This Product Sucks!Better Experiences, Better Business, Better World

25-Minute versionDarren Kall

darrenkall@kallconsulting.com

@darrenkall #thisproductsucks Kall Consulting 2011KALL ConsultingCustomer and User Experience Design and Strategy

Thisproductsucks!Allen the Customer

Stealing money from his companyRuining productivity across the enterpriseImpacting Allens health

Allen was rightWe had made a product that sucks Target users happy, but we missed Allen Missed the whole Allen persona Missed that the product fit poorly in an existing business system

Allens User Experience (UX)

Where was this?

Where was this?

My point is . . .It could have been any of these companiesIt could be your companyNot just software, Internet, mobile, etc.It could be your product

To avoid making products that suck: Distinguish between bad UX and one that sucksKnow how to prevent products that suck

Audience Test: Does this product suck?Distinguish between bad UX and one that sucks

This productis disturbingbut does not suck

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This productis brokenbut does not suckPhoto Credit

This productis annoyingbut does not suck

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This productis uglybut does not suck

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Though both of these could arguably be products that suck

Im only looking at one kind of sucky product

This productis a lie but does not suck

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YES.This product sucks

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The people who design products that suck dont think about, or dont know about, the people that have to use themProducts suck when they cant be used for the purposes they were designed forBut this worst type of user experience breakdown is preventable

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Photo CreditOne Dozen Products that SuckNo Internet or Mobile Examples Even Though they ExistGeneral Principles to Apply to your ProductProblemRoot CausePreventionKnow how to prevent products that suck

Problem 1: Triathlon scenario = running, biking, swimmingWatch is ruined if you press buttons underwaterPhoto Credit

Root Cause: Implementation or technology did not meet up with user scenarioPhoto Credit

Prevention: User scenariosTask flow analysis Usability testBeta test Customer concept validation

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Photo CreditProblem 2: Adaptive transmission not designed for a shared car or variable driving style

Photo CreditRoot Cause: Designed for ideal-world case not real-world case

Photo CreditPrevention*: User researchWorkflowTask flowActivity cyclesBeta test

* To credit VW, they redesigned and eventually dropped this feature

Photo CreditPull or Push? Can you tell?

Photo CreditProblem 3: Even with signs users bang into doors

Photo CreditRoot Cause: Handle affordances not distinguishable

Photo CreditPrevention: Design for affordances. Things that look the same should act the sameHeuristic evaluationUsability checklistRemembering your own experiences

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Photo CreditProblem 4: Frustrating experience to pay for parking

Photo CreditRoot Cause: Bad information architecture, bad visual design, bad task flow

Photo CreditPrevention: Intentional IA designTask flow analysisUsability studyParticipatory DesignGuerilla UX

Photo CreditProblem 5: Scalding or freezing shower

Photo CreditRoot Cause: Fixing bad UI in help, the manual, or in training

Photo CreditPrevention: Fix the product, not the user

Photo CreditProblem 6:

Photo CreditRoot Cause: Did not anticipate expected user behaviorDid not prevent fatal errors

Photo CreditPrevention: Do not design against engrained user behaviorsUsability testTask flow analysis

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Photo CreditProblem 7: Believing Dont worry, well fix it later.

Photo CreditRoot cause: Later never happens

Photo CreditPrevention: Prioritize user-impacting bugs

Photo CreditProblem 8: Breaking user trust

Photo CreditRoot cause: Telling liesMaking mistakesAssuming customers cant do math

Photo CreditPrevention: Dont lieCorrect even minor mistakes they accumulateRemember users are smarter than you think

Problem 9: The self-locking hotel internal bedroom suite doorPhoto Credit: Darren Kall

Root Cause: Things are not used in a vacuum missed system designPhoto Credit: Darren Kall

Photo Credit: Darren KallPrevention:Interactive system analysisBeta testing

Fix stuff

customers complain about

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Photo CreditProblem 10: No sidewalk where people want to walkIm the user damn it!

Photo CreditRoot Cause: Prohibition does not work

Photo CreditPrevention: Participatory designCatch the userDemocratize design

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Photo CreditProblem 11: Cant set alarm. Cant follow directions. Dont trust product

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Photo CreditRoot Cause: Product not designed for use. Instruction is a poor substitute for good design

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Photo CreditPrevention: Usability test. Products should be easy to use

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Photo CreditProblem 12: Unintended Acceleration

Root Cause: We lost sight of our customers. James LentzPhoto Credit

Photo CreditRoot Cause: Complaint investigations focused too narrowly on technical without considering HOW consumers USED their vehicles. James Lentz

Check if solution explains the user data 70% not the pedalTest for worked as used not as designedEthnographic research into driversAnalytics on real users to build test scenarios Listen to experts

Prevention: Listen to customers

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UX design prevents products that suck:Meet (advertised) user scenarios with capabilitiesDesign for real-world use, not ideal-worldDistinguish affordances Design with conscious intentionFix the product, not the userDont design against engrained behaviorsPrioritize user-impacting bugsCorrect even minor mistakesRemember your product is part of a whole systemProhibition does not work democratize designProducts should be easy to useDont lose sight of HOW customers USE your product

Products dont have to suck to create a UX breakdownA UX breakdown can happen if your product is disturbing, unpredictable, difficult,untrustworthy, awkward, broken, ugly, annoying, sloppy, etc.

Customer-centered businesses have insights about the people who purchase and use the system, object, process or concept that they sellAnd they keep this in mind as they develop products

UX design is a customer-centered approach to the innovation, design, engineering, development, anddeployment of a product or serviceThe 12 examples of products that suck could have been prevented if the companies had taken a UX approachUX design is a way to keep customer insight in mind during product development

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Step 1: Do something yourself - todayStep 2: Learn more on your ownStep 3: Get a coach to teach youStep 4: Rent UX help through vendorsStep 5: Hire UX employeesStep 6: If you already have UX people, use them!The Six Step Program to Better User Experience

I recommend a tiered approach to introducing a user experience approach into your company.Do things at every level. Scale your investment to what you can afford.Step 1: Do something yourself today: HAND OUT ********

In Conclusion:Dont tolerate products that suckDont buy products that suckAnd Photo Credit

Dont designproducts that suckPhoto Credit

Darren Kalldarrenkall@kallconsulting.comhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenkall@darrenkall+1 (937) 648-4966http://www.slideshare.net/DarrenKall

Thank you. KALL ConsultingCustomer and User Experience Design and StrategyPlease rate my presentation on SpeakerRate.comhttp://speakerrate.com/speakers/15597-darrenkall

Darren Kalldarrenkall@kallconsulting.comhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenkall@darrenkall+1 (937) 648-4966http://www.slideshare.net/DarrenKall

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Though both of these could arguably be products that suck

Im only looking at one kind of sucky product

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I recommend a tiered approach to introducing a user experience approach into your company.Do things at every level. Scale your investment to what you can afford.Step 1: Do something yourself today: HAND OUT ********