Hey there Croners! Here’s a brand new column covering SaaS Products, and more specifically, how to build a product that people love.
Everyone, at some point in their lives, has had an incredible idea: but how does that turn into a product? We’ve asked some experts in design and product development and founders to bring their own experience and knowledge to you.
Today we start with Bohdan Paladiichuk, CEO & Head of Design of QREAM, a web design company crafting outstanding branding and websites for SaaS.
SaaS Genius: Bohdan Paladiichuk
Hi Bohdan! let’s start with a warm-up. 5 words to describe yourself and one (software) tool you can’t live without
Hey my name is Bohdan, I’m a creative entrepreneur, and I can’t live without Spotify.
I love music, and they build an amazing product around the person-to-music experience.
Can you give us a short overview of your career so far?
I started as a web/full-stack designer, grew to product designer, and then opened an agency around that, currently running it for 5 years, and co-founded a social startup on a national scale.
What brought you to design and, specifically, to product design?
That is rooted in my early childhood, I loved using Photoshop, as there was no internet.
Creating something new out of something existing was something I enjoyed. But I also loved logical mazes and psychology, so product design was where I had to think about the architecture, logic, at the same time what the user is thinking or feeling while comprehending information on screen or performing actions.
How does an idea become an innovative SaaS product?
An idea should become a comprehensible and justified business plan.
If properly assessed for viability it should be executed, and continuously upgraded to fulfil the vision, achieve business expectations, and meet people’s expectations. Makes their lives better hopefully.
What are the key characteristics a good SaaS product should have to win the market nowadays?
- Attention-grabbing: first-impression and creative “packaging” marketing/presentations
- Value: a really better way to do things.
- Work flawlessly and fast.
- Upgrade things people crave or hate promptly
- Knows what the user wants now and what they could want in the future
- Communicates well with the audience
As a designer and creative, what innovative features make you thrilled about the future?
Brain-operated interfaces I believe. Is it going to be read-only or will it eventually become a two-direction thing, and we could rewrite it?
Ok, before we go, what tips would you give to someone with a cool idea who wants to turn it into a product?
Lock yourself in a room for 2 weeks, and watch YouTube, Ycombinator, Stanford startup lectures and everything you can find.
While it might seem obvious, the prejudice towards the awesomeness of own idea might crash the startup into reality, just as the lack of commitment to be actively contributing for the next 5+ years and rigidity too.
