Design Critique: Products for People
Our show encourages usable designs for a better customer experience in products and services. Each episode is different, with the only constant being our demand that UX design make our lives better and provide long term value. If you care about design's impact on our modern quality of life, give us a listen. You will hear: * Critiques of products & services we've used thoroughly, * Interviews with people whose work or books we admire, and * Discussions of design methods we use in our own user experience research and design careers.
Thu, August 01, 2024
DC169 Interview: Michael Levine on the USA Patent Process
Patent Agent Michael Levine joins Timothy Keirnan to discuss the process by which inventors obtain patent protection for their ideas in the United States. What is a patent? How do inventors research to learn whether their idea is truly novel? What are the steps and costs associated with researching and filing for a patent? What about patenting a novel idea in other nations? In this 68 minute episode, we'll learn answers to those questions and hear some anecdotes about fascinating patents Michael has seen in his career as a patent agent. Michael's website is https://www.enterprisepatent.com/
Sat, November 11, 2023
DC168 Interview: Viktor Rydal on the Nomono Sound Capsule
This is our last episode for a while, but is well worth the wait! We have an interview with Viktor Rydal, industrial designer from Nomono, who talks with Tim about the Nomono Sound Capsule. Visit the Nomono website about the SoundCapsule to see and hear their demonstrations. This truly innovative solution records conversations with its custom lapel mics into its Sound Capsule hub, and their cloud application removes bad room acoustics to create astoundingly good audio from rooms that did NOT sound good to begin with. It's an interviewer's dream come true. Whether used by user researchers, journalists, or conference organizers, the Nomono Sound Capsule achieves good clean audio recordings in everyday noisy environments. The Sound Capsule allows the interviewer to focus on the interview, not worry about the audio engineering and room acoustics. For over an hour, Viktor and Tim talk about the story of the Sound Capsule's design and development. Tim is enjoying his new job teaching at Michigan Technological University but needs to focus on the relocation and new job in its first year--so no more episodes for a while. Expect us...when you hear us. Thanks for listening since 2005 and we promise some more episodes in the future. Check www.designcritique.net for the occasional blog post in the mean time.
Sun, July 02, 2023
DC167 Interview: Dushyant Kanungo on Enterprise UX
Dushyant Kunungo joins Timothy Keirnan for a discussion about enterprise UX. * Duhsyant's professional background * The importance of user experience to employees working in an enterprise--both to their morale and their productivity. * Dushyant and Tim share eyebrow-raising anecdotes from enterprise user experience projects they have been on. Employees need effective, efficient, and enjoyable products/tools as much as external customers do. * Dushyant talks about his book, UX Decoded: Think and Implement User-Centered Research Methodologies, and Expert-Led UX Best Practices. You can reach Dushyant at his LinkedIn page. His book's publisher is at this link: https://bpbonline.com/products/ux-decoded?variant=41816075043016 Tim recommends everyone listen to this episode of Dushyant's excellent podcast, UX Banter, with Neal Ford discussing authenticity in branding: https://www.uxbanter.com/e/importance-of-authenticity-in-branding-neal-foard-s1-episode-7/
Sun, May 21, 2023
DC166 Interview: Publisher Barry McBride on Content Strategy at The Orange and Brown Report
Barry McBride joins Timothy Keirnan to discuss the history and content strategy of The Orange and Brown Report, an independent news and analysis business catering to Cleveland Browns football fans. The Orange and Brown Report offers both free and paid subscription tiers of news and interaction with its beat writers and analysts. Across 80 minutes, Barry talks about: * The origin of his Cleveland Browns fan advocacy and community-building in 1995, when Browns ownership and the NFL betrayed Browns fans by moving the team to Baltimore and the legacy media refused to cover all aspects of the story. * HIs first website, Greedwatch.com * His second website, BrownsTNG (The Next Generation) * How legendary Browns former QB Bernie Kosar and his family helped Barry create Bernie's Insiders, a startup that professionalized Barry's concept with credentialed news reporters. * The transition to The Orange and Brown Report and further maturation of the concept. * Plans for the future of the OBR. You can find the Orange and Brown Report at www.theobr.com Tim's book recommendations: Managing by Values by Blanchard ( https://bkconnection.com/books/title/managing-by-values) Learning to Scramble by Kosar ( h ttps://clevelandlandmarkspress.com/book_details.php?bid=27#&panel1-1 ) Almost Too Good: The Undefeated 1948 Cleveland Browns ( https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/just-too-good/ )
Mon, April 17, 2023
DC165 Interview: Matt Ranta on Improving UX for E-Commerce
Matt Ranta, head of practice at Nimble Gravity , joins Tim for a discussion on how companies can and should improve their digital interactions with customers, whether they are B2B or B2C. Whether it's in email messages or web pages, details matter. 03:47 The importance of proofreading marketing email messages. 08:03 Use new image formats like webp and AVIF to increase speed of a website and its SEO. 17:06 Test a website with browsers besides Chrome, which not everyone will use. 22:00 Competitive intelligence tools and keywords 25:30 The useful website evaluation optimization tool https://pagespeed.web.dev/ 28:20 In 2023 people are still not labeling images with alt tags 30:20 Allowing content to be buried deep because of not using pagination properly on web pages 35:34 Disavowing bad back links from undesirable sites you may not want to be associated with, and/or a website that is a link farm 40:22 Do not hide the search bar on the home page or other pages. Make sure to read Matt's excellent article 10 Opportunities for Improving Your Digital Performance.
Thu, March 30, 2023
DC164 Critique: 2023 Subaru BRZ
Eric Penn joins Tim Keirnan and Ken Mayer to discuss the first customer experience phases of his new 2023 Subaru BRZ after a month of ownership. The "Toyobaru Twins" (Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ) are the same car with some slight differences. This vehicle is one of the best examples of "user-centered design" we have ever encountered in a product, and Tim owned the first generation for four blissful years. Eric has purchased the long-awaited and much celebrated second generation, and we go into intense detail on our first four defined phases of the customer experience: Encounter (02:44) Decision (07:21) Purchase (21:00) Initial Use (43:00) We will record an episode about Eric's longitudinal use in February of 2024 so that Eric has a full 12 months of ownership under his belt for that. On this podcast we are nothing if not thorough. In summary, the 2023 BRZ (the second model year of the 2nd generation of the car) meets or exceeds almost every criterion for delighting Eric as customer/user. The car's designers and engineers improved on the few weaknesses from the first generation without compromising what made the first generation so terrific. From the seating position, to the razor sharp handling, to the improved human-machine interfaces in the cockpit, to the new, more powerful engine, everything about this car screams or subtly implies "made for driving enthusiasts of light weight, nimble sports cars." Neither Subaru nor Toyota invented us to be so positive about this vehicle. It is incredibly well-focused on delighting a well-defined customer target.
Thu, March 02, 2023
DC163 Interview: John Leavitt On Industrial Design
John Leavitt, Senior Industrial Designer at Intelligent Product Solutions , joins Timothy Keirnan for a conversation about industrial design, using two firefighting products as a starting point. Besides the two case studies, we talk about general design process and philosophies, methods, education recommendations, and our ambitions for a world in which UX includes respect for users' privacy and security as a selling point. 00:00 Introduction 03:30 Design Process 08:06 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus case study 19:45 Fire Truck Inventory Feature case study 36:45 How does John recommend people learn industrial design and nurture their careers 40:30 Our dream of UX for any product having a main feature of protecting the user's/customer's privacy and security by default 48:50 John's favorite design resources Purism is one company that is making privacy and security of both software and hardware a primary selling point of their product designs. John's employer is at https://intelligentproduct.solutions/ John's contact info is https://www.linkedin.com/in/jleavit/
Sat, January 28, 2023
DC162 Critique: 2022 Kia Niro EV
David and Jo Lau discuss the five phases of customer experience with their 2022 Kia Niro EV (Encounter, Decision, Purchase, Initial use, and Longitudinal use). Vehicle purchases are often a negotiation of two or more people's preferences and needs in domestic situations, and we are delighted to have talked with the Lau family about their customer journey. The human-machine interfaces (HMI) in the cockpit are the simple and effective designs we're used to seeing from Hyundai-Kia vehicles, and Tim was most impressed with the EV charging indicators on top of the dashboard that face through the windshield: three aqua blue lights convey charge status at a glance, without anyone having to pull out a smart phone. The driving features a tight suspension with enough torque to avoid trouble on the highways. David and Jo share their cost per mile with us as well, which is pleasantly low at current electric rates in their town. Range anxiety is a very real thing but for shorter distances, a BEV is suiting them fine. The Laus are quite pleased with all customer experience phases except Purchase. Listen for an amusingly exasperating story about a tired old sales technique that was attempted on them, but they successfully resisted! https://www.kia.com/us/en/niro-ev Our Mazda Miata car club website is here if you would like to join us! http://www.realitydistortionfield.com/mimiata/
Sun, January 01, 2023
DC161 Critique: Private Selection Frozen Pizza
Larry Rusinsky joins Tim Keirnan for a new kind of episode: critiquing the user experience of food. Because the UX of food is so very subjective based on genetics, culture experiences, individual preferences, and a potential inconsistency of "production" for a particular dish, frozen foods are at least somewhat consistent in their production. Our critique is of Kroger's house brand Private Selection Artisan Stone Fired Pizza in the Cuban-Inspired Ham & Swiss flavor. We also ate a "control pizza" to attempt to create a reference point to describe the test pizza and which listers can relate to. The "fixed variable" as our control is a Newman's Own Thin & Crispy Crust Supreme Pizza. This is a nationally distributed brand in the USA. Larry and Tim found that Private Selection frozen pizza is a very fresh-tasting and interestingly flavored, at least in the Cuban-Inspired Ham & Swiss flavor. Larry says the other flavors are all worth trying. Both of us agreed that the value of these frozen pizzas is very good. Tim concludes the episode with a brief history of the invention of frozen food. This article explains the team that "designs" Kroger house brand items (including foods): https://storebrands.com/crowning-kroger This article lists some of the author's favorite Kroger house brand foods: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/kroger-brands-review/
Wed, November 09, 2022
DC160 Critique: PineTab tablet
Yousef Hegazi joins the show to help Tim Keirnan critique Pine64's PineTab, a low-cost 10-inch tablet that uses Linux as its operating system instead of iOS, Android, or Windows. Pine64 provides "system on a chip" computing devices that run free and open source software (FOSS) as their operating system and applications. The PineTab follows earlier projects such as the PineBook/PineBook Pro (a laptop), the PinePhone and PinePhone Pro (a smartphone), and the PineTime (a smart watch). Projects are shipped early to a community that can help with development and, at some point, the project will be ready for regular everyday users to buy and enjoy. Unlike other tablets on the market such as the Apple iPad and the Amazon Fire, the PineTab is not a closed ecosystem that sends information back to its manufacturer about how customers use the device. NOTE: PINE64's website for ordering the PineTab did mention that the operating system is "a work in progress". Our critique balances our impressions of the device's UX with that admission. At some point, though, the software needs to mature to be useful and usable for regular consumers. Check out the upcoming PineNote. Here is the article Tim mentioned that explains how the dominant tablet makers track users' activity on the devices and why. For those not comfortable with such an arrangement, a Linux tablet such as the PineTab may offer hope. https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/31/21117217/amazon-kindle-tracking-page-turn-taps-e-reader-privacy-policy-security-whispersync
Thu, July 28, 2022
DC159 Interview: John Loss on his book Not Always Homeless
John Loss joins David Mettler and Tim Keirnan to talk about his book Not Always Homeless , created from ethnographic interviews with local people who were homeless in his area. Its subtitle is "The personal stories of 13 people who survived and escaped a life on the streets". After we discussed how he published his first book at age 80 based on interviews with homeless people in the Niagara Falls area of New York State, we talked about about the 501c3 charity he and some fellow concerned citizens created to help local people without homes build a more stable life for themselves, called Help and Hope for the Homeless. Why and how do people in America become homeless, and what kind of assistance is proven to work successfully long term? John presents compassionate, insightful research and personal anecdotes from helping people in his community. Not Always Homeless... can be purchased on Amazon . The Niagara Gazette published this article about John's book and charity .
