At world renowned design consultancy firm IDEO, job candidates are required to answer a prompt rather than provide a standard cover letter. A recent job posting asks applicants to respond to the following: Interaction design happens at a variety of scales. Please give examples of designs you use regularly that inspire you and demonstrate this idea.
Design surrounds us at every moment. Every space we inhabit, every tool we use, every product we encounter, were each designed by somebody. Unfortunately, many of these designs fail to meet our needs or expectations Qwickster, Facebook Home & Zune, all famously disappointed us very quickly. Many other products work just fine, but not that great. They disappoint us gradually as they fail to evolve or meet our changing needs (wallets, umbrellas, health care). Our world is filled with literal and figurative duct tape: design work-arounds or interventions to make a product function enough to use, but not enough to enjoy using. As a graduate student in User Experience and Interaction Design, my classmates and I spend a lot of time searching for this duct tape; these opportunities to improve existing designs.
When searching for how to make something better, we look to the inspiring, elegant, efficient, and imaginative design solutions which surround us everyday. I use the following products constantly, and find that interacting with them is immensely straightforward, pleasurable, and convenient:
The Y-Peeler
The humble, beautiful Y-peeler is a joy to use. It’s brilliant combination of price ($3), materials (the carbon steel blade starts and stays extraordinarily sharp) and design (the wide handle makes it easy to hold, and the gap between the blade and the handle is plenty large to allow peelings to easily drop away). Chefs and cooks throughout the world use this humble, powerful tool every day. Knowing that I use the same tool as the pros empowers me to peel my potatoes with ease.
Single-Handle Kitchen Faucet
After peeling all those potatoes and making that delicious gratin, it’s time to wash the dishes. Though faucets can range widely in price and overall quality, the essential, contemporary component which makes it a delight — the single handle — remains consistent whether the faucet costs $100, or $1,000. The single handle, which lets users quickly and easily adjust the water temperature and flow remains an elegant, efficient design solution. We can have exactly what we want, when we want it. When using two handles, we must do more calculating, more adjusting. We spend more time getting comfortable, and therefore, more time spent washing dishes. Quickly getting exactly what you need can make necessary duties feel pleasant.
Carabiner Key Chain
The simple carabiner, a metal hook with a spring-loaded gate, originally developed for mountaineering is an immensely sophisticated yet simple tool. A key chain caribiner, without any locking mechanisms, is a modification of the safety-critical original design. I received a key chain carabiner in 2003. I have used it every single day since then. It bears many scratches, dings and dents, but remains as functional and useful as the day I received it. With a quick bend of my thumb, I can open the hook and attach my keys to my belt loop, purse, or backpack. Since 2003, I’ve lived in twelve different houses, owned three different cars, and borrowed numerous keys. Since 2003, I’ve lost my wallet more times than I’d like to admit, and have not once lost my keys. The remarkable design is incredible easy to open — theoretically, my keys are vulnerable to falling down or getting lost every day — yet they remain incredibly secure. This combination of fluid ease-of-use with security is truly inspirational.
As I look toward how to apply these inspiring real-world designs with interactive design products, I reflect on the following observations:
A beginner using the same tool as the pros builds immense confidence in the product
Getting what you want and where you need to go quickly can frame a potentially negative experience as a more positive one
Finding a balance between ease-of-use and security is a pinnacle of design success
