A while ago, we posted about the importance of mock-ups to overcome the lack of imagination most users have when it comes to new ideas and projects. This post at Creating Passionate Users about how reducing fear is the killer app, made us rethink the value of mock-ups.

Mock-ups fill that great unknown in the user’s imagination—and fear of the unknown is one of the greatest sources of anxiety. As professionals comfortable with technology, we sometimes forget the fears our users and customers jave when it comes even to the simplest technologies. Will I be able to understand the product? During training, if I don’t understand it, will I look like a fool in front of my peers. Will the technology project work, and if not, how much will that cost? People fear of being left behind, whether professionally, by the market, or their peers. And they fear of being caught unawares, or being “out of the loop”.

So if reducing fear is the killer app, your users deserve to be mocked much more! Use sketches, diagrams, and wireframes to vanquish that great unknown which is causing your users so much anxiety. If your manager is afraid a technology project won’t work, provide her with a proof-of-concept. Provide hands-on demonstrations to acquaint users to new software. Simply keeping people informed of developments—like the timelines for technology migrations or providing project status—will greatly reduce their anxiety. In fact, they will thank you because they have one less unknown variable to contend with in their busy schedule.