Wed, June 01, 2022
DC158 Critique: Electric Kettles UX
Tec-Ed CEO Stephanie Rosenbaum joins Tim Keirnan for a critique of two different electric kettle designs that heat water quickly and precisely: the KRUPS BW3140 Savoy and the Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp. Both designs accomplish the goal but in very different ways. The KRUPS kettle has its user interface in its base and excellent balance in its carafe, while the Cuisinart has its user interface in the handle of the carafe with better labeling, but worse ergonomics for the carafe itself. We discuss the details thoroughly, along with reflecting on how complex a user population can be for even the most simple tasks like heating water. Keep that user research going, whatever your product or service... Also, Stephanie received the UXPA's Lifetime Achievement Award the day before recording this! NOTE: Tim's memory was faulty about the cost of the kettles. They were closer to $90US each. You can find more details and photos for these products at the KRUPS website and the Cuisinart website .
Sun, May 01, 2022
DC157 Critique: 401K Website Usability Failure
Tim recounts a 401K benefits website usability failure to cohost Dave Mitropoulos-Rundus. They then discuss the foundational importance of usability testing and of tracking the all-important time on task metric. Even in 2022, the most professional-looking website can disappoint customers if if UX fails at the most fundamental tasks.
Fri, March 18, 2022
Critique: 2016 Scion FR-S
Five years and 50,000 miles in the making, this critique of the 2016 Scion FR-S (aka Subaru BRZ or Toyota 86) puts the long in longitudinal review! Cohosts Eric and Ryan return to help Tim discuss the complete customer experience with the car from encounter, to decision, to purchase, to initial use, to longitudinal reflection. The "Toyobaru" is in our opinions one of the most successful user-centered car designs we've ever experienced. Toyota and Subaru aimed this car at a narrow customer segment and created something with an enthusiastic following and enough sales to continue the model into a second generation. It never tries to be all things to all people, but rather succeeds in creating passion and loyalty in its customers' hearts. This episode is way longer than usual at 100 minutes so here are the segment timings: 00:00-51:00 Encounter, Decision, Purchase, Initial Use 51:00-1:07:34 Longitudinal Use and Final Year 1:07:35-1:21:19 Second Generation Improvements 1:21:20-1:40:33 Special Guest and Conclusion A design this pure, with a customer base so well defined, is proof that large corporations can delight customers if an executive champion and a dedicated team work in concert to achieve their customer-centric goal.
Mon, January 17, 2022
DC155 Interview: Public Space Design with Sour Studio's Pinar Guvenc
Pinar Guvenc, a partner at Sour Studio , joins Tim for a discussion on how this consultancy does their Architecture, Interior Design, Product Design, and Public Spaces work. Sour is a hybrid design studio with the mission of addressing social and urban problems through sustainable and inclusive methodologies. Sour's use of co-creation panels and extended collaboration with all the diverse stakeholders on their projects is discussed, as well as a case study in public space design they did in Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey. Sour is proud to say they work "with" clients and stakeholders, not "for". Check out Sour's work on making accessibility a priority in product design with their Degree Inclusive antiperspirant packaging and their ADA 1.0 clothing form that helps retailers make fashion accessible to people with disabilities. You can find Sour at https://www.sour.studio/ Read some information about Taksim Square as well as view some photos.
Fri, December 31, 2021
DC154 Critique: Samsung and Sony DAPs
Instructional designer Brian Duck joins Tim for two topics: why are UX practitioners still having to persuade some companies that we need access to end users on our projects in 2021, and why Sony's ultra portable digital audio player is so bad compared with Samsung's player from 15 years ago. 00:00 - 08:00 We commiserate on the need in 2021, in some companies, to explain the fundamental need for early access to the end users of our projects rather than accept what managers dictate as "What the users need". Too many places still think requirements can be determined without proper stakeholder involvement. 08:00-40:00 We discuss the lack of progress in portable digital audio player UX by contrasting the superior UX of Samsung's 15-year old YP-U2J design with Sony's recent NWZ-B183 design that Tim is disappointed by. Brian tries each player for the first time to provide "newbie eyes" in this informal discussion ( this is not meant to be a real usability test). We discuss the importance of benchmarking a product category's UX among competing products before starting a project, and ensuring that those benchmarks are met or exceeded. We don't have any inside knowledge at Samsung or Sony about these two projects, but the glaring UX mistakes in the Sony are difficult to understand in 2021. Our summary of UX advice for the portable digital audio player design space is what Samsung did right in 2006: * Employ high contrast for easy reading in dim light and for users who have difficulty with fine print both on screen and on the body of the player. * Employ large enough text for the same reasons both on the player and in the screen. * Provide an asymmetrical cap shape and make sure it fits tightly to protect the USB port from being damaged. * Provide an asymmetrical shape of the player itself to make it easy for users to operate by feel without eyes on. This includes the headphone jack location for players that are not solely bluetooth. * Provide large enough and easily recognized hard buttons for basic function like Play, Next, Back, FF, REV. * Ensure the firmware operates the hard buttons consistently as on the Samsung--the Sony unit changes the direction of the Next and Back buttons based on which menu screen a user is navigating, infuriating! A positive review of the Sony that contrasts with Tim's disappointment: https://www.techulator.com/resources/15789-Sony-Walkman-NWZ-B183F-review.aspx A quick YouTube video of a delighted Samsung customer whose YP-U2J still works great after 15 years. Build quality matters as well as UX! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgbUrN_g7lQ
Sat, October 16, 2021
DC153 Interview: Gordon Olson on Green Water Heater Design
Gordon Olson, CEO of Torii Industries, joins Timothy Keirnan for a discussion about a new design of tank-less water heater. Tank-less water heaters remove the need for a large water tank to be heated 24 hours a day for occasional hot water use. Besides being inefficient use of energy, traditional tank water heaters can fail catastrophically, and provide large amounts of landfill waste after their useful life is over. The Torii solution will replace an old centralized water heater with a tank-less model that uses a carbon foam inside the pipes of the unit to heat water very quickly & efficiently for use on demand. This design does not expose metallic components to the hot water that catalyzes oxidation and subsequent wear. Sensors and software will monitor the components and facilitate component replacement before any failures occur. You can visit Torii Industries at https://toriiway.com/
Fri, August 20, 2021
DC152 Interview: Medical Packaging Design with Dr. Laura Bix
Dr. Laura Bix from the Michigan State University School of Packaging returns to the show! Her latest project was researching the packaging of medical supplies used by EMTs in the field as they stabilize patients and transport them to the hospital in the ambulance. Dr. Bix describes how most medical supplies are normally packaged for the highly controlled Operating Room environment and how they might not work as well in the field and in ambulances. From initial investigation ideas, to recording ambulance environments on closed tracks, to constructing an ambulance simulator usability lab for testing the opening of packaging with EMTs under repeatable conditions, Dr. Bix walks us through all the phases of the project. Here is an article on Dr. Bix's work at the school, including the study we talked about in this episode (I used two great photos from this article in this blog post, thank you MSU!): https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/packaging-the-industry-no-one-thinks-about-but-saves-lives Visit the MSU School of Packaging website . Even more links: https://www.facebook.com/MSUPackaging https://www.linkedin.com/company/msupackaging/ https://www.instagram.com/msupackaging/ https://www.instagram.com/msucoppac
Sun, July 25, 2021
DC151 Interview: Memoir Design with David Loehr and Greg Swenson
Tim Keirnan interviews author David Loehr and designer Greg Swenson about the new memoir That's How Strong My Love Is: From Rock and Roll to James Dean . The memoir is an insider's perspective of rock and roll history, James Dean legacy, fashion, pop culture, and the counterculture of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s from New York to LA. This book is unique in that David, the world's foremost archivist of James Dean's remarkable life and career, saved so many artifacts from his own interesting life experiences to document them, including ticket stubs, posters, autographed photos, letters, post cards, clothing from various periods, photos, badges, pins, stage designs, newspaper clippings, and more. Greg worked with David to design the presentation of the memoir text and the appropriate artifact photos and scans, plus the cover. David's memoir is on sale at the following places: The James Dean Gallery ( jamesdeangallery.com ) Ebay.com ( https://www.ebay.com/itm/265176747370?hash=item3dbdc40d6a:g:MMMAAOSw~XhgsUW0 ) Amazon.com ( https://www.amazon.com/Thats-How-Strong-Love-Rock-n-Roll/dp/0578826151/ref=sr_1_1?crid=XH1Q1Z5PUE1D&dchild=1&keywords=that%27s+how+strong+my+love+is+book&qid=1627243483&sprefix=that%27s+how+strong+my+love+is%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-1 ) Greg's book, "Recipes for Rebels", is another book design triumph and is available at the following places: The James Dean Gallery ( jamesdeangallery.com ) Recipes For Rebels site ( https://www.recipes4rebels.com/?product=recipes-for-rebels-cookbook) Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Recipes-Rebels-kitchen-James-Dean/dp/0578165139/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1627243823&sr=8-2 ) The incredibly good 8 minute documentary "Lenny's Shirts" on Lenny Prussack's fashion design career is at https://youtu.be/eAuNU8npRv0 Lenny's s
Sat, July 03, 2021
DC150 Critique: BinaxNow COVID Self Test
This is a solo episode in which I critique the design of Abbott's BinaxNow Covid-19 Antigen Self Test. This test is available in retail stores (in the USA a pack of two is, at this time, about $20). It tests for proteins one's body makes when fighting a Covid-19 infection, the symptoms of which not everyone experiences in the same way. The use of rapid antigen self tests could revolutionize public health for COVID and beyond. Imagine getting ready to visit someone you love whose health is compromised in some way that makes them more risky to something that is going around your area. A rapid self-test can put the mind at ease, especially for symptoms that allergies can mimic. Use of rapid self tests can protect coworkers, family, friends, etc., because if enough people use them during a time of an outbreak, those who may test positive for being infectious can self-isolate and prevent the spread while they contact their doctor to get help if needed. The BinaxNow test is as easy to use as advertised. The only improvements needed in my experience are a lower price per unit and less daunting technical communication. Perhaps for regulatory reasons, the BinaxNow instructions have a LOT of text on a double sided poster. But the instructions worked for me in the first use, so criticizing the instructions might be unfair. As promised in the episode, here are some excellent links about the advantages of cheap, easy to use rapid antigen self tests from the two experts discussed in the episode: Dr. Michael Mina's radio interview about rapid self-tests: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1XTc29ZGtM Dr. Mina's article from December 2020 about rapid self tests' ability to stop Covid-19 spread quickly: https://time.com/5912705/covid-19-stop-spread-christmas/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_term=ideas_covid-19&linkId=104733190 Dr. Robert Epstein's Carrier Separation Plan to use rapid self tests to stop the spread of any pathogen in a population: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.640009/full A good paper on the importance of testing frequency and fast results for reducing an infectious disease: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/1/eabd5393?utm_campaign=SciMag&utm_source=JHubbard&utm_medium=Twitter The development of a rapid saliva test is on the way: <a href= "https:/
Sat, May 08, 2021
DC149 Critique: Garmin Dash Cameras
Eric Penn rejoins Tim Keirnan on the show for a critique of Garmin dash cameras. And on this show you know we bought them with our own money, no review units or other favors from the manufacturer. The guys discuss the following models: * nuviCam LMTHD that combines a GPS with a dash cam * Garmin 35 * Garmin 46 * Garmin Mini In both Eric's and Tim's critiques, Garmin customer support was a big positive to the customer experience. The products were useful and usable, without any outstanding problems. When Tim's nuviCam broke after only two years, Garmin customer support worked diligently to help him fix it. Even though it could not be fixed, having a company sincerely try to help solve a problem salvages a relationship and Tim would consider another Garmin purchase because the customer service. Our previous episode with customer service professional expert Charlotte Purvis rings true here. In Eric's case, his 35 broke under the warranty period and Garmin quickly replaced it. No fuss, no muss. Eric discusses using the Garmin 46 and Garmin Mini together to record both front and rear views in his FiestaST. Eric also talks about his use of Garmin products for cycling.
