Product design should factor for human forgetfulness where possible. This is a picture of the detergent tray from a leading brand, top-loading washing machine. The hole in the tray is where detergent, mixed with water, drips into the drum during a wash cycle. However, when the tray is opened to fill detergent, you notice it…
Over the past decade, the business world has had a real attraction to making everything a service. And rightly so. Would you rather struggle to repeatedly sell your product to the same customer? Or would it be better to offer it on a subscription model where you can keep improving it over time, and charge users a regular fee for using it?
However, if you compare the buying good ol’ products whenever you would need them, to subscription based services, a paradox seems to emerge.
Image: source Heel rollers, heel wheel skates, or heel wheels, have a fundamental flaw in their design. If we humans were to pick between standing for a minute on the front section of our feet or the heels of our feet, odds are we would be more comfortable on the front section. The…
I recently got some (plastic 😬) bottles for home. Not proud of it. But anyway, I noticed a small design anomaly with them. Normally, the neck of most bottles are only slightly shorter than their lids. Now while these bottles are fine otherwise (except, plastic!), I wonder how many people who’ve bought them have…
There is a beauty to how some products (and software) are designed. Think scissors. If we want to cut something fast, we use the forward section of the blades (speed multiplier). Want to cut something fatter or tougher, use the rear end of the blades (effort multiplier); and cut slower, or risk breaking the scissors….
Firstly, should laptop charging lights be put on the side the charger plugs in? That is where the charger plugs in, but not where we sit. Which means many a times, it would be an effort to confirm charging. How about on the front? Better, since most often, many of us (remember to) charge the…
The gap between good intentions and impact of the resulting action (or choice) has been an area of interest to me. A decade ago, a Brad Pitt linked non-profit messed up an affordable homes project [2008-2015] in New Orleans. Meant to be green and sustainable, the homes had severe structural and mold problems. 6 of…