The fear of the unknown is not a universal rule. It’s conditional. Starting a new job can be scary, opening a present is not.
The difference between the two is choice. One is an unknown you may be forced to endure, the other is about taking curious steps to uncover something exciting.
In product development, this distinction applies as much as anywhere else. For a user that’s just been upgraded, your design choices can lead to very different experiences!
Consider the example of The Office Ribbon. Back in 2007, in a single update, Microsoft removed every menu, every carefully learnt interaction, decades of muscle memory, by introducing a radically different interface to Microsoft Office. Whatever you might think of the ribbon design, this was a shock for users, and took a long time with reduced productivity to get used to. People complained about it for years!
Your user’s knowledge is an asset. The patterns they have learnt are an investment they have made in your product and that keeps them loyal to you.
The best path is evolution, not revolution. Introduce change gradually. Let them use their learnt patterns and extend upon what they know.
Put the button leading to the new functionality there so users can explore when they are ready. Put it where it can be discovered, not where it interrupts. An invitation to explore should never get in the way of getting home in time for dinner.
Make it appear at first as a hint. A small indicator. An intriguing path to something new, to be explored when they are ready.
This way you change their experience from forced adoption to joyful discovery.
The first creates resentment and the feeling of being a forced passenger.
The second an impression of innovation and understanding of users – which fosters loyalty.
Let your users be the heroes of the discovery. That is a feeling they will remember.