Sun, February 28, 2021
DC148 Interview: Charlotte Purvis on The Customer Communication Formula
Charlotte Purvis joins Timothy Keirnan for a discussion about ensuring good user experience with customer service professionals. When we call an organization for help with a product or service, these people are on the front line of customer interaction. How well they assist us will impact our perceptions of a product and the brand of the company that sold it. Charlotte's new book is The Customer Communication Formula: How to Communicate with your Customers and Boost your Customer Service Brand . She talks with Tim for 40 minutes about how she created her customer communication formula, how she coaches customer service professionals in call centers, and the importance of having a professional physical environment for people to do their best work in the office or at home. You can find Charlotte at her website www.charlottepurvis.com
Sat, January 02, 2021
DC147 Purism Librem 5 Smartphone Hardware Impressions
The Librem 5 is Purism's re-envisioning what a smartphone could be and should be. It runs on Purism's own Linux distribution PureOS, which is certified by the Free Software Foundation to be free of non-transparent, proprietary code such as many commercial products use. The "Evergreen" batch of Librem 5 phones is the first official production model, and possesses unique qualities not found in most smart phones: * Hardware switches to turn on/off camera, microphone, WiFi, Bluetooth, and cellular connection. * Easily removeable battery for easy replacement. * Easy access to replace the cellular modem and the WiFi/Bluetooth circuitry * Updates to the PureOS operating system for the long term, not just a few years. * Connection via USB-C to an external monitor. * Does not inherently track customers' usage of the phone and apps. As of December 2020, this "Evergreen" batch of phones does not have a sleep function, so battery life is very short. The microphone of this particular Librem 5 is described as sounding "muffled" and "under water" compared to other smart phones. Purism promises continuous improvements to both the phone's operating system and the Linux kernel that interacts with this promising hardware. At this time, the phone is not usable as a "daily driver". Useful links about the Librem 5 including video tours: https://puri.sm/products/librem-5/ https://puri.sm/posts/why-fsf-endorsing-pureos-matters/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaRf8JBL7tE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aQp3twe7D4
Thu, November 12, 2020
DC146 Susan Weinschenk on 100 Things Every Designer Needs To Know About People
Susan Weinschenk joins Tim Keirnan to discuss the second edition of her wonderfully useful and usable book 100 Things Every Designer Should Know About People. First published in 2011, 100 Things... has helped many kinds of professionals and students learn to be better designers. https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/100-things-every/9780136746959/ Visit Susan's company at https://theteamw.com/ Susan has been on the show multiple times over our 15 years and you may enjoy hearing these older episodes with her: http://www.designcritique.net/podcasts/interview-neuro-web-design-with-dr-susan-weinschenk/ http://www.designcritique.net/podcasts/6th-anniversary-episode-with-dr-susan-weinschenk-on-100-things-every-designer-needs-to-know-about-people/ http://www.designcritique.net/podcasts/panel-the-state-of-the-internet-user-experience-in-2011/
Wed, October 07, 2020
DC145 15th Anniversary Episode with Two Special Guests
We're 15 years old! Tim Keirnan is joined by show co-founder Tom Brinck plus UX legend Stephanie Rosenbaum for a celebration of the show's 15th anniversary. From July 2005 to October 2020, we've kept going when other shows faded away. Where did the time go? But time discussing product and service design is always well spent. Tom and Stephanie continue our discussion series on the buzzwordification of UX--the good and the bad of our terminology becoming popular in the past five years--and memories from 15 years of doing the show. Thanks everyone who listened, wrote, and guested on the show. We're proud of 15 years of commercial-free discussions on design. Tim and Tom
Sat, August 08, 2020
DC144 Sunday Times Website Dark Pattern
This is a short episode on the dark pattern of not allowing a customer to leave a service without unnecessary effort. The Sunday Times website does not allow users to cancel their digital subscription on the site. It took a 15 minus chat online to accomplish what should take one minute and a couple clicks. Hear all about it and think about what decisions like this mean to an organization hell-bent on annoying customers. The Dark Patterns website referred to in this episode is at https://darkpatterns.org They do a really good job writing about and classifying dark patterns. Thank-you, Harry Brignull and Alexander Darlington. The Sunday Times article on the French philosopher Levy is at https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bernard-henri-levy-interview-coronavirus-has-sent-the-world-into-psychotic-delirium-lz5sn8gnn
Wed, June 10, 2020
DC143 Interview: Kelly Goto on Universal Design and More
Kelly Goto, owner and principal of gotomedia and gotoresearch, joins Timothy Keirnan for a discussion about universal design and related topics. Dave M-R and Tim discussed Kelly's excellent 2018 article about professional terminology in episode 135 last year . Now she is on the show herself to cover a fun range of topics, including Universal Design, Inclusive Design, Accessibilty, Japanese design, and Designing for an aging population It's 45 minutes of serious discussion that doesn't take itself too seriously. Kelly provided the following links to continue the learning after you're done listening: https://www.gotoresearch.com/2020/02/27/the-era-of-adaptive-experiences-rethinking-universal-and-inclusive-design/ http://www.universaldesign.com/ (great story about Target in there -- it is a "design for all" store. http://www.inclusivedesigntoolkit.com/ https://www.service-design-network.org/ https://www.ageinplacetech.com/ ( a tech blog run by a friend / colleague of mine)
Fri, May 01, 2020
DC142 Critique: Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones
Larry Rusinsky returns to the show to help Tim critique the Bose QuietComfort 25 acoustic noise canceling headphones. The links referred to in the episode include: How Noise Canceling Headphones Work Comparison of the Bose QuietComfort 25 with the 35 Bose: Why Audiophiles Should Stop the Hate Bose Store Locator
Sun, February 23, 2020
DC141 Interview: Ladder Fire Truck Design with Chief Dan Phillips
Chief Phillips of the Plymouth Township Fire Department has the mind of a firefighter and the heart of a User Experience designer. Join him and Tim Keirnan for a sequel to our pumper truck design episode, this time to discuss the design of our township's new ladder truck. How does the purpose of a ladder truck differ from a pumper truck? What did the fire department learn from ordering and using the pumper truck that improved their design of the new ladder truck? How is the human machine interface (HMI) of the ladder truck made to be as easy as possible for firefighters, including controlling the ladder and hoses and foam generator? Our discussion lasts 60 minutes and covers a wide range of anecdotes, from the scenes of emergency incidents, to the design specification reviews, to the shop floor of the Pierce factory where our truck was built.
Fri, December 20, 2019
DC140 Critique: Tesla Model 3
Tesla Model 3 owners Ryan Malcolm and Syed Ibrahim join Tim Keirnan for a thorough critique of their cars while Tim moderates this ad-free, in-depth discussion. We follow the show's Critique by Values model to learn how Ryan and Syed experienced each of the phases of product experience: Encounter Decision Purchase Initial Use Longitudinal Use This is not a review of the car as much as it is a conversation about people's transportation needs and how the Model 3 fit into their current lives. Of course, aspects of the car are discussed throughout. As usual, we leave no stone unturned in a detailed, people-centered discussion unhindered by commercials. You can find Ryan at his YouTube channel, which includes track day footage of his Model 3: https://www.youtube.com/user/Ryephile/featured You can find Syed at his website at: https://www.syedibrahim.me/
Sun, November 24, 2019
DC139 WordCast: Paul Fitts, his Law, and his List
Dr. Rebecca Grier joins Tim Keirnan for a wordcast episode about Fitts' Law and Fitts' List. Who was Paul Fitts and how did this legendary psychologist impact our design professions to this day? In a beautiful bit of synchronicity, Wired magazine published this excellent article about Fitts and Chapanis solving a design problem on the B-17 Flying Fortress during WWII.: https://www.wired.com/story/how-dumb-design-wwii-plane-led-macintosh/ Dr. Grier recommends the following links to use in our understanding of Fitts' work: https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/fitts-law-tracking-users-clicks https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-information-capacity-of-the-human-motor-system-Fitts/634c9fde5f1c411e4487658ac738dcf18d98ea8d https://fampeople.com/cat-paul-fitts https://psychology.wikia.org/wiki/Paul_Fitts https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10111-011-0188-1 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351978915006423 https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/wiley/paul-m-fitts-XSLBZF59k5 You can find Dr. Grier at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-grier-ux/
Fri, September 13, 2019
DC138 Conversation: The Buzzwordification of UX #2
Jared Spool and Dana Chisnell join Tim Keirnan for a conversation about what Tim is calling the "buzzwordification" of UX. Has the increasing notoriety of this profession label helped us? Has it hindered us? Maybe it's a balance of pro and con. Maybe we just need to meet in a rental car in a parking garage somewhere in Dearborn and hash it out. Jared can be found at User Interface Engineering and the Center Centre school . Check the UIE site for his upcoming appearances in a city near you. Dana can be found at the Center for Civic Design . She is also, among many other wonderful things, the co-author of the legendary Handbook of Usability Testing 2nd Edition . She travels, too. Meet her if you can. This is the second in a series of indeterminate length. While not linked in any way beside the topic, you may also be interested in listening to the first conversation in the series with Serena Rosenhan and Keith Instone.
