers, attention span for detail, energy for engagement will be much lower. In some scenarios this means your user will not use your service, in others, they will do so in a way that is less effective or generates more cost.

The harder our service is to use, the more time and money we spend on enforcement

Most mandatory services are made of two halves, one where we try to make sure someone does the right thing, and another where we mop up the consequences when they don't. Paying tax and tax investigation for example, or staff holiday request and staff disciplinary process.

The connection between the desired service and the one that picks up the pieces is sometimes not obvious, but where a service that is mandatory isn't easy to use, you will find a larger number of people who are subject to fines, sanctions, penalties or other actions that we put in place to dissuade people from doing the wrong thing. 

Have you experienced situations where your organisation is resistant to thinking about the needs of users who have to do something? What did you do that worked?

If you’re curious about how to influence an organisaiton to buy into being more user centred, you might want to check out our service design leadership course