Good vs Bad Product Design
A product can be defined as a created object in the form of a good, service or other resources that provide a benefit to a user. I believe that,
Product design is the whole process
Product design involves coming up with an innovative idea, conducting research and interviews, collecting data, analysing it, and multiple rounds of user testing and feedback. And this is all even before creating prototype number one, and the design of how this product may look.
So what makes a product good rather than great?
When I was reading The Principles of Product Design by Joshua Porter, I came across the theory of the last 10%
The Last 10%
The difference between a good and great product is the last 10%. Everyone has the same 90%…the same core features and similar pricing and a similar story. But that last 10% is the real differentiator. It is the part that separates you from your competitors. It’s the blood, sweat, and tears of detail. And it might take 50% of your time. But time is not what you’re measuring…you’re measuring the difference between good and great.
This theory made quite an impact. The more I thought about it, the more I realised how many products out there are almost identical, and how some brands really differentiate themselves. I find that this 10% can be achieved through a combination of taking care of the little details, applying ergonomics to the design and boosting the product’s potential through marketing.
For my example, I’d like to bring to light the Coca Cola bottle. Now considered one of the most popular and well-known shapes in the world, the Coca-Cola curvy glass bottle was invented in 1915. In an effort to design a “bottle so distinct that you would recognize it by feel in the dark or lying broken on the ground.” Let’s take a look at the brand’s competitors. The Coca-Cola Company’s top competitors include Keurig Dr Pepper, Tropicana Products, PepsiCo, Britvic, Red Bull, Fever-Tree and Monster Beverage.
How is Coca Cola much more well known, recognisable and distinct from its competitors? Why do I feel more drawn to pick up a coke rather than a sprite, or say an orange soda?
The experience is the product
Coke’s Share a Coke campaign, took the world by storm. The experience of buying a coke with a touch of personalisation far outweighed the competitor’s in the field. To be honest, even I felt left out when I did not see my name on a coke bottle and wished I could have bought one too!
They took the 150 most popular names in Australia and added them to the side of the bottles. And, well… people went crazy for it. This campaign soon spread all over the world and everyone was talking about Coke. Coke made you feel special. It was just you and your bottle against the world. And this personal touch is the crux of content marketing.
They targeted the most important thing to customers — their name. After all, everyone’s favourite subject is themselves. And if you want to get someone to pay attention, using their name is a great place to start.
Great products are focused on a single problem
Too often people create products in the hopes of appealing to everyone. But the best products are those that appeal in a special way to people trying to do something specific…they are specialized for the task at hand. It is counter-intuitive to focus on a small market, but the journey to a big market starts there.
As someone who has recently got into Intermittent Fasting, being able to track the duration and consistency of my fasts was a task. That was before I started using Zero, an app that counts down from the time you have left on your fast, and helps you see at a glance how many fasts you have completed during the week. This app is focused on tracking your fasts, and also offers additional stats, motivational reminders and useful articles for its plus members.
What I like about Zero is the clean and minimal UI design that is just focused on starting and stopping a timer based on whether you are beginning or ending a fast. It even comes with a world-class team of fasting researches, physicians, and fitness experts to tailor a routine for you, if you wish.
Addictive Products that are negatively habituated
I remember downloading Instagram onto my phone in 2013 and being excited about uploading my first picture and setting up my profile. At the time, there were only two other people I knew in real life who had the app as well. These days, there’s often not a single person I know who isn’t on Instagram, and usually, when they are not, they’re taking a “detox” or a “social media break”.
I too, have been a victim of Instagram negatively impacting my mental health and have taken a few breaks from it to regain my grasp of reality. I have even found myself scrolling to where the app used to be and clicking on it, before remembering I have deleted it. The kind of muscle memory that users have on their phones is crazy!
Previous studies have suggested that young people who spend more than two hours a day on social networking sites are more likely to report psychological distress. Seeing friends constantly on holiday or enjoying nights out can make young people feel like they are missing out while others enjoy life. These feelings can promote a ‘compare and despair’ attitude.
While Social media has provided us with insight into high profile celebrities lives and connecting with old friends with who you may have lost touch, it is important to remember that what we see, is not always what it is.
It is important for social media companies to make changes. The introduction of a pop-up “heavy usage” warning within these apps or website is something that could make a big difference.
Conclusion
Coming back to good vs bad design, even though some products have been designed well, they can still negatively impact the user. Products that have gone through phases of heavy research and analysis, may fail in the real world due to inadequate design/marketing. At the end of the day, I think all products require understanding the context and keeping the user’s best interests at heart.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading. This is the first medium article that I’ve ever written, and I really enjoyed the process. Let me know if you have any feedback or comments on my thoughts.
