I have the opportunity this week to join one my client’s at their user conference. It is amazing to hear direct feedback from the ultimate recipients of the work you have completed. It is equally interested in hearing where you may have missed the mark, where you hit the nail on the head and what their thoughts are on your next steps.

All too often organizations assume they know what members/clients/users want. Sometimes they are right and they are ahead of the curve. These visionaries are unique in the industry and differentiate themselves (Facebook’s News Feed, Google’s Instant Search, etc.). Others see where these stakeholders need and eventually will go but they are not quite ready to get there (Google Wave or Google Health among others).

The question becomes where is the sweet spot and how do we get there? This is a question many healthcare solution providers are pondering. My recommendation is you start not just by listening to your membership but witnessing their experience, documenting their struggles and seeing first hand what isn’t working for them. Start there and you’ll be headed in the right direction.