--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Users think they know what they want, but…" description: "\"Users think they know what they want, but you get the horseless carriage effect where you're getting asked for a faster horse.\" — Emmett Shear" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/emmett-shear-19748_carriages_users-think-they-know-what-they-want-but_1511119.jpg" --- # Users think they know what they want, but you get the… ![“Users think they know what they want, but you get the horseless carriage effect where you're getting asked for a faster horse.” quote by Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/emmett-shear-19748_carriages_users-think-they-know-what-they-want-but_1511119.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/emmett-shear-19748_carriages_users-think-they-know-what-they-want-but_1511119.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/emmett-shear-19748_carriages_users-think-they-know-what-they-want-but_1511119.jpg) > “Users think they know what they want, but you get the horseless carriage effect where you're getting asked for a faster horse.” [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Customers often request faster, more efficient solutions, even if they don't know the underlying technology. **In simple terms:** Customers want faster solutions. Key Takeaway Focus on delivering speed and efficiency. Themes innovation customer expectations technology Mood pragmatic critical Type strategic analytical When to use this quote - software development - transportation - e‑commerce - service design Key Concepts product design user experience Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance speed with thoroughness? - What hidden needs lie behind speed requests? A Different Perspective Speed may sacrifice depth or quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Carriage Effect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carriage-effect-5563770/) [Carriages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carriages/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Faster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faster/) [Faster Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faster-horse-2871539/) [Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horse/) [Horseless Carriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horseless-carriage-2867688/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Users](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/users/) [Users Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/users-think-2900220/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Horseless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-horseless-5563769/) ## Related quotes > [The paperless office is possible, but not by imitating paper. Note that the horseless carriage did not work by imitating horses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nelson/the-paperless-office-is-possible-but-not-by-imitating-paper-note-that/) [Ted Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nelson/) > [A lot of people are focused on taking over the world or doing the biggest thing and getting the most users. I think part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/a-lot-of-people-are-focused-on-taking-over-the-world-or-doing-the/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [If advertisers want to decorate their ads to increase their conversions by showing what users think, that's a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/if-advertisers-want-to-decorate-their-ads-to-increase-their/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [If I'd listened to customers, I'd have given them a faster horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/if-i-d-listened-to-customers-i-d-have-given-them-a-faster-horse/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [“Henry Ford summed it up best. “If I had asked people what they wanted,” he said, “they would have said a faster horse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/henry-ford-summed-it-up-best-if-i-had-asked-people-what-they-wanted/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [When a man's mind rides faster than his horse can gallop they quickly both tire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-webster/when-a-man-s-mind-rides-faster-than-his-horse-can-gallop-they-quickly/) [John Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-webster/) > [A racehorse that consistently runs just a second faster than another horse is worth millions of dollars more. Be willing to give that extra…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/a-racehorse-that-consistently-runs-just-a-second-faster-than-another/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Just as the sentence contains one idea in all its fullness, so the paragraph should embrace a distinct episode; and as sentences should follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/just-as-the-sentence-contains-one-idea-in-all-its-fullness-so-the/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [But we were talking about me and my problems." Sophronia looked Monique up and down gravely. "I don't think we're going to solve those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carriger/but-we-were-talking-about-me-and-my-problems-sophronia-looked-monique/) [Gail Carriger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carriger/) > [A swift carriage, of a dark night, rattling with four horses over roads that one can’t see--that’s my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/a-swift-carriage-of-a-dark-night-rattling-with-four-horses-over-roads/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/that-man-over-there-says-that-women-need-to-be-helped-into-carriages/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [On the day long after childhood when I suddenly heard of his death, the sky grew dark above my head. I was walking on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-elizabeth-sangster/on-the-day-long-after-childhood-when-i-suddenly-heard-of-his-death/) [Margaret Elizabeth Sangster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-elizabeth-sangster/) > [Are you implying that shreds of my reputation remain intact?" Will demanded with mock horror. "Clearly I have been doing something wrong. Or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/are-you-implying-that-shreds-of-my-reputation-remain-intact-will/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Iron and coal dominated everywhere, from grey to black: the black boots, the black stove-pipe hat, the black coach or carriage, the black iron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/iron-and-coal-dominated-everywhere-from-grey-to-black-the-black-boots/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) ## More by Emmett Shear > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [The crucial people to get your product started for the first 6 months are not who will be using it 3 years later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/the-crucial-people-to-get-your-product-started-for-the-first-6-months/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [The Twitch community loves watching video games, chatting, and broadcasting. The average viewer watches over an hour and a half of video each day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/the-twitch-community-loves-watching-video-games-chatting-and/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [I wish I could tell you the recipe for figuring out who the target user is for your product and who your users should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/i-wish-i-could-tell-you-the-recipe-for-figuring-out-who-the-target/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [The most common mistakes are showing people your product- don't show them your product, it's sort of like telling them bout a feature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/the-most-common-mistakes-are-showing-people-your-product-don-t-show/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [Who you talk to is just as important as what questions you ask and what you pull away from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/who-you-talk-to-is-just-as-important-as-what-questions-you-ask-and/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [It's one of the most validating things you can do for a product is go out there and get them to commit to pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/it-s-one-of-the-most-validating-things-you-can-do-for-a-product-is-go/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [The most interesting things you learn in an interviews come from the: 'interesting', 'tell me more'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/the-most-interesting-things-you-learn-in-an-interviews-come-from-the/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [If you just talk to who's easy to talk to, you're not really getting the best data.