HOWZAT

Do more expensive items tend to be better designed?

Absolutely not! Expense is no guarantee of good usability. Good design doesn’t have to cost more and it can actually save money in the longer term.

Is part of the problem that consumers often do not test products before they buy them? This may be particularly true for relatively low-cost, frequent-use products such as kettles or toasters, for which poor design would be particularly frustrating?

This is certainly a tricky problem. Many products are promoted on the basis of a feature or specification which may not provide any real benefit to the consumer and can compromise the usability of the product. Nearly 65 per cent of Americans say they have lost interest in purchasing a technology product because it seemed too complex, according to a study by Philips, and only 23 per cent of Americans say that they use the full range of features on most new technology products.

We are seeing a change as companies are beginning to make usability a higher priority, but even so it is often difficult for consumers to test products effectively. Products tend to be sold on aesthetics and features rather than usability and as such consumers find it hard to articulate actual day-to-day needs. This is an area that needs to be addressed to help consumers make a more informed decision.

How can products be made more inclusive?

Designers need to start with an awareness and understanding of the diversity and capability of consumers’ needs. There is the widespread belief that designers tend to design for themselves. It’s a harsh view, but there is a certain truth to it because it can be difficult to see beyond your own capabilities and requirements.

Companies need to have an inclusive approach throughout the product development process. Having someone dedicated to champion usability throughout the product cycle would help to ensure that usability is not unnecessarily diluted at key decision points. There are always competing priorities such as cost, manufacturing issues and environmental considerations which lead to compromises, so it is naïve to aim for a single product to meet all needs in every case. There will always be the need for specialist or adapted products for people with severe capability impairment. However, designers of mainstream products should aim to include as many people as is practicable and in doing so they should end up with better-designed product.

Some efforts to be inclusive can end up excluding more people. There is a vending machine in our office which has Braille on the number keys, and while that may benefit Braille users it means that the number on each key has to be smaller so that the Braille will fit. The RNIB estimate that there are around 20,000 Braille users in the UK but that there are two million with a sight problem. Therefore a design like this is more exclusionary as it affects those two million with sight problems. If you also think about the problem of a blind person not being able to see to choose the products in the machine then you realise that the design is misguided. It is not to say that Braille users should be ignored, but to make appropriate design decisions the situation of all users must be considered.

Are companies becoming more aware about product rage and inclusive design?

Steps are already being taken towards reducing design barriers. Earlier this year, the Department of Trade and Industry awarded funding for the Centre for Inclusive Technology and Design for a project to establish the commercial case for inclusive design and develop the skills to implement it. The next stage will focus on increasing awareness and producing a toolkit for practical approaches to inclusive design.

A small but significant number of companies are seeing inclusive design as a source of competitive advantage for consumers who are demanding better products. This trend will almost certainly accelerate as more and more companies wake up to the reality of product rage and the benefits of inclusive design.

Have you experienced product rage, or been delighted by a piece of elegant design? Send examples of the best and worst designs you have encountered to: technology@timesonline.co.uk. Feel free to attach photographs if appropriate

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