Fri, August 09, 2019
DC137 Critique: The Brilliant Mundane of the E-SDS KVM Switch
Mike Velasco joins Timothy Keirnan to critique the E-sds HDMI 2 Port KVM Switch Box. This item enables the use of two computers with a shared keyboard (K), video monitor (V), and mouse (M). The holistic excellence of this product is surprising. When a company does the mundane as well as this product, it shows what can be done with all details gotten right. From its excellent user interface, to its rugged build quality, to its beautiful packaging, to its well-written and well-illustrated documentation, E-SDS did everything right. This is what a good team can accomplish when value, rather than cost, is the focus for the customer. It also proves that goods made in China can be of terrific quality. Even the sales entry on Amazon.com is done extraordinarily well and ,while this show does not have nor want affiliate links, we’re going to put the Amazon link here so you can see how well the catalog entry was done. It has all the photos and text one would need to make a good decision. https://www.amazon.com/Supports-Auto-scan-Hot-Key-Netware-HDMI1-4v/dp/B07DFFFPR7?ref_=bl_dp_s_web_11891183011
Sun, June 30, 2019
DC136 Interview: Paul Axente on UX in Romania and Everywhere
Paul Axente, host of meetup group UX City and producer of the new Design Conversations podcast, joins Tim Keirnan for a wide-ranging discussion about UX in Romania and other topics, including: * UX City's purpose and meetings * Paul's unique route to a UX career * The Design Conversations podcast * Dark patterns in online retail * Concerns about Amazon's long-term effects on customers and communities * Paul's reservations about "corporate command" in the design process * Ethics of design * Customer experience of the video game industry (it's bad) but the promise of independent gaming companies who design for great games and for customers instead of only to make money. * The trap of people confusing tools with design skills. "What is the best tool for design? YOU are the best tool for design." If you are in Romania (and even if you're not!), look up UX City here: https://www.uxcity.net/ You can find the Design Conversations podcast in many places, including UX City.net and https://www.buzzsprout.com/245555
Mon, May 13, 2019
DC135 Profession Labels for "Designers of Stuff" with Dave MR
Dave Mitropoulos-Rundus returns to talk with Tim Keirnan about labels for our field. This continues our long-running friendly discussion about what we call our profession and why, and is there a difference--or should there be--between User Experience and Customer Experience? Dave appreciates the terminology differences whereas Tim wonders why we make such fine distinctions when at the root level we're all "Designers of Stuff". Kelly Goto's excellent 2018 article: https://www.gotoresearch.com/2018/04/11/x-marks-the-spot-in-experience-design-thinking-ux-vs-cx-vs-service-design/ Jared Spool's excellent article published the day we recorded this episode. I think Jared's a mind reader! https://articles.uie.com/ux-and-cx-same-language-different-dialects/ NOTE: Tim regrets interrupting Dave too much in a shocking lapse of bad hosting etiquette...he was hopped up on cough syrup at the time of this recording, which you can hear in his deep head cold voice breaking worse than Peter's in that episode of The Brady Bunch. https://tv.avclub.com/the-brady-bunch-dough-re-mi-1798222209
Thu, March 14, 2019
DC134 The Buzzwordification of UX (1 of ?)
Keith Instone and Serena Rosenhan both return to the show for an episode about UX and "buzzwordification". The last 3-4 years have seen a big rise in the use UX terminology in the media and among coworkers. What are the advantages and disadvantages for UX practitioners now that UX has become popular beyond academia and professional societies? Tim Keirnan sets up the roundtable discussion and the wisdom pours out of these two veteran UX professionals. The fireplace crackling gets a bit loud at points but plying guests with food, drink, and fireplace ambience is part of our recording process. You can find Serena at www.linkedin.com/in/serenarosenhan You can find Keith at https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithinstone/
Sun, February 24, 2019
DC133 Wordcast: Minimum Viable Product with Syed Ibrahim
Syed Ibrahim returns to the show to talk with Tim about his side project, Shoutouts.app . Syed's story of creating this web application is a terrific example of doing a minimum viable product. He candidly shares both advantages and disadvantages of releasing an MVP, and walks us through the details of having an idea, acting on it to create something that works at a basic level for a specific audience, and getting it out there to continue learning and enhancing it. You can find Syed at https://www.syedibrahim.me One of the best definitions of MVP is from Frank Robinson who created the term around 2000, see http://www.syncdev.com/minimum-viable-product/
Sun, December 16, 2018
DC132 Critique: Fiskars StaySharp Max reel mower
Ben Woods joins Tim Keirnan for a single point perspective on the Fiskars StaySharp Max reel mower. Needing neither gasoline nor electricity, this lawnmower is completely powered by the user to cut the lawn. Ben discusses the values that led to his wanting this mower and his experience with it over several summer months of use. As usual we follow the critique structure to learn his experience with Encounter Decision Purchase Out of the Box Longitudinal Use Ben can be found at www.dbenwoods.com .
Sun, October 28, 2018
DC131 Interview: Fire Engine Design with Chief Dan Phillips
Fire Department Chief Dan Phillips joins Tim Keirnan for a discussion about designing the new fire engine for Plymouth Township, Michigan. How does a fire department decide which features are most needed, most wanted, and affordable for a given budget and for the the engine's coverage area? Unlike most passenger cars, a new fire engine is custom built and takes ten months to deliver. Their cost is over half a million US$. The pressure is on a department to get it right, because the service life of a fire engine is 15 years active duty and 5 additional years in reserve. The new engine balances several values: * Provide safety for the local citizens and their property * Provide safety of the firefighters who use the truck every day * Provide good financial stewardship of limited public resources to get the best solution for the budget. You can see our Public Safety Committee's short documentary videos on the obsolete current fire engines at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClTidKC6ZDUJVLoWedD5_gA Our first new fire engine is a Pierce Enforcer. Check out Pierce's website for the Enforcer and other models they make: https://www.piercemfg.com/ Thank you to the men and women working in fire departments everywhere.
Mon, August 20, 2018
DC130 Interview: Giles Colborne, Author of Simple and Usable 2nd Edition
Author Giles Colborne returns to Design Critique to talk with Tim Keirnan about the new second edition of Simple and Usable: Web, Mobile, and Interaction Design . Simple and Usable is one of the best books on UX we've owned in our careers. The contents are simple and usable just as the title promises, and this is one book that both practitioners and stakeholders will benefit from reading. Giles and Tim talk for 40 minutes about various topics including Giles' career having progressed along with the UX profession across the decades, moving from basic website design to service design to organizational design. The physical design of the book reflects the theme, and the publisher did not stray from the successful book design of the first edition. How "get out of the office" is still of prime importance today and the crucial importance of field research with our users. Types of users Giles has observed in his career: experts, willing adopters, mainstreamers. The seductive danger of relying on expert users in our designs. How Alan Cooper's method of Personas has been undermined by some practitioners' use of person-less personas when they haven't even talked with or observed actual users. How this risks the integrity of the design profession as much as a user-less usability test would. Working with stakeholders on design projects. Being teacher or facilitator as opposed to "persuader". Don't rush into design. Understanding what's core takes time. Simple and Usable can be found at its entry on publisher Pearson/NewRiders site .
Sun, June 10, 2018
DC129 Critique: Milwaukee Vertical Toolbox
Mike Velasco joins Tim Keirnan for a critique of the Milwaukee 13" Jobsite Work Box. This tool box is oriented vertically in contrast with conventional tool box designs, which provides both advantages and disadvantages. While Mike enjoys the design and uses his tool box regularly, Tim has not been as impressed despite the numerous positives of the product's design and construction. This is why we do the show! Good designs of even "simple" products like a tool box cannot always please every user; people are so different. As usual, we structure our critique around the following points: * Encounter * Decision * Purchase * Initial Impression (out of the box) * Longitudinal review You can find the tool box at Milwaukee's site here: https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Storage-Solutions/48-22-8010 Note that product photography usually involves very bright lighting, and in this case Tim was not expecting the interior to be as dark as the product photos appeared. The photo on the Design Critique blog page is not using a flash for a more accurate representation of what a user sees when looking into the box for tools along the bottom.
Wed, April 25, 2018
DC128 Interview: Gene Duarte, Industrial Designer at Mychanic
Industrial designer Gene Duarte joins Tim Keirnan for a discussion about the Pod Light and the Blade Multi Light, two of Gene's designs for Mychanic. As Head of Product Development, Gene tells the story behind the designs of these two creative and usable reinterpretations of the shop light. Tim has used them successfully for ten months and explains why they serve his needs in the garage and the house so well. Well done, Mychanic You can find Gene's Pod Light and Blade MultiLight at http://mychanic.com In the photo above, the magnetic base of the Pod Light is shown with the paint-safe sticker showing. Also, note the packaging of the Pod Light with the included batteries clearly obvious.
Wed, April 11, 2018
Update: Molly Fuller Design's Indiegogo Campaign
Molly Fuller from episode 127 returns to tell us about her Indiegogo campaign to fund development of more stylish and affordable compression clothing for teens with autism and sensory disorders. Check it out at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/molly-fuller-design-clothing/x/16724313#/ and http://www.mollyfuller.design
Wed, March 21, 2018
DC127 Interview: Molly Fuller on Medical Fashion Design
Molly Fuller joins Tim Keirnan to discuss creating stylish clothing for teens with autism spectrum disorder or other sensory needs. Her clothing designs use compression as a form of deep pressure for comfort and relaxation. Medical clothing does not have to look “medical” and she tells us about her interest in fashion design in school, and her tying it together with her career in medical service design, including working at the famous Mayo Clinic. You can learn more about Molly and her products at http://www.mollyfuller.design Molly is "on tour" this March and April! You can see her at the following events: March 25th - 30th: National Alliance for Caregiving, San Francisco, CA April 10th: Design of Medical Devices Conference, UM Minneapolis April 14th: Fraser Walk for Autism, Mall of America, Minneapolis April 21st: Pickin for Autism, Amsterdam Bar, St. Paul
Wed, February 28, 2018
DC126 Critique: Toro and Craftsman Snowblowers
Let it snow! This episode finds Tim and guest cohost Mike Velasco talking about the customer experience of snowblowers. Or snowthrowers. Tim relates his newbie snowblower customer experience with the Toro SnowMaster 724 QXE while Mike relates his long history with snowblowers in general and his Craftsman 881730. In a world where the word "innovation" is all too often misused by advertisers and Silicon Valley snake oil salespeople, the Toro is truly innovative. The light weight, the joystick for controlling the chute, the new design for moving the snow, the nimble handling, and the accelerator in its handle are unlike anything Tim found in other brands and models. Its speed is also impressive. As mentioned in the outro, the website movingsnow.com is a terrific resource for learning about snowblowers, and thewirecutter.com also had a good review of the Toro. https://movingsnow.com/2015/2015-toro-snowmaster-724-qxe-824-qxe-picture-review/ https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-snow-blowers/ https://movingsnow.com/2017/2017-craftsman-snow-blowers-whats-new-one-best/
Sun, December 31, 2017
DC125 Critique: Reizen Jumbo Talking Calculator
Accessibility expert Mike Elledge joins Tim Keirnan for an out-of-the-box critique of the Reizen 12-Digit Jumbo Talking Calculator. This calculator has many features that make it a good choice for people with low vision or coordination troubles, with its oversized buttons and display and its ability to speak values entered and calculated. However, Mike finds opportunities for improvement, including the typeface chosen for the buttons, the very small and distant minus symbol and other symbols put across the top of the LCD, and more. We close this episode with email from listener Costan Boiangiu.
Tue, November 21, 2017
DC124 Critique: Ford FiestaST
Eric Penn and Ryan Claffey join Timothy Keirnan for a critique of the Ford FiestaST. We never pretend to be objective on Design Critique, as we are too honest. We admit our biases so you know where our opinions are coming from. In this product category, our bias is small sporty cars with less mass and great handling that let you feel what's going on. The Ford FiestaST is a hot hatchback that won our undying admiration from the first drive. Tim calls it the American MINI Cooper, and he ought to know . It's as close as we'll ever get to driving a Labrador Retriever puppy. Tim talks in detail with Eric and Ryan about their customer experiences with the FiestaST, including * Encounter * Decision * Purchase * Initial use * Longitudinal use Eric's first drive of the 7th Generation Fiesta on Belle Isle was captured for posterity. Ryan's Protege Garage is also well worth checking out.
