Friday 27 August 2010

Something for the Weekend - Regulation Cucumbers

A few weeks back I saw that the European Commission had ruled that all mobile phones issued in Europe from 2011 will have to have the same charger compatibility. Initially I had mixed feelings about the news... Flashbacks to regulation cucumbers, peaches with circumference restrictions and aubergines with colour specifications - all introduced by the EU in the past few decades!

On the down side, standardising is an enforced design constraint limiting innovation or the adoption of new, improved technologies - this is especially important now that the power socket and synchronisation socket are common. Should a faster synchronisation connection be made available in the short term phones will once again require multiple sockets to allow adoption.

But there's an overriding voice at play - the one of the consumer - the pain of buying new chargers every time you get a new phone & trying to find someone with a compatible charger when you don't have one with you. For now, these annoyances outweigh the need for faster synchronisation.

The commercial and environmental factors work out here too - In reality you won't need to dispose of old chargers every time you switch phones meaning that ultimately mobile manufacturers won't need to include chargers in the box - cheaper to produce, easier to package and distribute, less waste.

It's a great example to reflect on when considering how the things (inputs / outputs) on the periphery of your product (not just physical either) are going to interact with it and what type of issues these may cause your customers.


Sources and Credits
Wired.Com
Cucumber regulation!

Friday 20 August 2010

Something for the Weekend - Anti-Theft Lunch Bag

A light hearted (though not very attractive!) one this week.

If you've ever had your sandwich stolen from the fridge at work you'll be familiar with the long standing issue of lunch pilfering! Anti-theft lunch bags are a new product to help combat that. By simulating mould on the bag, it deters would be thieves, and keeps your food safe!

Of course there are flaws - for instance, someone might throw your 'mouldy' sandwich out or you might actually be put off eating it yourself! However, the level of simplicity and creativity are impressive - a useful reminder that the best solutions are often the simplest and least expected.

PS. Sorry if you're having your lunch whilst reading!

Sources & Credits
FreshBump

Saturday 14 August 2010

Something for the Weekend - It's hardly nasal surgery!

I read an interesting story early this week that really brings to life the value of prototyping.

In 2001 designers at IDEO were tasked with working with teams of surgeons to create new improved tools for nasal surgery. During the design session one of the surgeons was trying to explain how the ideal mechanism would be a trigger grip only he struggled to put in to words what he meant. One of the designers picked up a marker pen and a 35m film canister and taped them together. They then picked up a plastic peg and fastened that to the front creating a basic version of what the surgeon was attempting to describe. This might sound like Blue Peter but it saved a huge amount of follow up meetings, through the ability to physically demonstrate what was actually needed.

I love the story as I see similar comparisons day to day in our roles. Where written requirements fail to adequately express the need; quite simply fail to bring it to life or allow for different interpretations. I am, without doubt, an advocate of using diagrams and screen mock ups to validate and elicit requirements so I thought I'd share some thoughts on the topic.

Tips for Prototyping
  • We're using BalsamIQ - It’s a great tool - do check it out at Click Here
  • Recognise that that creating mock-ups won't slow things down, it generates results faster and gets people on the same page.
  • Be clear as to why you're mocking up screens - it's not for the purpose of a final design but to elicit comment and validate written requirements and assumptions.
  • Keep it rough - to have something too polished suggests it’s a final design, enough to get to the answers as quickly as possible is all that is needed - Lo-Fi is the way to go. (just think of nasal surgery!)
Sources & Credits
IDEO

Friday 6 August 2010

Something for the Weekend - Frank Lloyd Wright

I've written previously (Emotional Connections, Fail Whale, Anthora Coffee Cup) about the importance of creating deeper connections with our products. So when I spotted this quote by Frank Lloyd Wright I just had to share it;

"Form follows function - that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one. Joined in a spiritual union."


Frank Lloyd Wright, recognised by the American Institute of Architects as the 'greatest American architect of all time', was a master at balancing aesthetics and practicality - making his spaces and objects desirable, aspirational and usable.

I often feel that, as BAs, our natural tendency is to focus on the functional first and the form second. Indeed we even refer to our products as "functionality"! And that's understandable, it makes good business sense to focus on building products that do what they need to do without ceremony but does it feel like we should offer more to our end customers?

In order to achieve this it won't be through just in adopting some of the tools and techniques (shared previously) but in changing our individual mind sets.
  • Pursuing User Experience shortcomings with the same passion as functional ones
  • Using the whole team to contribute ideas for the best possible UX
  • Understanding and deeply empathising with the end customer

Sources and Credits
Quote found via Design Milk
More info on Frank Lloyd Wright