You're improving the wrong thing

You’re improving the wrong thing

You keep tweaking your product.

The font. The design. The features.

It feels like progress. Like you're getting closer to something people want.

But here’s a brutal question:

Has anyone actually asked you to improve those things?

Or are you just polishing a thing no one asked for?

There’s a weird little brain glitch that explains this.

It’s called The IKEA Effect.

Researchers at Harvard and Yale found that people place significantly more value on things they’ve helped build — even if what they built is, well... kinda trash.

That rickety IKEA bookshelf? You love it more than the sleek, perfect one from the fancy furniture store.

Because you built it. It’s yours. Your time. Your effort. Your identity, low-key glued into every corner.

Now zoom out.

The same thing happens with products, services, digital offers.

When you build something for someone, they evaluate it like a critic.

When you build it with them, they feel emotionally invested.

They care.

That means your product doesn’t need to be perfect.

It needs to be co-owned.

Give your audience a role in the process.

Ask what they’re struggling with.

Share drafts. Screenshots. Mockups.

Make it messy. Make it feel like they’re helping shape it.

They’ll go from passive observers to emotional stakeholders.

And here’s the ironic twist:

When they help build it, they forgive more.

Ugly UI? Doesn’t matter.

Limited features? Still worth it.

Because they weren’t buying a product.

They were joining a journey.

So yeah, keep improving things. But improve the right things.

It’s not about adding another setting or redesigning the homepage.

It’s about giving people a reason to care before they click “buy.”

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PS: Not sure if you're improving the right thing right now?

Reply with what you’re stuck on — I’ll give you my honest take.

Meho