Tue, August 22, 2017
DC123 Critique: Motorola MotoG4 Android Phone
Syed Ibrahim joins Tim Keirnan for a critique of the Motorola MotoG4 smart phone. While the G4 was touted as an affordable, "pure, clutter-free version of Android", Tim's experience was anything but pure Android. Syed's expert Android wisdom provides a counterpoint to Tim's confusion and disappointment as the discussion ranges from the pluses and minuses of the G4 to the shortcomings of various reviews of the phone when it came out. Our conclusion is that, if the botched implementation of the G4's so-called "pure" Android experience is bad, the coverage of the phone in the traditional tech media was even more sloppy. How is one to shop effectively for a good Android phone in light of reviews like this? Syed has suggestions. Thanks to Tom Merritt for his report on Lenovo switching all its phones to "stock Android". The link to that particular episode of Daily Tech News is at http://www.dailytechnewsshow.com/dtns-3088-left-to-their-phone-devices/ and the license for distributing this excerpt, unmodified, is https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ We won't waste your time linking to all the crappy reviews of the G4 that missed the point in so many ways on this unfortunate phone.
Fri, June 30, 2017
DC122 Critique: Garmin BaseCamp, Plus Email from Listener Costan
We return to the Garmin Nuvi 2598LMTH to try Garmin's companion application for it, BaseCamp. Aravindh Baskaran is back to help Tim Keirnan try to create a customized commute route in to the office and upload the route to the GPS unit. This is a very informal usability test and Tim wanted Aravindh around because the first time Tim tried to do this, he was not successful. Aravindh has used Base Camp to create car club routes on back roads with the Windows version of BaseCamp, so he is acting as informal usability test moderator. The initial use usability problems Tim encountered were nothing compared to the design failure he found transferring the route to the Garmin GPS unit and using it. If you would like to follow along, you can download a Windows or Macintosh version of BaseCamp at Garmin's website: www.garmin.com Listener Costan Boiangiu's excellent email about the UX of GPS devices kicks off this episode, and the informal usability test critique of BaseCamp starts about 15 minutes in.
Thu, March 02, 2017
DC121 Critique: Garmin Nuvi 2598LMTHD, Plus Email from Listener Katie
Aravindh Baskaran joins Tim Keirnan for a critique of the Garmin Nuvi 2598LMTHD. We follow our usual critique structure that includes the following: Encounter Decision Purchase Out of the Box Initial Use Longitudinal Use The Garmin 2598 is an interesting mixture of excellence and frustration. On the positive side, we found that * The map screens, both day and night versions, are very well designed. * The voice sounds terrific because it is both pleasant stylistically and cuts through the noise of the car sonically. * The device is fairly quick in its operation, including finding satellites (unless you are indoors, but why are you driving indoors?) On the negative side, we found that * The vaunted voice interface doesn't work well at all. Very frustrating. * The un-changeable and incessant alarm for school zones within a half mile of the car is extremely frustrating and can make us ignore alarms in general. * The unit occasionally freezes and no amount of pressing or tapping the screen will bring it back, forcing the user to unplug power from the unit and restart it. * Inexplicable routing can ignore oft-travelled commutes and actually send us the long way around. And sometimes Tim got a different route home if his address was in the Home saved location rather than his address being in the Recent list. * The settings don't encourage quickly finding what you want to adjust. Finally, email from listener Katie was a wonderful compliment to starting a new year of episodes. Thank you for listening, Katie.
Sat, December 31, 2016
DC120: 2003 Subaru WRX Longitudinal Review
The Subaru WRX is a legend, and life is too short not to drive legends. The "bug eye" version of this all wheel drive sporty car from 2002 and 2003 was a success worldwide but especially in the North American market where it was the first time we got this car. Later generations of the car delighted owners as well, yet the bugeye models delighted customers in a unique way that the newer cars do not duplicate for all their recent advantages. What made the bugeye WRX so attractive then and to this day? There is an analog, mechanical honesty and tautness to the 2002-2003 models, and modern versions are not as "organic" feeling. Ken Mayer and Eric Penn join Tim Keirnan for a longitudinal review of Tim's 2003 Subaru WRX. If it sounds like we recorded this episode sitting in the car, well, we did! This episode covers the following items in the following order: * The evolution of the all wheel drive niche in vehicle design and rally race history * The nature of forced induction, its pros and its cons * The superb steering wheel by Momo , the clean and usable instrument panel, the clean and usable controls, the amazingly good seats. * The factory boost gauge and short shifter options. * The design choices of 2003, with a value on providing the most feedback to the driver, versus modern car designs with their isolated and numb feeling for the driver. Ken's dad's 2015 WRX provides contrast to what Subaru did in 2003. How has the model evolved? * The heavy weight and mechanical complexity of an all wheel drive and turbocharged vehicle. * Tim's few and limited modifications to an otherwise stock bugeye WRX. * We almost forgot to talk about the qualities of a boxer engine and the excellent sound of the stock exhaust with unequal length headers. * The oil and transmission fluid dipsticks were poorly designed and those fluids are kind of, you know, just maybe, important. Skip ahead to 31 minutes if you want to bypass our discussion of the history of all wheel drive cars and comparisons to front wheel drive and rear wheel drive, and the principles of forced induction. Eric promises us a longitudinal review of his FiestaST in 2017! Stay tuned. . .
Wed, November 16, 2016
DC119: Apple iOS10 Upgrade UI Trickery
2016 has been a bad year of manufacturers trying to force customers into upgrading their devices by user interface trickery. First Microsoft and their Windows 10 deceptions, and now Apple with iOS10 reminders that cannot be refused. In this episode, Tim describes Apple's failure to provide a "No" response in the iPhone's UI and the "nag screen" that repeatedly makes an offer the customer can't refuse. It's not quite as bad as the Windows 10 manipulation scheme was, but the increasing lack of respect for device owners is concerning. Tim's proposed Upgrade Bill of Rights says the following: 1. Respect the owner of the product in all ways. All update dialogs must contain a No response. The owner decides what and when to upgrade, not the manufacturer. 2. Enable the owner to control notifications of updates. Enable turning off reminders messages for specific upgrades. 3. Enable the owner to schedule reminders and updates on their own schedule. Between family support, new house projects, and other life details, the new responsive website for the show is still not up. Thanks for your patience.
Sat, July 30, 2016
DC118 Critique: Kobo eReaders
Alvaro Vargas joins Tim Keirnan for a thorough discussion of the customer experience of eReaders, in particular the offerings from Kobo. Tim is the newbie, having recently bought a Kobo Glo HD as his first eReader, and Alvaro provides the longitudinal review of Kobo eReaders, having bought four of them over time. His current model is a Kobo Glo. As usual, the discussion follows Tim's list of Customer Experience Phases: Encounter Decision Purchase Out of the Box Early Use Longitudinal Use In addition to critiquing the Kobo software and hardware, the guys discuss the nature of physical books versus eBooks, the reasons for a single purpose device like eReaders over tablets, and the challenge of getting accurately created eBooks from source material. Among other things. It's 90 minutes of commercial free analysis and discussion! The shownotes photo for this episode features shots of the two eReaders.
Thu, June 23, 2016
Mailbag: Listener Email from Brian Shunamon
Brian Shunamon from the USA sent us a message so on point that I asked him if I could record it and publish it. As an Information Technology professional with corporate clients, as well as a guy looked to for tech advice by friends and family, Brian addresses the concerns of our last several episodes on Microsoft's customer experience mistakes with its Windows 10 upgrade policy and behaviors. He reminds us that enduring patterns of mistreatment is a bad precedent not only in our personal relationships, but also in our relationships as customers of products and services. You don't have to take it! Nor should we. Brian's longer written article, " NIXING Windows ", about why Microsoft's behavior is a threat to your personal and professional computing life, and how you might consider an personal computer operating system such as Linux, is on his LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nixing-windows-brian-shunamon?trk=prof-post Thank-you, Brian!
Thu, May 26, 2016
DC117 Critique: Never10 and GWX Control Panel Defend Against Windows 10 Upgrade Trickery
Microsoft hit a new low in their obnoxious campaign to upgrade customers' PCs that were Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10. The user interface is almost impossible to say "no" to when the dreaded Win10 upgrade message appears. Anecdotes about affected customers Tim knows and a critique of two freeware utilities that can keep a Windows machine under the user's control are featured in this short episode. When will Microsoft learn to respect customer's private property and offer an honest UI to upgrade to Windows 10? Never, probably. The brand is suffering as Microsoft demonstrates contempt for their paying customers and tricks customers into forced upgrades. Hypnotically cool documentary of Lenny's Shirts: https://youtu.be/eAuNU8npRv0 Lenny's Shirts store on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LennyShirts?ref=unav_listing-r Paul Thurott's excellent article explains the whole mess: https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/67367/upgradegate-microsofts-upgrade-deceptions-undermining-windows-10 Steve Gibson of GRC created Never10 to let owners regain control of their Windows PC: https://www.grc.com/never10.htm GWX Control Panel is not as easy to use as Never10, but offers more configuring options: http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/
Sat, April 30, 2016
DC116 Critique: Apple TV Gen 2, 3 and 4
Tim Keirnan and Mike Velasco critique three generations of the AppleTV: 2, 3, and 4. Mike's experience with Gen 2 and Gen 4 provide a backdrop to Tim's first month with his refurbished Gen 3. It's 90 minutes of thorough discussion on three iterations of the same product. Where else will you hear this level of detailed critique on product design? Nowhere! And not one commercial to fast forward through.
Wed, February 24, 2016
DC115 Critique: Windows 10 Upgrade UX Nightmare
The Windows 10 upgrade has become infamous for its pushy, hard sell approach and its "phone home" data tracking "features". Did you know the "hard sell" is known by such other fun names as "advance consent" and "inertia selling"? It's all about disrespecing customers' property rights, personal rights, and using people as objects for short term gain instead of offering them a decent value proposition. As recounted in this episode, even the technical implementation has flaws that result in a customer experience that disappoints at best and enrages customers at worst. At least, this customer was not satisfied. For those of you who share my concerns at Microsoft's disresepctful, anti-customer approach, the GWX control panel may offer some relief from the Windows 10 upgrade annoyance. Check it out at http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/ NOTE: This critique is of the Windows 10 upgrade process itself, not of Windows 10's user experience as an operating system and user interface.
Wed, December 23, 2015
DC114 Critique: When People Are the UI in Service Designs
In service design and delivery, people are the user interface between an organization and its customers. This anecdotal episode recounts two excellent customer experiences with two seemingly well-run companies. Both employ people whose friendly personalities and professional skills, backed by efficient business processes, won them Tim's business. Story 1: WOW Internet makes switching from internet service provider AT&T Uverse painless and affordable. Story 2: A Plus Auto Repair & Transmission shows how to win expensive repair jobs over Hodges Subaru, an official dealership. A bonus critique of the ConnectSense CS-TH Wireless Temperature Sensor shows how crucial first time setup is and the consequences of it failing. Product setup is your brand's ambassador! Don't screw it up! Merry Christmas, Yuletide Greetings, and Happy New Year. Please submit a review on the iTunes Store if you want to thank us for another year of episodes.
