Communication and Secrecy at Serif

[big smile]

50 minutes ago, LondonSquirrel said:

I think these customers do have a legitimate case. 

I do sympathise with such customers. Because like I said have been caught out in the past, and it's not a pleasant experience. So I feel the pain. But at the same time, I don’t think Serif can be expected to address it, especially when the upgraded pricing is so good. They give a refund for purchases made in 30 days. A cut off has to be drawn somewhere.

Could Serif have sign posted things better by saying development on V1 was over back in Jan? Sure. But that could have opened a can of worms with people either panicking the product is dead or feeling entitled to have a firm date for a new release.

Plus, it's always a good idea for people to do research before buying. The last time a beta came out was a long time ago (I think November 2021). That was a pretty big sign that V1 wasn't going to be updated any more.

Also, Serif always do their best prices during their November specials. This is consistent: It's been like that every year since 2018. So again, customers wanting the best prices should have waited for November.

They also do price events at other times. The last one was May 2022. So customers who bought during then would have got 6 months of V1 use at a discounted price. 

So yeah, I do have an incredible amount of sympathy for people in this position. But I think it's just a case of "that's life" (especially because waiting for the yearly November event which happens like clockwork could have avoided the situation) I think the generous upgrade pricing makes up for it. If the upgrade pricing wasn't so generous, then the case would be stronger.

[dcr]

3 hours ago, Corgi said:

For the most part, yes. But if you are an owner of CS2, you can no longer activate it. And if that's any precedent, CS6 will end up being un-activate-able. So Adobe is perfectly capable of appearing dead to its customers unless you're willing to pay them additional money, even if you've purchased a lifetime license.

Adobe released a version of CS2 that only required a serial number and did not require Internet activation.  If you have that version with the necessary serial number, which was widely publicized, you can still activate it.  But, I think only for the basic version.  I have a licensed copy of CS2 Premium and some of the premium stuff can no longer be activated.

They also released versions of CS3 that did not require Internet activation either, but that was not publicized at all.  And they removed those versions from their site without notice.  So, if you didn't manage to get a non-activation version during the unpublicized period they were available, Adobe's response was basically: ha ha, too bad, sucks to be you.

I think they did the same for CS4.

With CS5, CS5.5 and CS6, you should still be able to activate them, but the activation servers require protocols not supported in some of the older OS versions that CS5, CS5.5 and CS6 ran on.  So, if, for example, you run them on an older computer because you have font management software that doesn't run on newer versions and need to reactivate CS5, CS5.5 or CS6, well, you can't without upgrading your OS and losing your font management software.

I hope that Adobe releases non-activation versions of CS5, CS5.5 and CS6 someday, but that seems doubtful.  I no longer view Adobe as a trustworthy company.  As far as I am concerned, by not providing customers of the perpetual license CS versions a way to activate/re-activate and use the software, they are not living up to the promise of a "perpetual" license.  Yes, I get that their license agreement says it can be revoked at any time, but it seems like if you weren't using the software in bad faith (i.e., trying to resell it or something that would violate the license terms), you shouldn't have your license revoked or be otherwise prevented from using the software you purchased under the promise of it being a "perpetual" license.

And that is why I avoid and do not trust any software that relies on Internet activation to activate the software.  Doesn't matter if it's "one time" only because you may be able to activate it today but if you can't activate it at some future point if needed, that's a problem, especially if your files are locked away behind a proprietary format that nothing else can open.

[captain_slocum]

I think this thread about communication is an important one. I don't get the feeling that Serif moderators really read the the posts in a meaningful way to sort the wheat from the chaff and reply to the posts that address really important concerns.

I have been posting for years and never once have I had a reply from a moderator addressing my concerns.

I must make a very clear distinction here between things that it would be nice to have (trace in Designer eg) but are easily realised by third party apps and trivial issues (UI concerns, colours of icons, etc) that an be lived with, and things that make Publisher unusable for professionals (no flowing tables, no text to table/table to text, no column span). 

