What and Why of Friction Logs
What is a Friction Log?
A friction log is a way for me to study a product and understand what I think it does really well and what I think I would change if I were developing it. It's primarily for me to sharpen my product skills. If the output happens to be useful for others that is a happy accident.
I originally discovered this concept from a post by Justin Duke Friction Log Maxxing.
The Purpose
These logs serve as a way to:
- Deeply understand a product's features and user experience
- Identify areas of excellence
- Suggest potential improvements
A Note on Perspective
Building software products is hard. These logs aren't meant to criticize or throw shade at the developers or companies behind these products. They're just my thoughts on potential improvements, similar to what I might suggest if I were interviewing for a role at the company.
I'll likely only write a friction log if it's a product I am currently using or considering switching to. My goal is to be a "contributing user" and providing feedback back to the relevant teams where possible.