Wed, October 14, 2015
DC113 Interview: Wayne Neale on Customer Experience, Design Thinking, and Service Design
Wayne Neale, CEO of Kaydak, joins Tim Keirnan for an interview that ranges across several topics: * Experience Design: From UI to User Experience to Customer Experience and beyond * Design Thinking * Service Design You can find Wayne at http://www.kydak.com/ The service design episodes of Design Critique Tim mentioned can be heard here: http://designcritique.net/dc32b-interview-cafe-design-with-tom-diab http://designcritique.net/dc47-interview-designing-the-ux-of-conferences-with-jared-spool http://designcritique.net/10th-anniverary-episode-with-tom-brinck-on-starbucks-customer-experience The Tim Cook interview that gives Tim a glimmer of hope that Apple isn’t completely a lost cause: http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2015/10/01/445026470/apple-ceo-tim-cook-privacy-is-a-fundamental-human-right Listener Garrick Dee emailed to say he liked our Sustainable Shaving Tools episode and he’s written his own article on traditional wet shaving. Check it out! http://www.groomingessentialsblog.com/how-to-wet-shave/
Mon, September 07, 2015
DC112 Critique: The UX of Android Lollipop
Time for a mobile episode! Aravindh Baskaran, UX researcher and designer, joins Tim Keirnan to look at the user experience of Android Lollipop. What did we like about it and what do we think could be better? With Android Marshmallow on the way, it's time to reflect on Lollipop's effectiveness. Android is used, in one form or another, by more customers around the world than any other mobile OS (stats we found on this were so inconsistent that we gave up looking, but Android was clearly in the lead in all mobile OS usage stats). We used Aravindh's Nexus 5 phone for this episode because Tim's Nexus 4 now has Ubuntu Touch on it. The blog post image is Lollipop's list design that you'll hear us discuss when we refer to Google's "Material Design". Note when critiquing Android UIs: Aravindh and Tim are critiquing pure Android as designed by Google and used on their Nexus devices and (for the most part) on Motorola's smart phones. Other manufacturers can and do take advantage of Android's open source nature to create their own Android UI that can be grossly inferior to pure Android or innovative, depending on one's point of view. So the UX of Android is not one thing as with iOS and Windows Phone, but a fragmented mix of competing interpretations of Google's Android reference design. Email from Jan Jursa and Costan Boiangiu concludes this episode. Head over to Jan's wonderful Information Architecture Television and take advantage of all the great material there: http://iatelevision.blogspot.com/
Thu, July 09, 2015
10th Anniverary Episode with Tom Brinck on Starbucks customer experience
The Design Critique podcast celebrates its tenth anniversary! While others have podfaded, we have persevered. In this anniversary episode, show co-founder Tom Brinck returns to discuss the customer experience of Starbucks coffee shops with Tim Keirnan. Tom is the power user and Tim is the newbie. Two very different perspectives. This anniversary episode's album art features a cake with a Star Wars action figure on it, as befits any ten-year-old's birthday cake. And you must admit it's cool to have Palpatine himself with us, ready to slice, dice, and fry hypocritically corrupt Jedi. As they well deserved. Thank-you for listening to us for ten years. And thanks to everyone who appeared on the show with us. Customer Experience research and design is more popular than ever, and if this show has helped you improve your products and services, or helped you acquire really good products that truly improved your life, we have accomplished our goal. Best regards, Tim and Tom
Sat, June 13, 2015
DC110 Editorial: When the UX of Less is More
In this first audio editorial episode, Tim relates how he rediscovered the advantages of small electronics devices over their larger-screened brothers. Thanks to Dad for inspiring this one. Besides mobile phones, cars are another example of a product range that used to punish customers who wanted a small size by not allowing superior materials or features in them. Thankfully for small car fans, it's getting better. Smart companies recognize that small size product buyers actually have two categories: those who can only afford the smaller size with no extras, and those who want a premium customer experience and will gladly pay for the extras if made available in a smaller form factor. Small doesn't have to mean cheap! Nice article on small but premium Android phones: http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/April2014/best-compact-smartphones-available.html I forgot to say that as amazingly good as the Lumia 820 is, its camera is not why. This article details current Windows phones and sadly, their trend of providing terrific premium small phones is going in the wrong direction (still great phones if you like 5 inch screens): http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Nov2013/best-windows-phones-right-available-today.html More good reads on premium small cars: http://www.cheatsheet.com/automobiles/9-upscale-small-cars-to-splurge-on.html/?a=viewall http://consumerguide.com/best-buys/premium-compact-car/
Mon, May 18, 2015
IUE2015 Is In June, and Listener Email
Hi everyone, this is a reminder that Internet User Experience is coming back to Ann Arbor, Michigan this June. Also, we have email falling out of the previous episode about the Beluga Razor design. Visit the IUE2015 website at http://www.iueconference.com/
Sun, March 22, 2015
DC109 Interview/Critique: The Beluga Razor and Website with Inventor Zac Wertz
Zac Wertz, inventor of the Beluga Razor, joins Tim Keirnan for an interview about the design of both the Beluga Razor prototype and the BelugaShave.com website . Across 80 minutes of uninterrupted, commercial-free conversation, Zac and Tim discuss hardware and digital designs, including * Their mutual dissatisfaction with modern cartridge razor shave quality, its high cost, and environmental problems * Their appreciation for traditional safety razor shaving * Zac's origin story for inventing the Beluga razor * How Zac designs mechanical prototypes * The design of the BelugaShave.com website to reinforce the Beluga brand * Tim's experience shaving with the prototype The Beluga razor combines the advantage of the modern cartridge razor--a pivoting head--with the advantage of the traditional safety razor--its single, double-edged razor blade. Users thus have the low cost, superior effectiveness, and environmental advantages of traditional safety razor shaves without having to learn the fine motor skills needed for using a traditional safety razor. P.S. You can listen to older shaving-themed episodes: http://designcritique.net/dc85-critique-sustainable-shaving-tools http://designcritique.net/dc48-shaving-razor-critiques
Tue, February 17, 2015
DC108 Interview: Using List Building to Start Your UX Freelancing Career with Jonathan Tilley
Jonathan Tilley, voiceover professional, joins Tim Keirnan for a discussion on how user experience professionals can find freelancing opportunities, either full or part time. This episode is about designing one's career instead of designing a digital or hardware experience, and closes with a discussion of how college students could use list building to find an internship or first job. Jonathan's websites are: www.leagueoflistbuilders.com and www.jonathantilley.com Audiophiles take note: As a professional voiceover artist, Jonathan already sounds good. His choice of the Neumann TLM 103 microphone is why his good voice sounds so amazing in this Skype recording with Tim. There is no additional processing on Jonathan's voice. What you hear is his voice through the proximity effect of a magnificent and expensive-but-worth-it cardiod mic. https://www.neumann.com/?lang=en&id=current_microphones&cid=tlm103_description
Mon, January 19, 2015
DC107 Interview: HFES 2014 Conference Report
Melissa Smith returns for a special Human Factors News Desk episode that reports on the HFES 2014 annual meeting. If you missed the conference, or if you want to hear about sessions other than the ones you attended and the overal trends and themes she noticed, listen to this half hour with Melissa! Link to HFES2014 twitter hashtag: https://twitter.com/hashtag/HFES2014 We also read email from listeners Costan (about GPS unit designs) and Reed (about interactive voice response systems).
Mon, September 01, 2014
DC106 Critique: Magellan RoadMate 2230T-LM
Brad Jensen returns to help Tim critique the Magellan RoadMate 2230T-LM portable GPS. This completes our series on portable GPS for the car and provides a fascinating look at how three manufacturers have designed similar solutions. The strenghts of the Magellan include * Text entry is spoken by the unit to confirm input * Dynamic rerouting around traffic problems works well * Effective use of corners for touch points * 4.3 inch size is not ungainly as the 5 inch Garmin was Usability problems with the RoadMate could be summed up as bad color choices in the UI. The garish display and the difficult to read road names, plus general clutter that is unnecessary to help the user, are unfortunate negatives.The update software is also poorly designed and confusing to use. Melissa Smith joins us for another Human Factors News Desk segment. Citations to follow as soon as I find them...
Thu, May 29, 2014
DC105 Critique: Nokia Lumia 520 and 521 Windows Phone 8
Mike Velasco returns to discuss the Windows Phone 8 duo from Nokia, the Lumia 520 and 521. These smart phones may be the best value in a phone ever sold to this point. The guys explain why the design, including the price point, is so attractive. Paul Thurott inspired this episode with his article here: http://winsupersite.com/windows-phone/nokia-lumia-520-best-tech-deal-2013 Melissa Smith returns with the Human Factors News Desk to discuss the following: Gaspar, J. G., Neider, M. B., Crowell, J. A., Lutz, A., Kaczmarski, H., & Kramer, A. F. (2013). Are Gamers Better Crossers An Examination of Action Video Game Experience and Dual Task Effects in a Simulated Street Crossing Task. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Yanko, M. R., & Spalek, T. M. (2013). Driving With the Wandering Mind The Effect That Mind-Wandering Has on Driving Performance. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 0018720813495280. Finally, contributor Costan Boiangiu told us about this article on step stool design, which echoes our 100th Anniversary Episode topic! http://www.core77.com/blog/consumer_product/designing_for_step_stools_26772.asp
Tue, February 11, 2014
DC104 Human Factors Research Summary with Melissa Smith
Human Factors PhD student Melissa Smith joins Tim for an experiment in bringing human factors-related research to you in three short summaries. Melissa is at George Mason University and donated her time to discuss recent human factors research with Tim. Learn more about Melissa on her website at http://mabsmith.com The articles Melissa discusses are: --Beller, J., Heesen, M., & Vollrath, M. (2013). Improving the Driver–Automation Interaction An Approach Using Automation Uncertainty. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. doi: 10.1177/0018720813482327. [ http://hfs.sagepub.com/content/55/6/1130.full ] -- Finomore, V. S., Shaw, T. H., Warm, J. S., Matthews, G., & Boles, D. B. (2013). Viewing the Workload of Vigilance Through the Lenses of the NASA-TLX and the MRQ. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. doi: 10.1177/0018720813484498. [ http://hfs.sagepub.com/content/55/6/1044.full ] --Goldsmith, K., & Dhar, R. (2013). Negativity bias and task motivation: Testing the effectiveness of positively versus negatively framed incentives. Journal of experimental psychology: applied, 19(4), 358. doi: 10.1037/a0034415. [ http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/xap/19/4/358/ ]
Fri, November 29, 2013
DC103 WordCast: Verbal Protocols (Thinking Aloud)
Dr. Robert Youmans from George Mason University joins Tim Keirnan for a wordcast episode on verbal protocols. Why and how do we ask usability research participants to think aloud about their task performance, and what does using this method do to our data? Dr. Youmans covers four different methods of thinking aloud: 1. Concurrent Verbal Protocol 2. Retrospective Verbal Protocol 3. Interruptive Verbal Protocol 4. Prospective Verbal Protocol The remainder of the episode covers research on how using concurrent verbal protocol can affect your data. People do not normally think aloud while doing tasks with products, and having them vocalize during user research can change their behavior, but the degree of change may not be a problem for the goals of our studies. Sometimes thinking aloud can improve their performance--which also affects your data. The result is not obvious and the literature is conflicted.
