Innovative Design
A user-centred design approach often provides opportunities for design breakthroughs and innovation. By focusing on understanding users and tasks, this information is used to derive design concepts and new interaction models that support efficient performance of these tasks while solving problems and inefficiencies associated with the current methods of task performance.
Let's illustrate this with a simple example.
Suppose a company that makes hammers wants to design a better hammer. A usual design approach would be to
think of what features and functions we can endow it with that will make it better. This might include making
the hammer more comfortable to hold, reduce vibrations, give it a non-slip grip, make a well-balanced head
and handle and so on. All these will result in welcome improvements.
A user-centred design approach will not focus straightaway on making a better hammer but will try to understand what users are using it for, how they are using it and the problems they have. Such an analysis might reveal that most users are using it primarily for hammering nails into the wall because they want to hang a picture. Problems may include anything from bent nails to swollen fingers because users are unable to control the hammer to hit the nail accurately. There is also the problem of how additional nails are carried - often in a pocket or worse, gripped between teeth.
An analysis of user and task needs might lead to the following design directions:
- Find an alternative method of hanging pictures without using a hammer and nails. This may lead to the design of special tapes or glues that are simple to use and just as effective.
- Design a better nail that does not bend and which is easier to hit. This may lead to a new nail design or even a nail replacement.
- Design a nail holder that can be used to store nails and easily load nails into an internal chamber within the holder that guides the nail so it doesn't bend.
Pursuing the last option, we may end up with a nail holder that is gripped in one hand with the tip of the nail protruding from the chamber end with a piston at the other end. The piston is hammered, the large size of the piston ensuring accuracy while protecting the hand holding the nail holder, and the force transmitted to the nailhead in the chamber. Each knock on the piston pushes the nail through the chamber into the wall or wood surface. Squeezing a button with the gripping hand releases the nail from the holder and all that is left is to hammer the nail flush with the surface. The piston is pulled out to load another nail into the chamber and the process continues. While there can be many design variations, it is best to allow the nail holder to work with conventional hammers and nails.
What this simple example shows is that a user-centred design approach focuses on coming up with design solutions that help users accomplish their tasks simply and efficiently, in this case a better solution than just a plain hammer for driving nails into the wall more accurately, efficiently, safely and comfortably. Now that's innovative design!