There has been much sneering in some posts about using the word "professional". Let me explain. I'm a professional but that doesn't mean I'm better than you. It means I derive all or some of my income from using DTP software. So let me give you a real life example of why I can't use Publisher yet and have to keep subscribing to Adobe InDesign. Last week a client sent me a 16 page catalogue to design. The items in the catalogue with their specs and prices, were in a Word table. In InDesign I imported the table and it flows across the pages, simple. If (when!) the client sends me an extra line to add near the front of the table, everything will flow through and adjust. I also publish a monthly magazine with a calendar, usually spanning 3 or 4 pages, sent in a table format – same issues. These are is just not possible to do in Publisher in a way that makes economic sense. This is not some arcane or idiosyncratic feature that only a few people want. This is essential. Yet over the years I have never had any one from Serif acknowledge this and reply with a "we're never going to do this" or a "It's on our roadmap coming soon", and I am certain they won't now.

Why do I bother? Because I'm old school, I was in at the beginning of WP and DTP and later the internet and still believe in helping worthwhile projects. I have said many times that there is much that is excellent about the Affinity Suite (I use Designer and Photo all the time), hats off to Serif. Which is why it is all the more frustrating that there is this blind spot with Publisher - it's like watching a loved son or daughter making some poor decisions in life and feeling powerless to help.

[loukash]

2 hours ago, captain_slocum said:

I don't get the feeling that Serif moderators really read the the posts in a meaningful way to sort the wheat from the chaff and reply to the posts that address really important concerns.

Which is likely why it says on top of the forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/forum/52-feedback-suggestions page:

Quote

• Please search first, it may well be that you have a suggestion that others also want. If so add your feelings to their thread.
• If you cannot find your idea, make a new post. Try to keep your post as concise as possible, and for the title of your post to describe the request as best you can.
• Please just do one suggestion per thread. If your post title is “Here’s a few ideas to improve Affinity Publisher” you’ll be asked to split them up.
• Please understand we can’t possibly do everything which is requested, but we try to make the best calls we can in terms of prioritising our work. Constantly nagging or being overly ranty that we haven’t implemented one of your suggestions will not help your cause, and such posts will be deleted.

 

2 hours ago, captain_slocum said:

I have been posting for years and never once have I had a reply from a moderator addressing my concerns.

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/8660-adding-pixel-mask-to-vector-layer/&do=findComment&comment=35722
https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/8662-moving-a-masked-image-within-a-vector-mask/&do=findComment&comment=35831
https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/8772-problems-with-open-recent-and-save-as-in-ad/&do=findComment&comment=36336

 

I haven't checked every thread you've posted in, this is just from your early ones.

2 hours ago, captain_slocum said:

There has been much sneering in some posts about using the word "professional". Let me explain. I'm a professional but that doesn't mean I'm better than you. It means I derive all or some of my income from using DTP software.

100% agreed.  

2 hours ago, captain_slocum said:

Why do I bother? Because I'm old school, I was in at the beginning of WP and DTP and later the internet and still believe in helping worthwhile projects.

I hear you! Tables (of all things) in QXP 3 and 4, anyone…?
Which is why buying InDesign 2 was an absolute no-brainer back in the day.

2 hours ago, captain_slocum said:

This is essential.

Absolutely agreed.

However…
When I migrated one of the brochures that I was designing regularly from InDesign to Publisher two years ago, at first I almost stumbled across the same issue. In InDesign CS5.5, I was using a layout based on tables, importing the data from an XML file, all set to autoformatting. Publisher doesn't support XML import (yet?), and it has its serious issues with tables, as we all know. (Data Merge that was added later may have been possibly helpful though.)
Long story short, after I thought about these issues for a while, I realized that my original concept of using tables in InDesign was in fact a workaround because back in the day I couldn't achieve certain things I needed to do with simple paragraph formatting, only with tables. But now in Publisher, exactly the same was easily manageable just by using paragraphs and multiple paragraph decorations, so no tables were needed in the first place.

