Top Things User Experience Designers Want People to Know

By: Cean Burgeson

The humble household appliance may have a history as a labor-saving device, but today its role in our lives is so much more. Appliances provide everything from cozy warm towels on a cold morning to a warming surface to serve our best culinary creations.

User Experience (UX) designers at Whirlpool Corporation collaborate with people from all over the world to learn both how to make chores simpler and also how to bring more delight and enjoyment into daily life.

One common theme we hear is that in a world full of “smart” things, many products simply don’t act smart. Worse yet, people blame themselves. Who among us hasn’t felt silly pulling on an office door that was meant to be pushed? Or, angry when we forget a password that we were required to change a few too many times?

“We believe the essence of smart design is achieved by adding thoughtful elements that focus on people’s true needs and goals,” said Stacey Baer, senior director of Global Experience Design. “You may plan to own an oven or a washer for 10 or 15 years. We want you to fall in-love with it while shopping AND stay in-love with it during all those years of ownership. Being smart doesn’t necessarily mean adding technology or features, it means being considerate.“

Take your cups and pans on a shopping trip.

Potential customers are invited to usability labs where they can try out the latest product ideas and make suggestions for improvement. Often, they are asked to keep a diary of the last things they have been cooking or cleaning and show UX designers how they will attempt it with a new product. Customers may even bring in pans that they actually use at home to see how well they will fit in new ovens. Even the height of the refrigerator’s water dispenser is based on common cup sizes from home. When shopping for an appliance at a store, you too could bring in favorite items to try!

Go ahead, slam that door.

While in the store, go ahead and “kick-the-tires” a bit too. Countless hours of observing people doing real things like closing their dishwasher with their foot has helped us optimize our appliance designs. Our specialists look at all of these touch points and more. Should a cycle knob on a washer feel different than a knob to adjust the flame on a gas cooktop? Absolutely. Getting these details right requires the collaboration of people with both psychology and engineering skills.

Try reaching that top refrigerator shelf.

When you think about ergonomics, you may think of an office chair with all of those odd levers under the seat. Those levers are there to make the experience more comfortable and tailored to your unique physical needs. Appliances are also being designed to accommodate the great diversity of physiques and abilities. Not only do we not want your socks to disappear, we want to make sure you can reach every last one of them at the back of your dryer. We ask people of all shapes and sizes to unload laundry products, taking careful note if they can reach all locations and if they can see any sneaky garment hiding in the interior drum, plotting its escape.

You can be at home everywhere.

At Whirlpool, we want to solve real concerns while seamlessly blending with real life. Should your physical location prevent you from taking care of your home and family? No, and that’s why our new products support remote use through a connected mobile app. Worried that you forgot to turn the oven off? Not a problem, you can check on the status and turn it off from anywhere using your phone.

Who’s in your home now and in the future?

People’s needs change over time, and it is important for appliances to adapt. Perhaps your household may grow with children, by taking care of senior parents, or even party guests! UX designers strive to follow Universal Design principles so that appropriate levels of use can be achieved by everyone. For example, while spinning the knob on our laundry products, a beep sound is made whenever the knob passes the Normal cycle. This helps people with lower visual ability get additional feedback and confirmation about their selection.

We know you don’t really read the book.

Just because someone has the ability to use an appliance, doesn’t mean that they always have the interest in doing so. Not everyone aspires to be a professional chef every day of the week. Similarly, we recognize that someone’s real goal may be to dress their family in clean clothes, not to be an expert on laundry control panels. UX designers look for opportunities to create products that match the way people naturally think. A great example is the What and How organization on Whirlpool brand washers. A single choice allows the user to select which clothes they have and how they want them cleaned. The appliance is then smart enough to pick all the other options, so people can leave the book in the drawer and focus more on what matters most to them.

Smart Appliances will be part of the Smart Home of the future. But, it’s important to be more than just tech-smart, we must deliver thoughtful solutions to make everyday life better.