Is your product development team listening to you?

You understand your business, your brand, and your clientele. It’s hard to imagine someone else being able to understand these complexities as deeply as you do.

Unfortunately, it’s unusual to find a development team who will do the hard work of getting to know your business. It’s easier for outsiders to call it good after one conversation, assume they know what’s best, maintain surface-level communication, and get on with building.

To complicate matters, you may not have the language to express what you’re looking for in a technological solution. If you’re working with a team that’s not committed to active listening, this can lead to a dangerous scenario in which your input gets tuned out and the final product is inadequate.

Why is it so hard to communicate with tech experts?

Communication is the foundation of every healthy relationship, but it is rarely easy. Many assume that listening is simple, that it should come naturally — and, more dangerously, that what we hear is always what is being said.

We have all been affected by the communication style of the internet age. It’s easy to skim an email or a text and quickly move ahead with your own plans. Poor listening is a natural consequence of modern technology and the way our society interacts.

The deterioration of this skill set has affected the technology sector. Rather than truly listening to clients, many development teams jump to creating their own plans. Instead of working hard to identify your needs, they may simply be waiting for their turn to talk. Additionally, many teams lack the skill and experience it takes to thoroughly analyze the challenges of modern business.

Active listening is work, and at Praxent we work hard. Our team members are intentional about listening so we can build solutions that will transform your business — no band-aid fixes or post-project letdowns. The practice of being intentional is vital to our hiring philosophy and our development process. Praxent team members represent the best of the best in their field and they have the experience, skills, and maturity to dig deep to find what would make a serious difference in your business.

The role of active listening in the software development process

Active listening is a technique designed to facilitate effective communication. Rather than passively listening to you talk, we engage with the topic at hand. We’ve had clients tell us that they value Praxent as a partner not just because of the services we provide, but because we respond to their needs in a way that no one else has.

An active listener will:

• Repeat what the client has said in different words, to ensure that they understand the core concepts and what the client is trying to convey. This both aids in retention and reduces misunderstanding.
• Ask targeted questions regarding what the client has said to ensure that they understand the intricacies of the conversation. This makes the individual more attentive and drills into the details.
• Become aware of when their thought process is drifting off or when they are no longer paying attention.
• Mentally repeat information in order to remain attentive.

Our ultimate goal in active listening is to fully comprehend what you are trying to convey and to internalize your needs. Active listening is a fairly advanced communication concept and like any skill it requires a practice. It’s worth it to those of us who value strong relationships and quality service.

Is your designer or developer listening to you?

If you are actively seeking a software solution to deal with a problem or expand on an idea, Schedule a free consultation with our design team and we will walk you through the process personally.

If your company is struggling to manage data, you could be reaching an opportune turning point in the life of your business, and not even realize it. Check out our free webinar, “Nail Your Platform Design.” We’ll help you connect the dots between your current organizational challenges and the opportunities they present for transitioning to a hyper-scalable platform model.