Harnessing the Power of UX in the Physical World
by Jai Djwa
Doors can have bad UX
Have you ever had the experience of trying to pull open a door only to realize that it was a push? Frustrating, right? Well, it’s not you, it’s the design of the door giving you the wrong idea. Famed designer Don Norman says that a door should immediately make sense when you approach it. And what about trying to figure out how to turn on a new stove that seems to be completely backward from what you would expect?
Let’s face it, no one wants to use a product that’s a pain to operate, and that’s where user experience (UX) comes in. A positive UX can make a physical product a joy to use and can lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty and even word-of-mouth marketing, which gets you more sales and an even bigger market share.
A stove with a good UX can mean the difference between a product that sells like hotcakes and one that’s getting lots of negative reviews. Think about it, would you rather use a camera that’s easy to navigate and understand or one that’s a complete mystery?
UX in Industry
Even in the world of industrial products, UX can have a huge impact on productivity and efficiency. A machine that’s easy to operate and maintain will require less training and downtime, leading to cost savings and increased productivity for the company. And if employees and customers are happy, it’s a win-win situation for everyone.
The design of physical products also plays a big role in the user experience. A product that looks good and is well-designed can be more appealing to customers and can create a positive brand image for the company. However, on the other hand, a poorly designed product can give the impression that the company doesn’t really care about the customer, and that can lead to decreased sales and poor customer satisfaction.
With the rise of technology, the importance of UX in physical products is only going to continue to grow. More and more products are incorporating digital interfaces like touchscreens and voice control, and the use of data and analytics will allow companies to gather information on how customers use their products and make improvements based on that data. With the rise of Industry 4.0, UX will become a critical success factor for companies that want to remain competitive.
In short, if you want to stay competitive in the market, you better make sure your product has a kick-ass UX.
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