I'm not saying that this is applicable to every "table scenario", but it's always a good idea to think "outside the box" for a moment to see if there are other – possibly even better – options available by using the tools we already have but which we aren't yet very familiar with after decades of using other tools.

[captain_slocum]

35 minutes ago, loukash said:

Constantly nagging or being overly ranty that we haven’t implemented one of your suggestions will not help your cause, and such posts will be deleted.

So that explains a lot! FYI, I was not ranting about "one of my" suggestions, but pointing out how a golden opportunity to make Publisher a world beater has been missed. There a dozens of things I would like to see different in every bit of software I use - but I don't mention them because it is not about me.

36 minutes ago, loukash said:

I have been posting for years and never once have I had a reply from a moderator addressing my concerns.

Apologies - I should have made it clear I was referring to the issues that I was talking about in this thread.

 

38 minutes ago, loukash said:

I'm not saying that this is applicable to every "table scenario", but it's always a good idea to think "outside the box" for a moment to see if there are other – possibly even better – options available by using the tools we already have but which we aren't yet very familiar with after decades of using other tools.

Well I'm used to being patronised because I'm old, but really? You don't think I haven't tried? There is a work around of sorts to get flowing tables which is to put the table into Word, turn it into text using tab separated, copy it and paste into an AP text box. This preserves the tabs and the layout, but if you want to alter the tabbing in AP, you have to do it one line at a time. And of course you cannot show cell outlines.

[loukash]

21 minutes ago, captain_slocum said:

You don't think I haven't tried?

How can I possibly know what you have already tried or not?  
Sometimes it's good be reminded of possible options. There's nothing "patronising" about that.
As an example: Just earlier this week, I had to search for a topic and then look up my own videos that I have uploaded here last year, because all that I remembered now was that the particular issue was discussed before and that I was involved in that thread. To my surprise, back then it was actually me who came up with several workflows/workarounds, incl. videos. I simply forgot about it. Yep, apparently I'm not the youngest anymore either.  So I definitely don't get offended if someone reminds me of seemingly obvious facts. (As in – and that's not a joke – me, also earlier this week: "Hey, my bass guitar doesn't work!" My bandmate, 25 years younger than me: "Have you plugged in the cable?!" Me: *face palm*)

[loukash]

14 minutes ago, captain_slocum said:

pointing out how a golden opportunity to make Publisher a world beater has been missed

I don't even disagree. In my opinion, and as I have likely also pointed out elsewhere, Affinity 2 wasn't ready for release yet. But there have likely been marketing reasons for the release date: the "Black Friday" brouhaha, the upcoming "Consumemass" holiday season, etc etc.

[Patrick Connor]

3 hours ago, captain_slocum said:

I have been posting for years and never once have I had a reply from a moderator addressing my concerns.

Almost every thread you created has a reply from a moderator, though without reading them it's difficult to know whether or not your concerns were addressed, sorry if our replies didn't do so

[captain_slocum]

2 hours ago, Patrick Connor said:

Almost every thread you created has a reply from a moderator, though without reading them it's difficult to know whether or not your concerns were addressed, sorry if our replies didn't do so

No doubt you replied to someone/something in the threads, but show me in one of my threads where you explicitly acknowledge to me that you are aware that flowing tables, text to table/table to text and spanning columns are an issue and that you are/are not considering them or that they are/are not important to you, and I will happily apologise. It's quite possible I have missed something. I don't know why you are so defensive. I am trying to help you here, not slag you off. Look closely at my posts and you will see I give you considerable praise where it is merited.

So now this is your chance to set my mind at rest. Could you state categorically a) that you are considering the above features, and if so when might that be, or b) you are not considering them because... for what ever reason. That way I will get off your back (as you see it) stop being helpful (as I intend it to be).

