Building products for non-technical users

Context

Attorneys, filing desks, counsellors, brand operators — experts in their domain, not in yours. Education and LegalTech products taught the same lesson.

Problem

Builder-facing UI (dense dashboards, jargon, irreversible actions) trains people to avoid the tool — then blame the tool when deadlines slip.

Observation

Match language to the desk. Make failure recoverable. Progressive disclosure over feature walls. Narrative lists over card grids when the job is operational truth.

Decision

Treat UX as workflow design — see capabilities and design system. Teach emptiness in search. Confirm before AI merges.

Outcome

Products that survive the hundredth session — ScholarQuest, NepalIPMS desks, firm publishing on Global Law.

Lesson

If the path is wrong, the API and the model cannot save the product.