As a Product Manager, creating products that resonate with users requires much more than technical expertise. It’s about understanding human behavior, cultural context, and future needs while balancing innovation with functionality. Design thinking—whether applied to physical or digital products—provides a rich foundation for developing meaningful, user-centered experiences. Below are some key principles I use to guide the product development process in my work as I inspire from much loved global products, ensuring they align with vision, users’ needs and business needs.
Start with the Experience
Every great product begins with a clear vision of the experience you want to deliver. The first step in development should be defining what kind of emotional and practical journey the user will have.
In product development, this approach is fundamental. Consider companies like Airbnb, which focuses on how guests feel when they book a stay. Their product isn’t just about renting a room—it’s about delivering a sense of belonging and adventure. Starting with the desired experience allows product teams to craft features and interfaces that align with emotional and practical user needs.
When designing new cottages for Hupin in Inle Lake, the initial question wasn’t about materials or layout—it was about the experience. We wanted guests to feel connected to the natural beauty of the lake, with large windows framing scenic views, and the building designed to integrate local construction techniques. The outcome was a space that reflected the essence of the region while still providing modern comforts. At Hupin, we integrated digital tools to enhance customer experience even before they arrived on-site. Our redesigned website offered easy, direct bookings, intuitive navigation, and immersive visuals that reflected the serene environment of Inle Lake. This digital engagement echoed the physical experience of tranquility and connection to nature, setting the tone for guests’ stays long before they stepped foot in their cottages.
Balance Familiarity with Innovation
Users often need a sense of familiarity when interacting with new products, but innovation is what pushes the product forward. The key is striking the right balance between these two elements.
For product development, this principle ensures that users feel comfortable while being introduced to new features. For instance, Instagram’s continuous updates over the years have introduced new capabilities—like Stories and Reels—while maintaining the familiar photo-sharing interface users love. This balance helps products grow and evolve without alienating the core user base.
For Hupin cottages at Inle Lake, we honored local building traditions by using ancient stilt construction methods that are common in the area. But we introduced modern materials and contemporary features like skylights to enhance energy efficiency and guest comfort. This allowed us to stay true to the region’s architectural heritage while innovating to meet modern sustainability and design standards. Similarly, on the digital front, we redesigned the resort's website to reflect this balance. While maintaining a familiar and user-friendly booking experience, we incorporated new product feature pages and seamless mobile integration. This blend of tradition and innovation ensured that users had both a sense of the familiar and something fresh and exciting, creating a cohesive experience across both digital and physical touchpoints.
Design for Context
Successful products are those that are built with an understanding of their environment—whether that environment is physical, cultural, or digital. Designing for context allows products to adapt to the user's specific circumstances and surroundings.
In product development, context is just as important. Uber, for example, designs features specifically for different regions. In places with less access to credit cards, the app allows for cash payments, acknowledging the financial environment of its users. Building with context in mind ensures the product works seamlessly in its intended environment.
When working on Wyne Hotel design, we carefully positioned the building's windows to frame views of the Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon’s prominent landmark while also considering how sunlight would enter the building, reducing the reliance on artificial cooling systems. This contextual approach not only honored the cultural significance of the landscape but also created a more energy-efficient design. Digitally, this principle translated to how we designed the hotel’s website. We highlighted these unique architectural features with interactive images, allowing potential guests to feel the connection to the landscape even before their stay. By blending cultural significance with functional innovation, we created a cohesive experience that extended from the physical space of the hotel to the digital journey users embarked on while booking their stay.
Iterate Based on Feedback
The best products evolve over time, shaped by continuous feedback from users. Iteration and refinement should be built into the development process from the start.
In product design, iteration is a constant process. Facebook, for example, frequently tests new features with small groups before rolling them out globally. Feedback is integrated into the product roadmap, allowing the platform to evolve in ways that meet users’ changing needs. Iterative design is critical for staying relevant and ensuring that products meet real-world demands.
When designing the cottages in Inle Lake, we adopted a similar approach. Initial designs were tested, and, through user feedback, we made key adjustments, such as repositioning windows to improve both privacy and natural lighting. These refinements, though seemingly small, made a significant difference in enhancing the overall guest experience. Digitally, we applied this iterative mindset to the resort’s website. User feedback helped us optimize the booking process and enhance the visual representation of the cottages. This constant iteration—both in physical design and online experience—ensured that we met real-world demands, providing an experience that was both functional and enjoyable, from booking to stay.
Plan for Scalability
Good products are designed not just for today’s needs, but for the demands of the future. Scalability ensures that as user bases grow or needs change, the product can grow and adapt.
In software development, this same principle applies. Platforms like AWS (Amazon Web Services) were built to be scalable, so that as businesses grow, they don’t outgrow the tools that support them. Designing with scalability in mind ensures a product’s longevity and flexibility in an ever-changing market.
When we added a new wing to the resort at Inle Lake, we applied the same forward-thinking approach. The construction was carefully planned to allow for future expansions, upgrades, and even potential sustainability innovations. By ensuring that the original masterplan could accommodate these future changes without compromise, we created a flexible framework that met current needs while leaving room for growth. Digitally, we mirrored this scalability in the resort's online booking system. We designed it to handle different types of clientele, ensuring that as the resort's popularity grew, its digital tools could scale seamlessly alongside it. This dual approach of thinking ahead—both physically and digitally—ensured that the resort could adapt to future demands.
Foster Collaboration and Craftsmanship
Collaboration is the backbone of any successful product, bringing together diverse perspectives to create something greater than the sum of its parts. It’s through this synergy that products become well-rounded, polished, and capable of delivering exceptional user experiences.
In product development, cross-functional collaboration is crucial. Take Apple’s original iPhone team, where engineers, designers, marketers, and developers worked side by side, each contributing their unique expertise. This multidisciplinary collaboration allowed Apple to deliver a product that not only functioned seamlessly but also set new standards for design and user experience.
In my experience in developing hospitality products, collaboration with local craftspeople was essential to achieving an authentic yet innovative final product. Their intimate knowledge of traditional building techniques and materials enabled us to design structures that stayed true to the region’s heritage while introducing modern enhancements. This approach mirrors how I work across digital products as well, integrating user experience designers, developers, and data analysts to shape platforms that feel intuitive and culturally relevant. For instance, in developing Wyne Hotel’s booking platform, close collaboration between the UI/UX design team and local operations teams ensured the digital experience was aligned with both guest needs and on-the-ground hotel management. Seamless integration of expertise is what elevates a project from good to great, creating something that resonates deeply with its users.
As a product manager with extensive design experience, I nurture design thinking in organizations to offer powerful tools and insights that apply to all forms of product development. Whether you’re creating physical spaces or digital platforms, the principles of understanding the user, designing for context, balancing tradition and innovation, and fostering collaboration will guide you toward building products that resonate with people. By focusing on the experience, iterating with feedback, and planning for the future, you can create products that stand the test of time and truly make a difference in the lives of your users.
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