[Tia Lapis]

An answer doesn’t has to be a direct acknowledgment. The statements you want are very probable past what Serif wants to expose of their roadmap. 

[Patrick Connor]

2 hours ago, captain_slocum said:

flowing tables, text to table/table to text and spanning columns are an issue and that you are/are not considering them

We reply to questions about how the software is meant to work and about bugs. We do not tend to respond to improvement requests. The software is not yet designed to do those things so it's not incorrect so much as not included yet. So no I cannot "set your mind at rest", sorry. I misunderstood that you were suggesting you never got responses, rather than responses on your questions about future changes. That's on me, but you are not alone in not having your specific queries replied to.

For everyone who want this or that addition feature or change I appreciate the desire for a roadmap but in the absence of one were not able to reply to each and every query about what the software will do in the future or when such changes will come.

[Granddaddy]

8 hours ago, captain_slocum said:

I must make a very clear distinction here between things that it would be nice to have (trace in Designer eg) but are easily realised by third party apps and trivial issues (UI concerns, colours of icons, etc) that an be lived with, and things that make Publisher unusable for professionals (no flowing tables, no text to table/table to text, no column span). 

I sympathize when it comes to things that make APub unusable for professionals. Similarly, three days ago on Thanksgiving morning, I sympathized with the plight of farmers as I was picking broccoli, cauliflower, and spinach from my backyard garden. Professionals deal with problems that I as an amateur gardener have never heard of and cannot even understand.

However, I do not think that UI concerns should be brushed off as trivial issues that can be lived with. Working with a UI that lacks any indication as to which tool is selected or whether an option is turned off or turned on is akin to living with a grain of sand in your eye.  And like the grain of sand, it seems that such issues might be easily resolved. Indeed it seems that such issues should never have occurred in the first place, for they do not occur in any other software I've used on Windows and Apple computers over the past 40  years.

I think my issues and those raised by captain_slocum are indicators of a more fundamental problem at Serif.

This problem is that Serif appears to have little understanding of their customers' needs. They seem not to have a clear idea of who uses their software, how it is used, what it is used for, and under what conditions it is used.

I have seen similar problems in much different situations during my working years when a company adopts a narrow, tool-focused approach rather than choosing a user-centered, strategic approach to software design and development. 

I am astounded that a company that has been in business so long could release with great fanfare a software suite that cannot even be installed by many of their existing customers. Compounding this error is that support staff were never informed that such problems could occur. They were not prepared in advance for dealing with the  deluge of complaints from customers who found it impossible to install the software. Thus we had days of unnecessary chaos and anger that never should have happened.

For more details, see my post at
https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/172405-affinity-2-beta-testing-failures-stopped-users-cold-in-first-five-seconds/

I add that I, like captain_slocum, am old school. I supported people like Jim Button and Bob Wallace in the DOS shareware days. I support Serif now, having purchased the Universal License though I have no use at all for the Mac versions, for Affinity Designer, for the iPad versions (my iPad Pro seems more like a toy, though Ms. Acorn's superb tutorials may yet convince me otherwise). I'm just an old retired guy dabbling with APhoto after it changed my entire approach to editing my family photos and using them in creative ways. I am very grateful for that, just as I am very grateful for the many writers of freely-available Affinity tutorials. As for Affinity pricing, I can chalk it up to an educational expense rather than as a capital outlay, as I did when I agonized over the cost of buying my first computer, a VIC-20 with 3.5 KB of usable RAM. 

[ChopperNova]

3 minutes ago, Granddaddy said:

I think my issues and those raised by captain_slocum are indicators of a more fundamental problem at Serif.

This problem is that Serif appears to have little understanding of their customers' needs. They seem not to have a clear idea of who uses their software, how it is used, what it is used for, and under what conditions it is used.

I have seen similar problems in much different situations during my working years when a company adopts a narrow, tool-focused approach rather than choosing a user-centered, strategic approach to software design and development. 