Wed, October 30, 2013
DC102: Android Phones Longitudinal Reviews of LG Motion and Google Nexus 4
Mike Velasco joins Tim Keirnan for an episode to discuss the customer experience of two Android smart phones: the LG Motion and the Google Nexus 4 (also manufactured by LG). These two very different Android phones each have their own advantages, as do the carriers Tim used them on (MetroPCS and Solavei, respectively). LG Motion: * Small size easy to hold and put in pocket * Fast data speeds * Replaceable battery * Custom Android user interface by LG that isn't bad * Outright purchase from MetroPCS on a monthly, non-contract plan Nexus 4: * Large screen easy to read for older eyes and for gamers * Pentaband GSM radio frequencies ensures it works anywhere in the world * Pure Android operating system with the UX that Google intended, gets updates instantly from Google as they appear * Outright purchase from Google at very fair price, can be used on any GSM carrier including monthly, non-contract plans Listen to the episode for other facets of the customer experience of owning these phones.
Sun, September 01, 2013
DC101 WordCast: User Experience 101
Dave Mitropoulos-Rundus returns for a wordcast episode on the user experience profession that probes the origins of our field. Where did it come from, and how did we come to have jobs in it? And is "customer experience" a better phrase for what we do? For us, UX is about managing risk on projects by doing our trio of research, design, and testing to ensure products and services will meet business goals. And it's about taking pride in one's craft. Learn more about a foundational book on our user experience research/design/testing careers, Set Phasers on Stun , at http://www.aegeanpublishing.com/phaser1.html You can learn about ISO standards for usabilty at the wonderful Usability.Net: http://www.usabilitynet.org/tools/r_international.htm
Sun, June 30, 2013
DC100: 8th Anniversary Show with Tom Brinck!
On the 8th anniversary and 100th episode of Design Critique, Timothy Keirnan is joined by a celebratory guest who is no stranger to long-time listeners of the show. Our topic is the design of an everyday object that helps everyone reach a little higher in life: the step stool. We like how such a simple object has so many facets, features, and personas for design consideration. We'd like to thank everyone for listening the past eight years and helping us reach the milestone of episode 100. If you appreciate Design Critique, please write a review of the show on the iTunes music store. We need more reviews and it only takes a couple minutes. The first step stool we discuss is designed towards children and a product description is at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FIE6SO/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 The second step stool we discuss is suitable for adults who need one that folds up when not in use and can be seen at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004SAC3/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This episode closes with some old outtakes from the early recordings we did at Country Squire Studio 1 from 2005-6. Ahh, memories. Thanks for listening!
Sun, May 12, 2013
DC99 Editorial: In Praise of Bricks & Mortar Stores
In an audio editorial, Tim asks if the supposed death of bricks 'n mortar stores at the hands of online sales is greatly exaggerated. What do you think? The article mentioned in this episode can be read in full at http://blog.intuit.com/trends/browsing-fees-a-new-retail-strategy-or-the-end-of-bricks-and-mortar/ Design Critique does not accept advertising, but the following merchants deserve honorable mention due to their bricks and mortar customer service: Averill Racing Stuff, Inc. (customer education & advice) Best Buy (in-store warranty service on Logitech & Phillips products) Staples (website easily & accurately displays product stock at particular locations)
Sun, March 31, 2013
DC98: Garmin Nuvi 50 GPS Longitudinal Review
Brad Jensen and Tim Keirnan present a longitudinal review of the Garmin Nuvi 50 portable GPS. What does it do well, and how could its interaction design and interface design be improved? An earlier episode of Design Critique reviewed a TomTom portable GPS and you might want to go back and hear that along with this episode. http://designcritique.net/dc86-longitudinal-review-tom-tom-xl335tm-portable-gps Both TomTom and Garmin solve the navigation problem for their customers in ways that are both familiar and different. Neither unit provides a perfect solution, but it's fun to talk about.
Sun, February 24, 2013
DC97: Bad UI Labels Part 1: The Chaos Button
The first in a series of Bad Button Labels We Have Known. Brad Jensen joins Tim Keirnan to discuss the Chaos button on his father's new microwave oven. Why do companies allow such dreadful UI labels? Mr. Jensen's microwave is the first of many terrible examples we plan to cover on occasion in future episodes. Desiree Scales has a website called Online Website Degree where students, teachers, and potential returning students can learn about the interrelated fields of web design. Lots of free information here: http://www.onlinewebdesigndegree.com Plus email from Ben in an episode that had to be trimmed because there was just too much good stuff going on.
Sun, January 27, 2013
DC96: Site Maps As Design Tools
Caitlin Potts discusses using using site maps as website design tools. You can have her Omnigraffle template for free at the following link: http://michichi.org/helping-sitemaps-get-their-groove-back/ Note: Caitlin based this episode off a presentation she gave the Michigan chapter of ACM-SIGCHI in December 2012, called "Helping Site Maps Get Their Groove Back". Thanks to MichiCHI for a great holiday event and speaker. You can find Michigan Chi at www.michichi.org . Caitlin Potts is a User Experience Practitioner (Designer + Researcher) at Covenant Eyes, Inc. in Owosso, MI. Working as part of an Agile team, she spends her time collaborating with the Developers to design web, mobile, and client application interfaces. She is also leading the development of a brand standards guide for Covenant Eyes.
Fri, December 21, 2012
DC95 Nokia Customer Service
A heartwarming holiday tale of good customer service after the sale. Nokia politely and efficiently repaired Tim's Lumia 710 Windows Phone, using a combination of good website design, excellent customer service desk people, and a "do it right the first time" service department. Companies that care about their customers will save the brand's relationship with the customer when something goes awry. In particular, Nokia did three things to keep Tim's loyalty to the brand when disaster struck: 1. Effective and consistent communication, both on their website and in person via telephone. 2. Action that matches words with deeds. No hypocrisy or lies. 3. High speed of resolving the problem--efficient solutions done right the first time. Thanks to their professional handling of the problem, Nokia has not lost a customer. Obviously this is something that T-Mobile doesn't care about, as evidenced by our previous episode, but to Nokia's credit they "get it".
Wed, November 21, 2012
DC94 T-Mobile Customer Service Nightmare
Even when the initial user experience of a product is good, the total customer experience suffers when a company ignores service after the sale. We at Design Critique argue that service after the sale IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF A PRODUCT'S DESIGN because it directly affects the customer experience. Only bad companies isolate product design from customer service design. In Tim's case, T-Mobile destroyed a loyal, 8-year customer relationship for its monthly prepaid service by * Refusing to help replace a smart phone under warranty when it broke, in any kind of realistic time frame, * Refusing to unlock the phone after selling it on the condition it would be unlocked after 90 days, and * Implying its monthly prepaid customers are not worth helping because only long term contract customers deserve good customer service. It's a comedy of errors unless you're the one who wasted hundreds of dollars and hours of time dealing with T-Mobile's agressively anti-customer practices. What lessons can we draw from T-Mobile's mistakes? One anecdote does not make a statistically significant trend, but anecdotes provide useful insights into the how and why of customer service failures.
Mon, November 05, 2012
DC93: Nokia Lumia 710 Longitudinal Review
Tobby Smith returns to help Tim provide a longitudinal review of Nokia's Lumia 710 Windows phone. After over eight months of use, the Lumia 710 proved itself a terrific value in smart phone quality, including * Convenient, portable size with grippy back cover that can be switched with other colors to personalize the phone * Hardware buttons for the three standard Windows Phone buttons, instead of the soft buttons so often found on other models. We find dedicated hardware buttons much more usable. * Clear and bright screen with high contrast. * Good video recording. * Superior applications specific to Nokia phones, such as Nokia Drive. Problems included * Tim's phone broke after only five months without any abuse or dropping. * Still camera images are average at best. * Volume of speaker is not loud enough to hear nav instructions above road noise or stereo playing. Despite the dislikes, the Lumia 710 is a great value-priced smart phone. As Windows 8 phones roll out, it may become even cheaper to buy and thus an even better value for customers who don't need the advanced functionality of Windows Phone 8. See Nokia's profile of the Lumia 710 at http://www.nokia.com/us-en/products/phone/lumia710/ Photos of the 710 from Nokia.com are used entirely without permission.
Sun, October 21, 2012
DC92 Wordcast: Haptics
Listener Costan Boiangiu rejoins the show for a wordcast on haptic feedback in product design. What is it, how is it used currently in product designs, and how could it be used? We discuss designs that have haptic feedback innately as well as designs where the haptics have been added. Thanks for Tim's coworker, Gary, for suggesting this topic for the show. Check out Costan's automotive design blog at http://www.drivingroom.com And remember to visit Haptics-e: The Electronic Journal of Haptics Research for the latest in scholarly research at http://www.haptics-e.org/
Thu, September 13, 2012
DC91 Interview: Peter Morville Live at IUE 2012
"From Information Architecture to Ambient Findability to Intertwingularity: An Inspiring Conversation with Peter Morville " Recorded June 18th, 2012 at IUE2012. Peter Morville (above, left), best known as a founding father of information architecture, co-authored the profession's best-selling book, Information Architecture for the World Wide Web . That was 1998. Since then, Peter continues to be a prolific author, practitioner, and thought leader for our industry and profession amidst this ever-expanding and reinventive internet landscape that continues to provide communications, information, and commerce to the world. To most effectively tap into Peter's current and historical thinking, he was interviewed live and interactively with the audience by Design Critique's Timothy Keirnan. Visit Peter's blog and more at http://semanticstudios.com/
Sat, September 01, 2012
DC90 Longitudinal Review: Windows Phone 7.5
Tobby Smith joins Tim Keirnan for a longitudinal review of the Windows Phone 7.5 mobile operating system. Both guys have been using it on Nokia Lumia 710 handsets since last winter and are ready to explain why they enjoy the Windows Phone customer experience, as well as complain about the negative points which they hope Microsoft will fix in the upcoming Windows Phone 8. Tobby is a long-time veteran of smart phone use, while Tim is new to smart phones, so both ends of the user continuum are included. To see the user interface of Windows Phone, head over to a cell phone store in your area and try it for yourself OR point your browser to http://www.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-US/features/default.aspx The episode of Design Critique with Matt Hard that covered the Zune HD, the predecessor to Windows Phone, can be heard at http://designcritique.net/dc69-critique-microsoft-zune-players-zune-4-0-software-and-zune-pass
Thu, July 12, 2012
DC89 Mailbag Episode 3
A very special mailbag episode in which * Internet User Experience 2012 is promoted. Check it out at www.iue2012.com * Costan refers us to a terrific article on Airbus airliner cockpit interface design. Read it at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/9231855/Air-France-Flight-447-Damn-it-were-going-to-crash.html * An anonymous listener complains about Tim's articulation. When is enunciating for intelligibility a problem, if ever? Do listeners speaking English as a second language appreciate clear articulation, or is it not needed? * Jason thanks us for the MINI Cooper critique episode. * Eric responds to the listener feedback episode with Lynn on lack of contrast in modern UI designs.
Tue, May 29, 2012
Listener Feedback with Lynn Leitte re: Low Contrast Hurts Usability MAY2012
Listener Lynn Leitte joins Tim for a discussion on how a fad of low-contrast visual design is hurting readability of text and usability of interface elements. What say you? Episode was recorded in late April but for a plethora of reasons is only available now.
