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They are the last person at the end of the product development process after it has been designed, developed, tested, and delivered. Good product designers consider their needs during product development to create something they'll find helpful and pleasant to use.","contributor":{"@type":"Person","name":"Brian Pickle","url":"https://techterms.com/authors/brian_pickle"},"image":"https://techterms.com/img/md/end_user_382.jpg","url":"https://techterms.com/definition/enduser"} </script> </head> <body> <div id="full"> <header id="siteheader"> <div class="content"> <a href="#main" class="visuallyhidden">Skip to main content</a> <a href="/" class="logo"><img src="/svg/logo.svg" width="212" height="24" alt="TechTerms.com"></a> <div class="siteheader-middle"> <div class="searchwrapper collapsed"> <form id="search" class="search" action="/search" method="post"> <div class='autocomplete' role='combobox' aria-expanded='false' aria-owns='autocomplete-results'> <input type="text" id="term" name="term" placeholder="Search (e.g. end user, ASCII, cache)" aria-label="Search (e.g. psd, docx, exe, jpg, zip)" autocomplete="off" class='autocomplete-input term' aria-autocomplete='both' aria-controls='autocomplete-results'> <button id="searchsubmit" class="searchsubmit"></button> </div> <ul id='autocomplete-results' class='autocomplete-results hidden' aria-label='Search'> </ul> </form> </div> <a href="/random" class="headerbutton random" id="random"><img src="/svg/random.svg" alt="random" width="16" height="16"></a> <button id="searchtoggle"><img src="/svg/search-white.svg" alt="search" width="18" height="18"></button> </div> <div class="siteheader-right"> <button id="menuopen"><img src="/svg/menu.svg" alt="open menu" width="18" height="16"></button> <nav id="sitemenu" class="collapsed"> <button id="menuclose"><img src="/svg/close.svg" alt="close menu" width="14" height="14"></button> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/">Terms</a></li> <li><a href="/quiz/">Quizzes</a></li> <li><a href="/help/">Help Center</a></li> <li class="mobile"><a href="/random">Random Term</a></li> <li class="settings"><button id="settings"><img src="/svg/settings.svg" alt="settings" width="22" height="22"></button> <div class="settingsmenu"> <fieldset> <legend>Theme</legend> <input id="theme-default" value="default" type="radio" name="theme" checked> <label for="theme-default">Light</label> <input id="theme-dark" value="dark" type="radio" name="theme" > <label for="theme-dark">Dark</label> <input id="theme-hc" value="hc" type="radio" name="theme" > <label for="theme-hc">High Contrast</label> </fieldset> <div class="fontsizewrapper"><label for="fontsize">Font Size<input type="range" id="fontsize" name="fontsize" min="14" max="26" step="2" value="20"></label><span class="currentsize">20</span></div> <button id="resetsettings">Reset</button> </div> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> </header> <main> <div class="adTopLB"> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1589388248615-0'> </div> </div> <div id="main" class="def"> <div id="left"> <div class="card hasheader"> <div class="cardheader"> <div class="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Home</a><svg viewBox="0 0 9 14" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="m0 14 9-7-9-7z"/></svg><a href="/category/technical">Technical Terms</a><svg viewBox="0 0 9 14" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="m0 14 9-7-9-7z"/></svg>End User Definition</div> </div> <article> <h1>End User</h1> <div class="adDefRect"> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1589302365809-0'> </div> </div> <p>An end user is the person that ultimately uses a piece of <a href="/definition/software">software</a> or <a href="/definition/hardware">hardware</a>. They are the last person at the end of the product development process after it has been designed, developed, tested, and delivered. Good product designers consider their needs during product development to create something they'll find helpful and pleasant to use.</p> <p>A product's end user is typically uninvolved in the development process, and in many cases, they are uninvolved in its administration and maintenance as well. However, some <a href="/definition/developer">developers</a> reach out and recruit some of their end users to help in the development process as <a href="/definition/beta_software">beta testers</a>. Beta testing allows some end users to use an early version of the product as they normally would, helping the developer find bugs while providing suggestions to improve the <a href="/definition/user_experience">user experience</a>.</p> <p>The end user is not always the product's customer, especially when it comes to business software. The person responsible for purchasing decisions is often in a different role than the people who will be using it regularly. A product might also have several different kinds of end user to consider. For example, an <a href="/definition/e-learning">e-learning</a> platform's end users consist of the instructors creating and teaching the material and the users taking the lessons, while the customer is the company's training manager who makes the purchasing decision. <a href="/definition/it">IT</a> staff, meanwhile, administer and support the software but are not end users.</p> <div class="adBotLB"> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1589236206757-0'> </div> </div> <div class="cardfooter"> <div class="upDate"><div class="author">Updated <span class="pdate">August 17, 2023</span> by <a href="/authors/brian_pickle">Brian P.