Gain insights into user needs within the context.

At this year’s Olympics, Coca-Cola skillfully employed visual storytelling to create numerous posters celebrating #MomentsOfEmbrace, capturing joyful and celebratory moments.

Coca-Cola leaves an impression beyond merely being a soft drink; it serves as a powerful catalyst that amplifies experiences in specific moments. Its functionality is just a small part of its essence, providing a refreshing sensation on a scorching day, with the joy of that first sip encapsulated in the iconic red can. More often, Coca-Cola symbolizes a culture, etched into every scene that evokes happiness.

This brings to mind a striking advertising slogan from a domestic beverage: “Drink Wanglaoji to avoid heat.” This drink fills a gap in the market, addressing the concern of “heatiness” associated with certain foods, where consumers previously had to choose between beer and soda. Wanglaoji emerges not merely as a functional herbal tea but as a complementary option that allows for enjoyable dining without discomfort.

Each specific scene constitutes a complete context; product development requires a deep immersion into these contexts rather than a rapid shift between them. Coca-Cola is embedded in moments of joy, while Wanglaoji delves into the sensitive dining scenarios associated with heatiness, identifying latent choices and behaviors of users. In contrast, many functional beverages that emphasize health, nostalgia, or herbal ingredients struggle to resonate within specific contexts.

Concrete scenes are composed of a core factor and several auxiliary elements. For instance, in a meeting, the core factor is clear communication, while auxiliary elements include the PowerPoint presentation, meeting minutes, and facilitation techniques. The role of auxiliary elements is to enhance the effectiveness of the core factor.

Every “Drinking Moment” designed by Coca-Cola is rooted in this principle, utilizing the beverage as an auxiliary to amplify moments worthy of celebration, achieving a synergy where 1 + 1 > 2, as evidenced by this year’s Olympic “Moments of Embrace” posters.

Applying this mindset to product development reveals that many product managers aspire to design products that serve as the core factor in a scene, often using phrases like “When I want to [do something], I choose [this product],” believing the product fundamentally influences user behavior.

From my readings on academic platforms, it is clear that scenes operate under specific external constraints, where factors such as user identity, capabilities, organizational culture, and spatial context lead to vastly different decisions. Simply put, the environment influences user behavior.

If users are swayed by their surroundings, then products must adapt accordingly.

The goal of product development is to address inefficiencies in user behavior within specific contexts, rather than overshadowing the core factors by creating non-existent scenarios.

User challenges arise from tangible realities with clear causal relationships. Abstract reasoning devoid of context fails to resolve any user issues. As Aristotle wisely noted:

"A good thing fulfills its unique function."

User choices are influenced by interaction, creativity, and functionality, but if a product cannot be applied within a specific context, it will soon be discarded. Note-taking tools exemplify this phenomenon: sticky notes, to-do lists, journals, budgeting apps, inspiration boards, documents, literature notes, and reading excerpts all exist in abundance. It is nearly impossible for a single product to cover every scenario through mere adaptability; the very notion of achieving universal coverage is a form of hubris. Instead, products that uniquely enhance core factors within specific contexts offer a superior experience and are truly valuable to users.