What makes a breakthrough product? Technological innovation, marketing savvy
and design expertise are not enough. Critical to the success of any product
in today's market is getting to know and understand consumers well.
At the center of a successful product development process is quality of
experience. The experiences that people have, as they use a range of
products, from off-the-shelf software to websites, from electronic games to
medical diagnostic equipment, are what interaction design is all about.
There are nine criteria that define successful interaction design. These
include understanding of users, an effective design process, and a final
product that is learnable and usable, needed and desired, manageable,
appropriate, customizable, and offers a satisfying aesthetic experience.
When taken together, these criteria lead to experiences that are engaging
and productive.
People, frequently labeled as "market segments" or "audiences," are actually
perceptive and articulate individuals who are more than willing to say what
works for them and what doesn't. Selling the customer short by relying on
assumptions, or worse, focusing on abstract labels rather than human beings
can cause a disconnect that deprives product research and development
processes of critical knowledge.
Paying close attention to the way people live, to the larger context as well
as to those often mundane or seemingly unimportant details, can often result
in surprising insights. And by the same token, understanding the way people
feel and crediting the emotions they experience as they use a product, can
lead to unimagined opportunities.
Caring about the consumer can result in a win for everybody: for savvy
companies, increased market share and boosted brand loyalty, and for those
folks out there, quality products that fit their needs and add value to
their lives.