I am astounded that a company that has been in business so long could release with great fanfare a software suite that cannot even be installed by many of their existing customers. Compounding this error is that support staff were never informed that such problems could occur. They were not prepared in advance for dealing with the  deluge of complaints from customers who found it impossible to install the software. Thus we had days of unnecessary chaos and anger that never should have happened.

You literally posted this as I started writing this...

The issue for me isn't the lack of a roadmap, it's lack of direction or any apparent strategy. It's unclear who their target demo is. For example, when there were complaints regarding alpha channel editing for textures, the official response was something to the effect game/3d designers aren't our target at this time, meanwhile V2 has a new, non-destructive, filter for normals maps -- so who's that for and why? If they're going for these people, why not give them what they're clamoring for? It's not my specialty, but as I read it, fixing alpha channel editing would open Photo to an entirely new vista of users. The Normal Map filter seems like a boutique function by comparison.

Sure, there's the new RAW, but so far as I can see, there's no non-destructive auto curves, levels, WB, etc. Is there an indicator on a layer to show blend curves have been changed? Is there a proper relax (not reconstruct) method in Liquify? Why are we still stuck with that goofy Lanzcos Separable/Non-Separable as the best in resampling? Do they actually think photographers work by sitting in an image editor and selecting File->Open... For Every Single File they edit? Does every dead obvious, simple feature, require a formal request, screaming users, and years and years to even merit consideration? Is the program going to become increasingly relevant to me as a tool for grown-ups, or are they going to continually do wildly counterproductive stuff like "redesigning the UI"?  The only criteria I can find for whether a feature is added is how good it will look in a YouTube demo. Sadly, I'm not even joking.

I just don't get it, it's as if they're targeting some sort of committee-spawned homunculus "creative". Kept Hermetically Sealed. In a mayonnaise Jar. On Funk & Wagnalls' porch. Since 1989.

Further, responding isn't the same as communicating. With what V2 has and hasn't, it just makes the feedback forum look like an elaborate version of every other cynical "we care what you think" corporate suggestion box. 

Finally, as for the MSIX, there would have been lot less anger had the initial default response not been to blame their Paying Customers.

[debraspicher]

10 hours ago, Patrick Connor said:

We reply to questions about how the software is meant to work and about bugs. We do not tend to respond to improvement requests. The software is not yet designed to do those things so it's not incorrect so much as not included yet. So no I cannot "set your mind at rest", sorry. I misunderstood that you were suggesting you never got responses, rather than responses on your questions about future changes. That's on me, but you are not alone in not having your specific queries replied to.

For everyone who want this or that addition feature or change I appreciate the desire for a roadmap but in the absence of one were not able to reply to each and every query about what the software will do in the future or when such changes will come.

No need for a roadmap, (at least for me). I know you are reading and taking our posts into consideration, Pat. You and others here have done what you can. If there was an answer available, we'd have it. While I can't speak for others, it is very much appreciated. I look forward to the future and hopefully you and your staff can make something of what gets said here and elsewhere and that it will help out going forward. In the meantime, using the software and making the most of what it can do atm, glad to see the progress and milestones reached. I look forward to seeing it grow.

[debraspicher]

In case anyone was curious on the subject of BC... I'm having a hard time remembering if anything was said regarding this or not, but just in case... sometimes their Twitter drops more info than is seen here in the replies... just depends.

[deeds]

Serif v2 of Affinity Suite is somewhat selling (as yet) largely unrealised potential to existing users of Version 1...

That's why the secrecy is interesting, intriguing and concerning.

 

[debraspicher]

20 minutes ago, deeds said:

Serif v2 of Affinity Suite is somewhat selling (as yet) largely unrealised potential to existing users of Version 1...

That's why the secrecy is interesting, intriguing and concerning.

