Choosing the right user
If you ask me what is the the number one exercise for building my product muscle, I would say this one is...
In the previous article, we spoke about defining the problem clearly.
But there is one more step before you start building.
You need to decide who you are solving it for.
If you remember from earlier, we discussed user segmentation. I won’t go deep into it again here. Just keep one thing in mind:
You don’t build for everyone. You choose a specific group.
That choice changes everything.
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The same problem feels different
Let’s take a simple example.
“People want to stay fit.”
Sounds like a clear problem, right?
But think about different types of people.
A college student may want to build muscle.
A working professional may just want to stay active.
An older person may want to improve health.
Looks like same problem. But these are very different situations.
Now look at this:
“Busy professionals who don’t have time for long workouts.”
This is much clearer.
Their problem is not just fitness. It is lack of time too.
Because of that, the solution for them will look very different.
You might focus on:
Short workouts
Flexible timing
Quick tracking
If you tried to build for all types of users, you would struggle to decide what matters.
Why choosing a User simplifies everything
Let’s take an example from a PM interview.
The interviewer asks:
“Design a product to help people stay fit.”
If you start listing features immediately, your answer will become messy.
Workout plans
Diet tracking
Community features
Progress charts
There is no clear direction.
Instead, pause and choose a user.
You could say:
“I will focus on busy professionals who struggle to find time for fitness.”
Now notice what happens.
Your decisions become simpler.
You might suggest:
10-minute workouts
Reminders based on calendar
Simple progress tracking
You don’t need to think about everything.
You only think about what matters to that user.
This is what user segmentation does.
It reduces confusion.
How segmentation affects real decisions
Once you choose a user segment, many product decisions become easier.
Scope of MVP
Without a clear user, your first version will try to include too many things. Which is practically very hard.
But with a defined segment, you can focus.
For example, if your user is a busy professional:
You don’t need long workout programs
You don’t need advanced customization
You only build what helps them get quick workouts done.
Feature decisions
Every feature request from users (or sales team) will feel important if you don’t have a clear user.
But once you choose a segment, you can filter decisions.
Ask: “Does this help my target user?”
If the answer is no, you can safely ignore it for now.
Messaging
Even how you describe your product changes.
If you say: “A fitness app for everyone”
It sounds generic.
But if you say: “Quick workouts for busy professionals”
It immediately feels more relevant (to your target audience)
The right users will connect with it faster.
What you should remember
Whenever you are solving a problem, pause and ask yourself:
“Who exactly am I solving this for?”
Don’t say “everyone.”
Don’t stay vague.
Pick a group.
Make a choice.
Because once you do that, everything else becomes easier.
You might think you are just choosing a user segment.
But in reality, you are doing something else too.
You are creating focus.
And that focus is what helps products become useful instead of average.
So remember this next time you think of building anything (or answering during an interview) : Clarity about the user creates clarity about the product.
Great examples!