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/if-you-just-talk-to-who-s-easy-to-talk-to-you-re-not-really-getting/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [This is true for most new products. The majority of people you're competing with are non-users. They are people who have never used your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/this-is-true-for-most-new-products-the-majority-of-people-you-re/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [Given the huge number Xbox owners and how many of them love gaming spectatorship, it's a natural fit to bring the Twitch experience to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/given-the-huge-number-xbox-owners-and-how-many-of-them-love-gaming/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [People who are using your product and putting up with all these issues, means that they are not actually the biggest problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/people-who-are-using-your-product-and-putting-up-with-all-these/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [The pool of people you care about is going to shift over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/the-pool-of-people-you-care-about-is-going-to-shift-over-time/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [You want to learn about what's already in their heads. You want to avoid putting things there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/you-want-to-learn-about-what-s-already-in-their-heads-you-want-to/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [Who would you talk to? That is the first question for almost any startup that you need to answer. Who is my user and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/who-would-you-talk-to-that-is-the-first-question-for-almost-any/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) [Explore all 32 Emmett Shear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) ## More Carriages quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [Iron and coal dominated everywhere, from grey to black: the black boots, the black stove-pipe hat, the black coach or carriage, the black iron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/iron-and-coal-dominated-everywhere-from-grey-to-black-the-black-boots/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [Are you implying that shreds of my reputation remain intact?" Will demanded with mock horror. "Clearly I have been doing something wrong. Or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/are-you-implying-that-shreds-of-my-reputation-remain-intact-will/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [On the day long after childhood when I suddenly heard of his death, the sky grew dark above my head. I was walking on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-elizabeth-sangster/on-the-day-long-after-childhood-when-i-suddenly-heard-of-his-death/) [Margaret Elizabeth Sangster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-elizabeth-sangster/) > [That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/that-man-over-there-says-that-women-need-to-be-helped-into-carriages/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [A swift carriage, of a dark night, rattling with four horses over roads that one can’t see--that’s my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/a-swift-carriage-of-a-dark-night-rattling-with-four-horses-over-roads/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [But we were talking about me and my problems." Sophronia looked Monique up and down gravely. "I don't think we're going to solve those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carriger/but-we-were-talking-about-me-and-my-problems-sophronia-looked-monique/) [Gail Carriger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carriger/) > [Just as the sentence contains one idea in all its fullness, so the paragraph should embrace a distinct episode; and as sentences should follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/just-as-the-sentence-contains-one-idea-in-all-its-fullness-so-the/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [A woman of haughty and fierce carriage, of a nimble wit and active spirit, a very voluble tongue, more bold than a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-woman-of-haughty-and-fierce-carriage-of-a-nimble-wit-and-active/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In one of the Welsh counties is a small village called A-----. It is somewhat removed from the high road, and is, therefore, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/in-one-of-the-welsh-counties-is-a-small-village-called-a-it-is/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [He banged on the side of the carriage. "Thomas! We must away at once to the nearest brothel. I seek scandal and low companionship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/he-banged-on-the-side-of-the-carriage-thomas-we-must-away-at-once-to/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Ma'am," Magnus said, advancing. "I must counsel you not to exit the carriage while a demon-slaying is in progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/ma-am-magnus-said-advancing-i-must-counsel-you-not-to-exit-the/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The separate parts make no carriage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-separate-parts-make-no-carriage/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Pot came first when I was young. But I did the work. It wasn't a battle of what came first. They went together like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/pot-came-first-when-i-was-young-but-i-did-the-work-it-wasn-t-a-battle/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [As the Dauphine stepped out of her carriage on to the ceremonial carpet that had been laid down, it was the Duc de Choiseul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/as-the-dauphine-stepped-out-of-her-carriage-on-to-the-ceremonial/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) [Browse all 175 Carriages quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carriages/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Users think they know what they want, but you get the horseless carriage effect where you're getting asked for a faster horse.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emmett Shear" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/users-think-they-know-what-they-want-but-you-get-the-horseless/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Carriages" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/users-think-they-know-what-they-want-but-you-get-the-horseless/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/emmett-shear-19748_carriages_users-think-they-know-what-they-want-but_1511119.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/emmett-shear-19748_carriages_users-think-they-know-what-they-want-but_1511119.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/emmett-shear-19748_carriages_users-think-they-know-what-they-want-but_1511119.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Users think they know what they want, but you get the horseless carriage effect where you're getting asked…” — Emmett Shear", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Emmett Shear", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Users think they know what they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/users-think-they-know-what-they-want-but-you-get-the-horseless/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/users-think-they-know-what-they-want-but-you-get-the-horseless/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```