 

Yes, it is treated like it is an investment product at times. Some* people get melty about the Adobe-killer aspect in the way some outlets hyped it as but legitimately many are just bored with monopolies and tired of paying through the nose for the same formula. Inevitably some of that crowd want that old formula reproduced here, but I think they've done good to try to set themselves apart from being a Adobe-copy cat... with all the problems that can bring. It might explain the weird dev cycles in terms of order, because otherwise the way I see it developing an app to be "just like Adobe" is probably more expedient... the roadmap is right there.

[drkanukie]

6 hours ago, debraspicher said:

In case anyone was curious on the subject of BC... I'm having a hard time remembering if anything was said regarding this or not, but just in case... sometimes their Twitter drops more info than is seen here in the replies... just depends.

 

The BC thing really grates, I have machines locked on V1 due to OS hardware restrictions and not being able to interoperate V1 <-> V2 is really painful. Given that they support PSD import and the affinity file format is interoperable between three different apps with different capabilities, I don't think this can be a technical decision rather than a marketing one to force upgrade revenue.

[loukash]

25 minutes ago, drkanukie said:

the affinity file format is interoperable between three different apps with different capabilities

Yes, because technically, it's only one app in three different incarnations, each of them having certain features disabled. That's why the "one document format" works.

27 minutes ago, drkanukie said:

I don't think this can be a technical decision

It's been confirmed by staff multiple times that the major changes between v1 and v2 were under the hood – i.e. the underlying code – so that they required a change to the document format as well. That's highly unfortunate and annoying – for me as well – but sometimes inevitable.
And that's nothing new in software development, and usually it has not much to do with "marketing", rather then with implementing new technologies.

[Corgi]

2 hours ago, loukash said:

...It's been confirmed by staff multiple times that the major changes between v1 and v2 were under the hood – i.e. the underlying code – so that they required a change to the document format as well. That's highly unfortunate and annoying – for me as well – but sometimes inevitable.
And that's nothing new in software development, and usually it has not much to do with "marketing", rather then with implementing new technologies.

I believe the point wasn't that v2 files should be able to be opened in v1, but rather that v2 files should be able to be exported as v1-compatible files, possibly with some loss of fidelity or function for any v2-only features since they aren't supported by v1 or its file format.

The proof is that v2 can export to PSD, and v1 can import to PSD, which demonstrates that there is at least a viable path. The notion that Affinity can export (with limitations) to PSD and other formats it doesn't own but cannot export to its own v1 format (with limitations) is absurd. I hope it's a feature that's in the works.

[Corgi]

Here's my take on how Serif performs with various aspects of communication. There may be other categories; this is off the top of my head. Feel free to render your rating on any of these:

1.    Telling us what's coming up short-term  [Fair, when there are active Betas, Poor otherwise]
2.    Telling us what's coming up long-term [Broad-brush: Poor    Detailed: Poor]
3.    Telling us what's in discussion within Serif short-term in response to crises [Poor or Late on some things, but possibly fine on others; small sample size]
4.    Explaining policies [Late, but Fair]
5.    Reaction to bugs on forums, with workarounds [Excellent]
6.    Reacting to questions of "how to use", with workarounds as necessary [Excellent]
7.    Communicating to gather information for use in product roadmap and feature prioritization  [Unknown -- suspect poor, based on v2 experience]

Regarding number 7: If I were a Serif employee taking forum feedback to heart, I would be pushing to perform a user survey. Every paying v2 account would have one entry in the survey, but there would be a second survey for non-customers (although since the latter is less controlled, its results would be less trustworthy).

The survey would seek to uncover how customers use the product, what features would be most valuable, what they like/dislike about being an Affinity user (product, support, policies, pricing...), and what suggestions they have for the product line and the company. The non-customer survey could seek to learn what's preventing the prospective buyer from buying the Affinity suite.

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, Corgi said:

Regarding number 7: If I were a Serif employee taking forum feedback to heart, I would be pushing to perform a user survey. Every paying v2 account would have one entry in the survey, but there would be a second survey for non-customers (although since the latter is less controlled, its results would be less trustworthy).

