Designing for the second user, not only the first

Early product work rewards speed and proximity. You know the user, you know the workaround, and the interface can borrow context from the conversation around it. That advantage disappears as soon as another person inherits the workflow.

We began documenting the handoffs that felt obvious: what a status means, why a decision was made, and where the next person should look. Those small explanations became more valuable than another round of visual polish.

Designing for the second user is not about removing personality. It is about giving the work enough structure to travel without losing its intent.

“A useful interface does not only help someone begin. It helps someone continue.”