Notes on Bad Product Design

Having lived for 50 years on this earth, I've had many experiences with products that are fraught with design flaws. I'm an engineer, so perhaps bad product design sticks out like a sore thumb for me.

Many design flaws have the effect of making ordinary product maintenance a real pain in the neck. Many design flaws cause pain a little lower down the spine...

The cure for most flaws in design is prevention. And to prevent design flaws from making it to the marketplace, you need to actually test what you build. Yes, test it. Yes, even you, the best engineer in the world, are, in fact, human. And humans make mistakes. Even you. Yes, I'm talking to YOU!

And when I say test it, I mean really test it. Pretend you are the customer, the person who bought this product. Pretend you are the customer by actually using your product in the way it is intended to be used. Why is it so hard for you to figure out that you need to do this before marketing a product? Do you have any common sense at all? Hello??

For example, if the entire working order of a $200 carpet shampooing machine depends on the exact placement and structural integrity of a very small, hard to remove, $1.39 plastic part, would you say this is good product design? Uh, nope.

For another example, if the complete model number of a major kitchen appliance is unreadable unless you are able to hold a magnifying glass and flashlight while standing on your head, would you say this is good product design? Uh, nope.

For still another example, if, in order to add memory to a PC, one needs to pry off the side of the case using a tire iron, because the PC case was not designed to ever be opened, and once you get inside you find that even with your small, feminine hands you are unable to reach the memory module area, would you say this is good product design? Uh, nope.

And don't get me started on serial numbers that are imprinted black on black or white on white so that registering for product service requires part luck, part guesswork, and Superman vision or very sensitive fingertips.

[Long diatribe about software defects is left as an imagination exercise for the reader.]

We can prevent bad product design, if we make a conscious effort to put ourselves in the place of the guy who is going to use it. For products already in the marketplace, however, it's too late for prevention. What is needed is punishment for the designer, witnessed by the customers who seek vengence.

No, I'm not talking about waterboarding. That's torture. Yes, it is. Don't argue with me!

Anyway, where was I ? Oh yea, what I envision for payback for bad product design is to require the designer(s) to sit in a room with their product, and be forced to use it. For about 8 hours. Or more, depending on the gravity of the design flaws and the number of individuals who have been harmed emotionally while using the product.

Summary: Test what you build! Or else!