Is it me, or is most software getting worse as it tries to appeal to more people? As an application’s customer base grows, developers must consider an ever widening set of user feedback, eventually risking design by committee.

Cameron seems to agree, posting this:

For better or for worse, user feedback and testing are a contributor to design by committee.

— Cameron Moll (@cameronmoll) March 21, 2014

This a slow corrosion. It sneaks up on you. Staying true to your core customer base becomes very difficult if you want to gain users. More people, more problems. With each new group of users you’re tempted to change your product to make them happy. Their requests a siren song promising loyalty and prosperity, but often leading to bloat and obscurity. Which is why it’s super important to understand who you’re designing for and why you’re doing it as early as possible. It helps keep the guideposts visible.

Make sure the problem you’re solving needs to be solved, you know who you’re solving it for, and that they like your solution. There’s nothing more powerful than a group of people who love your product enough to pay you for it.