Test the Customer’s Whole Path, Not Just the First Click

Bella argues that a design should help a first-time viewer understand what they can do, not merely look appealing. Michael extends the test across a service: follow one person from the first instruction through each handoff to completion, and check whether the whole experience improves.

Together, they suggest a useful product-discovery trial: prototype one customer task from start to finish. Watch where someone hesitates, what they think happens next, and whether the receiving team can carry the task through—including one realistic exception. A clear first step is promising; it is not proof the full service works.

Keep the trial bounded: name the customer, the assumption being tested, who handles unclear transitions, and what finding would make the team revise or stop. The goal isn’t to polish the path before learning. It’s to discover where the promise breaks while the cost of changing it is still small.