Design problem and usability

 

The design problem posed by technological advances is enormous. The ever developing and the introduction of new technology would always prompt us to add more functionality to the product. The same technology that was designed to simplify life by providing more functions in each product would instead start to complicate the process by making product non-user-friendly. This is an imminent paradox of development in technology.

Many times customers never know what they want until they have had a chance to use it. We need a system wide approach of the design in full context of its use, one that starts with the user and ends with the technology. The problem is that design is really an iterative process. Iterative development actually means rapid prototyping. So the designers should work with the intended users, get an idea of their needs, do a quick mock-up at the earliest, and try it out before releasing the new product or feature.

Design is all about conveying information appropriately. Representations and their interpretations play an important role in design because designers, in various ways, need to externalize design proposals and present them to others-fellow designers, users, or managers. Designs should be tested with real users performing real tasks and where possible in the actual user environment. The results of usability testing may force a designer to revisit decisions made regarding use-related hazard in the design. 

There should be a formal, human-centered product process where the process should propose and be built around an iterative design and study process. And finally, it should extend beyond the final release date of the product in order to collect field data and user feedback on performance, repair and service, usability and functionality that will drive the next release.

Definitely, the information need, want and demand changes rapidly; the need for today is not always the need for tomorrow. Customer-centered approach should be an ongoing process to overcome the limitation at least to some extent to benefit both the designer and the client. As always it is very difficult to satisfy all customer needs, designer should foresee the limitations for the improvements in the design.