When we design, build, test, and deliver software, it is imperative that we provide our users with what they need—not what we want, but what that they want. We need to understand the scope and breadth of the user base. Here are three questions to ask to learn more about how users experience your software.

Offering appreciation is an easy yet powerful way to acknowledge a coworker’s efforts. It’s one of the best ways to say thank you. There are many ways to show appreciation, including verbally in person, over the phone or by email, or writing a note. And while you're at it, reflect on what you appreciate about yourself.

The ways we listen—and not listen—are detailed in the Five Levels of Listening model, which goes from most distracted to most focused. Ideally, we’d all practice the fifth level: empathic listening, where we try to understand what matters to the person who is speaking, delaying our problem-solving and responsiveness.