Designing for Intent in B2B

About the Talk

Aashna Parekh from Talon.One unpacked how user intent works differently in B2B versus B2C, and why designers need to rethink their approach when the user isn't the buyer.

Key topics covered:

• ●Intent is the goal behind the action: in B2C, users want to do something; in B2B, users must do something. This "want vs must" gap changes everything about how you design.
• ●B2C is optimized for choice, B2B for execution: B2C offers instant feedback loops (click, watch, happy), while B2B feedback is delayed until quarterly reports show ROI.
• ●The B2B2C triangle: when you design tools used by businesses to serve end-users, there is a blindspot. "We design the bricks, they build the castle."
• ●Fragmented intent: B2B products serve multiple personas (buyer, user, approver, integrator) each with conflicting goals around ROI, speed, control, and stability.
• ●Hearing echoes of intent: using Plato's Cave as a metaphor, Aashna showed how what users say they want often masks their real intent. "Faster horses" really means speed.
• ●Verticalization: how intent shifts across industries (retail needs agility, finance needs precision, hospitality needs reliability).
• ●A practical checklist: who is the persona, what is their intent, what is their environment, and does this feature add value to their workflow?