Good and Bad Product Designs:
A User Experience Analysis
Introduction:
Design surrounds us in our daily lives, influencing our experiences with products and technology. Good design enhances usability, making our lives more efficient and enjoyable, while bad design can lead to frustration and inefficiency. In this blog, we’ll explore three good and three bad designs, considering both physical and digital products, through the lens of usability. Looking at what makes some product designs succeed while others fail can help us better understand the principles of effective user-centered design.
Good Designs:
1. Lego Bricks:
Lego bricks are a prime example of intuitive and user-centered design. Their uniform studs securely interlock pieces, allowing even young builders to easily snap together creations. The classic bricks appeal to generations of users. And with endless combinations possible using the standardized shapes and sizes, Legos enable open-ended creativity and imagination. The precision manufacturing ensures consistency and tight tolerances between pieces. This results in satisfying builds that hold together reliably. These well-thought-out design principles of simplicity, versatility, and quality all contribute to an exceptionally user-friendly toy.
2. Swiss Army Knife:
The Swiss Army Knife epitomizes functional, adaptable design. Its compact size packs numerous handy tools into one portable unit. Standard features like a blade, screwdriver, can opener, and tweezers provide everyday utility, while specialized models offer additional tools for specific needs. Versions optimized for the outdoors may include a saw, flashlight, magnifying glass, and compass. Models for electricians add wire strippers and screwdriver bits. Even tiny keychain Swiss Army Knives usually contain a knife, scissors, nail file, and toothpick. With all metal construction that lasts for years, these knives live up to their reputation for reliability. The Swiss Army Knife’s elegant multi-tool design has stood the test of time by allowing users to conveniently tackle a wide range of tasks with a single compact gadget.
3. Side-mounted Fingerprint Phones:
Side-mounted fingerprint sensors have become a hallmark of smart, user-friendly mobile design. Unlike sensors awkwardly placed on the back of phones, side-mounted readers allow the user to easily unlock the device with their thumb or index finger while holding it normally. This creates a seamless experience by integrating the biometric sensor into the natural motion of grabbing your phone. Side placement also enables gestures like swiping down to access notifications. By avoiding the need to pick up or reposition the device, side-mounted sensors make phone unlocking completely intuitive. Their ergonomic placement and reliability in reading prints from multiple angles demonstrate thoughtful design focused on usability. This frictionless functionality has made the side fingerprint reader a must-have for state-of-the-art smartphones.
Bad Designs:
1. Apple Magic Mouse:
While undeniably sleek and visually striking, the Apple Magic Mouse compromises on core usability. Its low-profile curved surface lacks ergonomic support for the hand, resulting in strain during prolonged use. The touch-enabled surface enables gestures but lacks the tactile feedback of physical buttons for clicking. The Magic Mouse also lacks a scroll wheel, forcing unintuitive two-finger scrolling gestures. Most frustratingly, the charging port is on the bottom of the mouse, making it impossible to use while recharging. This form-over-function decision epitomizes the Magic Mouse’s style-first approach, which impedes basic usability and comfort. For a peripheral meant to improve productivity, the Magic Mouse’s flawed design surprisingly inhibits efficient computer navigation and creates unnecessary user friction.
2. Micro USB 2.0:
The micro-USB connector exemplifies design that prioritized compactness over usability. While micro-USB allowed smaller ports on electronics, the tiny, rectangular shape is extremely fiddly to insert correctly. The lack of symmetry means the plug must be oriented the right way up. A loose port leads to cables falling out constantly. The compact port is also prone to packing with pocket lint over time. Compared to the reversible, durable USB-C, micro-USB feels like a stopgap standard that compromised user experience for size. Its finicky nature and technical limitations show that smaller size alone should not drive design decisions. Truly well-designed technology improves usability rather than working against it, something micro-USB frequently fails to do.
3. Windows 8 Metro Interface:
The Windows 8 Metro interface faced criticism for its abrupt departure from the familiar Start menu, making navigation challenging for traditional desktop users, especially on non-touch devices. Limited customization options and a shortage of compatible apps further impacted usability and user satisfaction. This design shift disrupted established workflows and left many users feeling frustrated and less productive.