Tue, April 03, 2012
DC88 Interview: Guidelines To Ensure Voting Intent with Dana Chisnell
Dana Chisnell from Usability Works discusses her latest project, Field Guides for Ensuring Voter Intent. This Kickstarter crowd-source funded project will design, write, publish, and distribute concise design guidelines for usable ballot design to public servants around the United States. And, eventually, beyond. Learn and contribute (up until April 14th) to the project at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/civicdesigning/field-guides-to-ensuring-voter-intent Read Dana's thoughts on civic design at http://civicdesigning.org/
Sat, March 31, 2012
DC87 Longitudinal Review: GoldStar Microwave Oven Model MA65111W
The GoldStar MA6511W microwave oven is a triumph of kitchen appliance interaction design. Featuring only two mechanical controls that are all too rare in an age of overly-complex digital designs, the MA6511W deserves as much praise as can be put into this 16 minute episode. The adjective "intuitive" is often over-used, but it applies to this small microwave oven. Microwaves are functionally simple devices often made difficult to use by manufacturers who put frivolous features and buttons on something that doesn't need to be complex. A mad dash for "features" at the expense of audience needs and usability is common in microwave oven design, but GoldStar's design team tightly focused this oven for a particular audience (re-heating in space-cramped kitchens) and did NOT try to please everyone. The result is a wonderful appliance that has also proven very durable--7 years of trouble-free service at the time of this episode's publishing. The How Stuff Works website referred to in the episode has some podcasts you might be interested in: http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/hsw-shows/hsw-podcast.htm
Fri, February 24, 2012
Listener Feedback with Costan Boiangiu, FEB2012
Listener Costan Boiangiu joins the show with comments on episode DC84, The State of the Internet User Experience 2011 panel session from Internet User Experience 2011. Costan shares his ideas on * The lack of usable bookmark titles on etail product pages * Some websites' frustrating lack of consistent overall navigation * Some websites' not revealing their national identity up front, especially if it's an etail site You can find Costan at his photography site here: www.costanimagelab.com and his work website here: www.georgianc.on.ca
Tue, January 31, 2012
DC86 Longitudinal Review: TomTom XL335TM Portable GPS
"Attack of the Pointless Modal Confirmations" Tim critiques almost two years of experience with the TomTomXL335TM portable GPS in a longitudinal review plagued by a ragged voice from a nasty January filled with mishaps, and a mental wooziness that we hope isn't too obvious. But food poisonings, auto wrecks, and seasonal colds cannot prevent the fact that the XL335 is a GPS that has terrific voices which sound wonderful, but unreliable software and horrid modal confirmation abuses throughout. Just reflect on this one example of interaction design gone wrong; sadly, it is typical of the TomTom Way: It takes eleven , that's 11 , taps to change voices on the XL335TM. I am not making this up. And here are TomTom's excellent marketing of its Star Wars celebrity voices: Darth Vader in the recording studio: http://youtu.be/2ljFfL-mL70 Yoda in the recording studio: http://youtu.be/FdcJVuylmsM Two feedback emails round out this 46-minute episode.
Wed, December 14, 2011
Listener Feedback with Eric Gauvin, DEC2011
A new Design Critique episode type is born. When someone sends feedback on an episode, they may be asked to come on the show and discuss what they had to say. That's how Eric Gauvin from the USA got roped into doing an episode with Tim regarding Eric's email comments on episode DC84, The State of the Internet User Experience 2011 panel . Thanks to Eric for making time to talk with me. And season's greetings, everyone!
Thu, November 24, 2011
DC85 Critique: Sustainable Shaving Tools
In which Tim Keirnan and Mike Beasley discuss vintage shaving tool designs, featuring the safety razor and straight razor. Shaving with these old methods has many advantages, including: * Closer shaves that last longer before the dreaded 5 o'clock shadow appears * Improved skin condition due to premium creams and soaps used * Lower cost of ownership (unless you start collecting gear as a hobby) * Sustainable technology compared with disposable plastic-dominated, modern, overpriced crap * Better user experience due to mindful nature of single-blade shaving that many find relaxing and even fun, due to the "gourmet" shave creams and soaps, brushes, and blades used. As Mike says, it's more classy. Two forums in particular helped us convert from multi-bladed cartridge monstrosities with industrial "goop in a can" to vintage shaving: http://straightrazorplace.com/ Mike frequents this forum and likes it a lot. http://www.pogonotomy.com/ Tim favors this one for forum owner Bruce's blog and the very international nature forum that is small enough to feel neighborly and doesn't overwhelm you with millions of posts per day. Legendary Zack's article on boar bristle shave brushes, and some other blogs: http://www.shavemyface.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35880 http://www.shaving101.com/ http://sharpologist.com/ YouTube channels that helped us greatly include: http://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59 Legendary Mantic59's Shave Tutor channel. Excellent how to videos. http://www.youtube.com/user/geofatboy Geo does a lot of terrific reviews of razors old and new, shaving with them while doing his reviews. http://www.youtube.com/user/mokujingris1 http://www.youtube.com/user/MrGuysRazors And Michael Ham's reference how-to book on safety razor shaves: http://leisureguy.wordpress.com/shaving-book-reviews/
Mon, October 31, 2011
DC84 Panel: The State of the Internet User Experience, 2011
Recorded live at Internet User Experience 2011 on October 11th, it's the panel session "The State of the Internet User Experience" starring Marti Gukeisen Dave Mitropoulos-Rundus Dante Murphy Susan Weinschenk and Tim Keirnan as the moderator. Learn more about the panelists at http://www.iue2011.com/presentation_stateofux.html Thanks to all four panelists for allowing Design Critique to distribute this recording.
Sun, October 23, 2011
DC82b Critique: Logitech Customer Service
In this followup to episode DC82a , Tim describes the conclusion of his interaction with Logitech Customer Support. Unlike the MINI/BMW car maker attitude towards service after a sale, Logitech proves itself exceptionally good at listening to a complaint about a defective product and fixing it quickly without hassle. If only more companies took their customer experience after the sale as seriously as Logitech does! Service after the sale is as important as the product design itself. Indeed, it IS part of the product design. Only arrogant, "take the money and run" companies, such as MINI, fail to understand this. Long-term brand loyalty is usually increased by responsive customer support.
Tue, September 13, 2011
DC83 Longitudinal Review: 2009 MINI Cooper
The longitudinal review of Tim's 2009 MINI Cooper is here! A car so unreliable that he had to get rid of it after only 2.5 years. Automotive human factors engineer Ken Mayer (cohost from our earlier Saturn SC2 car critique ) returns to help Tim on this very detailed critique of the second generation MINI Cooper, a stunning mix of greatness and disaster (the car, we mean, not this critique). If you love cars, you'll love this episode. We put the long in longitudinal product reviews! Basically, the second generation (post-2006) MINI Cooper is a frustrating mix of unreliable components assembled unreliably. MINI refused for over a month to send Tim's dealer a new piston and rod when those went bad at only 31K miles. The flaky electronics are infested with more gremlins than, uh...that movie named "Gremlins". An addictively fun car such as the MINI almost makes you forgive its shoddy quality...almost but not quite. Tim broke his addiction and is now in MINI detox. Please pray for his recovery. But there's still a lot to praise about the things MINI got right in this car. Buckle up for a rollicking, passionate, detailed review that covers everything you want to know about a car that inspires passion, both positive and negative, in an era of unloveable, boring "familymobiles". Then join TrueDelta to tell the world about your car's reliability. Write your own reviews for your car(s) to tell the world what you've enjoyed and disliked. Check it out right now at www.truedelta.com
Wed, August 31, 2011
DC82 Longitudinal Review: Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere 2
Tim critiques the Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere 2 portable speaker system for iPods, iPhones, and other sound-making gadgets. The Pure-Fi Anywhere was Logitech's sequel to the highly successful mm50, which Tim and Alan reviewed way back in episode DC39 . This longitudinal review covers two years of experience using this product, including the new user interface, the industrial design that both delights and disappoints, the improved sound quality of the bass response, and a problem with the battery that we should all be upset about in consumer electronics. Internet User Experience 2011 is coming to Ann Arbor, Michigan, this autumn! Check out what this terrific annual conference has to offer this year at www.iue2011.com
Fri, July 29, 2011
DC81: 6th Anniversary Episode with Dr. Susan Weinschenk on 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People
Sixth Anniversary Edition! Dr. Susan Weinschenk joins Tim Keirnan for a discussion of her latest book, 100 Things Every Designer Should Know About People . Not just a collection of opinons, 100 Things... presents up-to-date research on the fundamentals that uderpin our work as UX professionals, while exposing several popular myths and misconceptions along the way. Thanks for listening for six years! I'm proud of what Tom Brinck and I started back in the summer of 2005, and appreciate any and all feedback you send. Susan's blog is at www.whatmakesthemclick.net Her Twitter is @thebrainlady Check out the Colours In Cultures color wheel by David McCandless at http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/colours-in-cultures/ You can read Tim's article about usability testing for entrepreneurs at the Entrepreneurial America website at http://www.entrepreneurial-america.com/2011/07/product-usability-testing-for.html
Fri, July 01, 2011
DC80: Calculating ROI for Usability at Ford Motor Company with Chad Esselink
Time for another wordcast episode, this time on ROI. Chad Esselink from the Ford Motor Company joins Tim Keirnan for a discussion on calculating return on investment for UX projects and forming a usability team. While at Ford, Chad used case studies backed with return on investment calculations to get buy-in from his superiors to create the Creative Design & Usability team. We all think we know about usability's ability to cut costs, but Chad tells us that increased throughput is just as important (and quite different). When should we use one and not the other while attempting to persuade executives that usability pays for itself and more? Throughput. Cost cutting. Know the difference! And no, I'm not going to tell you in the show notes, you have to listen.
Fri, April 29, 2011
DC79 Interview: Author Giles Colborne on Simple and Usable: Web, Mobile, and Interaction Design
Author Giles Colborne from CX Partners joins Tim Keirnan for a discussion about his book Simple And Usable: Web, Mobile and Interaction Design . To quote the back cover: "Simplicity is a discipline that can be learned. This book shows you how with humor, powerful examples, quotes, and case studies. You'll learn to strip away complexity by organizing, removing, hiding, and displacing. And you'll discover how to create focused, elegant user experiences that people will love." Here is Giles' website for the book: www.simpleandusable.com Does Giles' voice sound familiar? It should! I had him on the show back in 2006 after the UPA international conference that year. Episode 18, in fact: http://designcritique.net/index.php?post_id=108542#
Fri, April 01, 2011
DC78 Interview: UPA Body of Knowledge Project with Carol Smith
Tim interviews Carol Smith about the Usability Professionals Association's body of knowledge project. Carol led Michigan UPA members in a body of knowledge work day hosted at the offices of Tec-Ed, Inc., in Ann Arbor on Saturday, March 26, 2011. If you would like to assist us in developing the UPA body of knowledge for our profession, contact Carol at project at usabilitybok.org (substitute the @ symbol for " at ", no spaces before or after) See the body of knowledge project at http://www.usabilityprofessionals.org/upa_projects/body_of_knowledge/bok.html and http://usabilitybok.org You can find listener Yannig Roth's blog at http://yannigroth.wordpress.com
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