User Friction Is Like Sandpaper ✨

Use it to shape, not scrape.

Most of us treat friction like the enemy:
“Smooth everything out. Remove all barriers.”

🔄 The Twist

Not all friction is bad.
Some friction is designed to shape better behavior.

Like sandpaper, good friction polishes the experience:

  • Email verification → Stops bots. Builds trust
  • Double-confirm before delete → Saves regrets
  • Guided onboarding → Boosts activation and retention

⚖️ Good vs Bad Friction

  • ❌ Bad friction → Annoys users and slows them down
  • ✅ Good friction → Adds just enough pause to help them succeed

💡 Closing Thought

So next time someone says:
“Let’s remove that step,” ask yourself:

Is it slowing users down or helping them move smarter?

🔗 Tags

#ProductManagement #ProductLeadership #ProductThinking