Surveys and focus groups are terrible ways of designing products, as the sample size is never truly reflective of the entire customer base (how many users will actually respond to a survey, are the questions phrased correctly, are they leading, are they meaningful), and group dynamics typically ensures that opinions of a vocal minority will influence the less vocal members towards a consensus that may not accurately reflect their opinions. They can both be useful tools, but rarely within product design/development. Serif probably already have a pretty good idea of what users want/have been asking for from these forums over the past 8 years, but actually prioritizing that feedback and putting into production seems to be the real blocker—which I suspect lies within management.

User testing of new concepts and designs with customers tends to work really well, even with small sample sizes—especially when done early in the production cycle. Not only can you test out your ideas and receive valuable feedback early, you will often gain insight into the mental models customers already have about various aspects of your products. That understanding is gold, and will often be found repeatedly as you continue to talk to your customers.

[Corgi]

1 minute ago, Bryan Rieger said:

Surveys and focus groups are terrible ways of designing products, as the sample size is never truly reflective of the entire customer base (how many users will actually respond to a survey, are the questions phrased correctly, are they leading, are they meaningful), and group dynamics typically ensures that opinions of a vocal minority will influence the less vocal members towards a consensus that may not accurately reflect their opinions. They can both be useful tools, but rarely within product design/development. Serif probably already have a pretty good idea of what users want/have been asking for from these forums over the past 8 years, but actually prioritizing that feedback and putting into production seems to be the real blocker—which I suspect is in management.

User testing of new concepts and designs with customers tends to work really well, even with small sample sizes—especially when done early in the production cycle.

Surveys are imperfect but using the forums as the primary (only) guide seems even worse (partially because of the reason you suggested -- it's hard to gather and prioritize forum feedback). And anyone who takes the time to register and post in a forum is also likely to respond to a well-designed survey (especially if an incentive for participation is offered).

I'm unclear on what you mean by "user testing of new concepts and designs" as a solution, since the problem is: how does the company know what new concepts/designs to implement and test? I agree that it's a good thing to do, but using it as a way to guide major feature development will be burning engineering effort implementing features on speculation that they're going to test well.

[debraspicher]

As much as I hate to say it, they do probably get plenty of feedback (and hyper-analyzing of things...). It's just the nature of designers. It's that they have to learn through actual practice pushing updates and seeing how customers actually use it. What is/isn't a hindrance, etc. That's probably the most valuable feedback... again I suspect developer reigns supreme when any plans are being put into the works as being focused on this in the pipeline and wanting to get those things nailed down flush, versus (designer) no this is not polished and we need to match certain standards, so we must address this now before this gets further down the assembly line... also, most who are actually using the programs giving feedback are generally the latter and do not comprehend the developer mindset at all, so they aren't helpful in that aspect... "it just needs to work", etc... so two types of feedback that are a total contradiction...

(edit) And tbf, they should address already paying customer's needs if something isn't functioning correctly first as well as polish. Versus adding new features that are much more likely to attract new customers...

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Corgi said:

I'm unclear on what you mean by "user testing of new concepts and designs" as a solution, since the problem is: how does the company know what new concepts/designs to implement and test?

Again, Serif probably have a good idea of what customers are wanting, and their product managers/owners should be triaging these requests in their product roadmaps. Testing early and often allows teams to ensure that they are delivering the right features at the right time. It's not uncommon to test one feature, and have a user talk about how they would never use this feature, and would rather that you focus on something less feel is missing or poorly implemented. As this pattern repeats you get a pretty good idea of where you need to be placing your development efforts.

A user test can be as simple as sitting down with a few customers individually and showing them (still images) of proposed new features and listening to their feedback, or full on early (but largely useable) development builds. This way the design and development teams can gauge whether or not their assumptions are correct and have the opportunity to adjust the design of this feature before development has even begun.