</a></div></div><div id="citations"> <div class="tabs"> <div role="tablist" aria-label="citations"> <button role="tab" aria-selected="false" aria-controls="apa" tabindex="-1">APA</button> <button role="tab" aria-selected="false" aria-controls="mla" tabindex="-1">MLA</button> <button role="tab" aria-selected="false" aria-controls="chicago" tabindex="-1">Chicago</button> <button 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class="answerBar"> <div id="quizBarA" class="quizBar"></div><span id="quizPercA" class="quizperc">0%</span> </div> </div> </div> <div id="ansButtonB" class="answerButton activeButton" data-answer="Bnum" data-date="2023-08-27"><span class="ansLetter">B</span> <div class="answerCell"><span id="answerB" class="quizAnswer">It masquerades as legitimate software.</span> <div class="answerBar"> <div id="quizBarB" class="quizBar"></div><span id="quizPercB" class="quizperc">0%</span> </div> </div> </div> <div id="ansButtonC" class="answerButton activeButton" data-answer="Cnum" data-date="2023-08-27"><span class="ansLetter">C</span> <div class="answerCell"><span id="answerC" class="quizAnswer">It infects a computer during the boot process.</span> <div class="answerBar"> <div id="quizBarC" class="quizBar"></div><span id="quizPercC" class="quizperc">0%</span> </div> </div> </div> <div id="ansButtonD" class="answerButton activeButton" data-answer="Dnum" data-date="2023-08-27"><span class="ansLetter">D</span> <div class="answerCell"><span id="answerD" class="quizAnswer">It results in physical damage to a computer.</span> <div class="answerBar"> <div id="quizBarD" class="quizBar"></div><span id="quizPercD" class="quizperc">0%</span> </div> </div> </div> <div class="quizResult"><div class="qmsg"> <b class="quizPass">Correct!</b> <b class="quizFail">Incorrect!</b>   <span class="customMessage"></span>  View the <a href="/definition/trojanhorse">Trojan Horse definition</a>.</div> <a href="/quiz/#morequizzes" class="quizNext btnprimary">More Quizzes →</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="right"> <div class="prevnext"> <a href="encryption"><span class="arrow">‹</span>  <span class="linktext">Encryption</span></a><span> | </span><a href="endianness"><span class="linktext">Endianness</span>  <span class="arrow">›</span></a></div> <div class="tf card"> <h2 class="heading">Tech Factor</h2> <a href="/help/tech_factor" class="info" title="What is the Tech Factor?">?</a> <a href="/techfactor/5"><span class="factor">5</span><span class="denom"> / 10</span></a></div> <div class="listBox card related"> <h2 class="heading">Related Terms</h2> <div class="rlists"> <ol> <li><a href="/definition/software">Software</a></li> <li><a href="/definition/hardware">Hardware</a></li> </ol> <ol start="3"><li><a href="/definition/it">IT</a></li> <li><a href="/definition/developer">Developer</a></li> </ol> </div> </div> <div class="card"> <h2 class="heading">End User Images</h2> <div class="baguetteBox gallery"> <figure> <a href="https://techterms.com/img/xl/end_user_382.jpg"><img src="https://techterms.com/img/sm/end_user_382.jpg" alt="Several end users working with software together" width="225" height="150" srcset="https://techterms.com/img/md/end_user_382.jpg 450w, https://techterms.com/img/sm/end_user_382.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 748px) 225px, (max-width: 970px) 162px, 225px"></a> <figcaption class="caption">Several end users working with software together</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="adRightSky"> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1589233879778-0'> </div> </div> </div> <div class="techterms card"> <h2 class="heading">The Tech Terms Computer Dictionary</h2> <p>The definition of End User on this page is an original definition written by the <a href="/authors/">TechTerms.com team</a>. If you would like to reference this page or cite this definition, please use the green citation links above.</p> <p>The goal of TechTerms.com is to explain computer terminology in a way that is easy to understand. We strive for simplicity and accuracy with every definition we publish. If you have feedback about this definition or would like to suggest a new technical term, please <a href="/contact">contact us</a>.</p> </div> </div> <div class="popupwrapper"> <div id="newsletter_popup"> <button class="close">×</button> <div id="ttnform"> <h3 class="heading">Sign up for the free TechTerms Newsletter</h3> <form id="subscribe"> <div class="field"><label for="newsletter_email">Email (required):</label> <input type="email" id="newsletter_email" name="newsletter_email" required aria-label="email address"> </div> <div class="row1"> <div class="field"><label for="first_name">First Name:</label> <input type="text" name="first_name" id="first_name"></div> <div class="field"><label for="first_name">Last Name:</label> <input type="text" name="last_name" id="last_name"></div> </div> <fieldset class="row2"> <legend>How often would you like to receive an email?</legend> <input type="radio" name="frequency" id="daily" value="d" checked><label for="daily">Daily</label> <input type="radio" name="frequency" id="weekly" value="w"><label for="weekly">Weekly (Every Tuesday)</label> <input type="text" id="newsletter_message" name="message" class="cfieldhid" aria-hidden="true" aria-label="If you are a human, please do not fill in this field." tabindex="-1"> </fieldset> <input type="submit" class="btnprimary" value="Subscribe"> <div id="ttnerror"> </div> <p>You can unsubscribe or change your frequency setting at any time using the links available in each email.<br><br>Questions? 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