Making
a good design is not just about the looks. We know that there are many
aspects to consider. There have been many different approaches on how
to put those considerations into reality. There are two main
perspectives: as designers we look at the ergonomics, aesthetics,
functions, production, etc. and "put" that into our design, or we look
at the object and think that every detail of our design will have an
impact on every one of those areas. User Centered Design (UCD) may fall
into this last approach.
As designers we tend to care only for the creation and forget about
the life of the product. We forget that at the end, there will be
not just "some" user but someone, a person that is going to be disapointed
or fascinated with our product. We always have to keep the user in
mind.
It is hard to keep up with reality. We fall so much in love with
our
projects, that we often think "If I like it, everyone will like my
product too". Well, here is a virtual reality check. I made this game
as a metaphor on how UCD works. Try to match the products with the
users/consumers.
For
each customer there is only one product that matches. The idea is to
identify which product corresponds to each one of the 10 customers! For
example: Paris Hilton may be interested in changing her Sidekick phone
after the hacker's attack, but not for a
cheap one!... nor the $10 sunglasses. For her, a $500 Dior shoes might be
a good choice. I can't imagine Nam June Paik buying a watergun. I believe
he would be more interested on a digital video camera, etc. Have fun!
