How helpful is your product?

Ever wonder why some products feel “magical” and others are just... fine? This sketch breaks it down perfectly. Every product falls into one of four buckets: Relevant, Functional, Desirable, or Magical.

The Value Ladder Explained

• Relevant: “I need it.” Solves a basic problem.
• Functional: “It works.” Delivers what’s promised, like a reliable tool.
• Desirable: “I want to do this often.” Users enjoy coming back.
• Magical: “It changed my life.” Creates deep emotional or lifestyle change.

Why It Works

• Maps user emotion directly to business value
• Shows how retention and pricing power increase up the ladder
• Gives a clear target: don’t stop at “it works”
• Helps prioritize product improvements by value impact

Examples

• Relevant: Taxes software like TurboTax—necessary, not loved
• Functional: Dropbox—it works great
• Desirable: Spotify—you enjoy using it daily
• Magical: iPhone—it redefined how people live and communicate