Balancing stakeholder needs with user goals

The Eternal Tug-of-War

Let's be real - we've all been in those meetings where business goals and user needs seem to be pulling in opposite directions. One side wants more features to drive revenue, the other side is advocating for simplicity to improve user experience. It can feel like you're stuck in the middle of a tug-of-war!

The classic tug-of-war between business and user needs doesn't have to be this way

Three Tricks That Actually Work

After years of playing referee in these situations, I've found three approaches that help find common ground:

1. Talk About Outcomes, Not Features: When someone says "we need a carousel on the homepage," don't argue about the carousel. Ask "what are we trying to achieve?" Maybe they want to showcase multiple products, but there might be better ways to do that.

2. Find Metrics Everyone Cares About: Create measures of success that matter to both business folks and users. When everyone's looking at the same scoreboard, the game gets a lot easier.

3. Show Options, Not Just One Solution: Instead of presenting a single "take it or leave it" design, show a range of options that balance business needs and user experience in different ways. This turns the conversation from "yes/no" to "which one works best?"

A Real Example: The Checkout Dilemma

I was working on an e-commerce site when this classic conflict came up:

• The marketing team wanted to add product recommendations throughout the checkout flow to increase average order value
• Our user research showed that a clean, distraction-free checkout was crucial for conversion

In the first meeting, it felt like we were at an impasse. The marketing director literally said, "So you're telling me we should just leave money on the table?" Not a great start!

Sometimes the best solutions come from casual conversations, not formal meetings

Reframing the Conversation

Instead of digging in my heels, I suggested we take a step back and talk about what we were really trying to achieve. The marketing team's goal wasn't actually to add recommendations to checkout - it was to increase average order value.

Once we clarified that, we could explore different ways to achieve it. I organised a casual workshop (with plenty of snacks - never underestimate the power of good food!) where we mapped out the entire shopping journey.

We came up with a theory: customers were rejecting recommendations during checkout because:

1. They'd already mentally committed to their purchase
2. They were worried about losing their cart if they browsed more products
3. They were in "get it done" mode, not "discovery" mode

A Better Approach

Based on this insight, we tried something different:

1. Beefed-Up Cart Page Recommendations: We enhanced the personalised recommendations on the cart page, before users entered the checkout flow
2. Post-Purchase Suggestions: Added a "You might also like" section on the order confirmation page
3. Clean Checkout: Kept the actual checkout process focused and distraction-free

We A/B tested this against the traditional "recommendations everywhere" approach, and guess what? Our version won by a mile:

• 12% increase in average order value (actually better than the original proposal!)
• 8% improvement in checkout completion
• Happier customers, according to our satisfaction scores

Sometimes a simple sketch can help everyone visualise the solution better than a formal presentation

Handy Phrases That Help

When you're stuck in these situations, try these conversation starters:

The "Yes, And" Approach

Instead of "No, but..." try "Yes, and...":

"Yes, increasing average order value is crucial, and we can achieve that while keeping checkout simple by enhancing recommendations in these other key moments..."

Tell Stories, Not Just Stats

Don't just say "Users don't like distractions during checkout." Instead:

"When Sarah, a busy mum of three, is checking out, she's already got the kids tugging at her sleeve. If we distract her now, we're not just losing this sale - we might lose her as a customer forever."

Show, Don't Just Tell

Mock up multiple approaches quickly (they can be rough!) and let people see the options rather than trying to describe them.

The Ripple Effect

The best part? After this project, things started to change in our organisation:

• Product managers began asking about outcomes instead of dictating features
• Executives wanted to hear about user impact alongside revenue projections
• Our design team got invited to strategy discussions much earlier

The Big Takeaway

The most successful digital products don't compromise between business and user needs—they find clever ways to serve both. It's not about winning the argument; it's about reframing the conversation.

"The question isn't whether to prioritise business needs or user needs. The question is how to find business solutions that create user value."

By focusing on outcomes rather than features, and by showing options instead of digging in your heels, you can turn these tug-of-war situations into collaborative problem-solving.

And hey, bringing snacks to the meeting never hurts either!