Building something only to have people hate it is a pretty terrible feeling, especially when it is something as time-consuming and labor-intensive as creating a piece of software. Whether it is a new mobile app, a redesigned website, or an enterprise-level platform, people are going to have opinions about it, and some may hate it. The question is - why?
Some users are going to hate whatever is new due to change aversion, or “the negative short-term reaction to changes in a product or service,” Others have specific reasons for disliking things. These reasons require management and change to appease the end-user and keep them using the software.
The Causes of the Software Hate
Every software or app development company will say that the process of developing software is complicated - primarily when they must cater to the needs of a wide variety of end-users with an even more extensive range of opinions.
The bottom line is that there are a few significant reasons why most people dislike a piece of software. Some are easily fixed, while others are just a byproduct of the sheer scale of a project. Here are some of the common causes that might be the reason why people don’t want to use your software:
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It’s slow.
Users of today want things to work instantly. They don’t want to have to wait a few seconds for something to load fully, or they will get impatient and leave the program. Speed is something that developers must make a priority if they want their apps and software to be successful and used by many. Although responsiveness and performance sometimes suffer because of the demand for increasingly complicated features, it must be something that developers successfully manage during the development process.
A solution for this issue could be to push for simpler options for more complicated proposed features from the client, but sometimes a firm “no” must suffice to preserve the reputation of the piece of software.
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It looks outdated.
Even if a website or an application has the newest features available on the market, an outdated look will make users think it is old and not want to use it. Today’s end-users want modern, sleek user experiences on the sites that they frequent and use.
This is a problem frequently encountered by businesses who have older websites or programs that still function properly, but just look outdated. The two solutions for this issue is to remind users that the current site is still very efficient for the company or give the software a bit of a facelift on the front-end without changing the inner workings.
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It uses an older framework.
Sometimes users simply can’t put the finger on why they dislike the user experience of an application or piece of software, and the answer is simple that was built on a framework that is no longer used today. It may have been a smart choice at some point, but it is now looking and feeling like an outdated (and possibly not secure) framework.
For companies who are dealing with this issue, there are not many solutions if they want to have still users trust their brand. The best option is to utilize software development providers for a rewrite to get with the times.
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It offers too many features.
The technology of today is incredibly advanced. Sometimes, even too advanced for the average end-user. This pairs with the fact that framework builders have to provide options and features to satisfy an enormous amount of companies.
When there are too many options or choices, people will call the software “too complicated.” Thankfully, these features are typically managed to be kept from the end-user to avoid overwhelming them or causing confusion.
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It wasn’t tested properly.
Arguably some of the biggest reasons for users never to open a piece of software again are errors. If a program has bugs, glitches, and overall problems, a user is much more likely never to use it again or delete it from their phone or computer altogether.
The software quality assurance and testing process are one of, if not the most important step during the software development life cycle if anyone wants the people to use the technology.
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It has too many ads and notifications.
There is nothing worse for the user experience than intrusive advertisements and notifications about what other users are doing. Typically of mobile apps and websites, these features usually are near impossible for a visitor to control and make the entire experience a frustrating one or even one that makes them never visit again. Be sure to consider what it’s like to visit the site as a first-time user before adding that extra unskippable ad.
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It doesn’t have enough disclosure.
Users want to know how their information is being stored, the location of the data, and what it is used for. Between the giant data leaks of recent history and the enforcement of the GDPR, they have a right and a need to know this information. Without this information, users will have a lack of trust in the software and may choose not to use it out of fear for their privacy.
The Importance of Opinion
It is incredibly important for users to like, trust, and want to use a piece of software if it wants to be successful in today’s marketplace. Whether a mobile application, a new website, or a program built specifically for a company, developers and designers must consider what the user wants, needs, and desires from the technology that they are developing.
Conclusion
There are a few major reasons why users continue to refuse to use your software or just outright hate it. Users do not want to use a software product or application that looks outdated or is slow to use due to an outdated framework. If your application is too intrusive with a considerable amount of advertisements and notifications or offers an overwhelming amount of features, chances are users will not return to use it again either. Every app must also provide the necessary privacy disclosure as per both the requirements of the law and so that users know they can trust in the software product.
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