Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Complex Gadgets: We Are Not Worthy? Doh!
Posted by Jonathon Watkins in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 12:00 PM
"Half of all malfunctioning products returned to stores by consumers are in full working order, but customers can't figure out how to operate the devices, a researcher said on Monday. . The average consumer in the United States will struggle for 20 minutes to get a device working before giving up, the study found. [A researcher] gave new products to a group of managers from consumer electronics company Philips, asking them to use them over the weekend. The managers returned frustrated because they could not get the devices to work properly."
Quel surprise? I wonder if this was before or after Philips rebranded to focus on 'sense and simplicity'? :lol: It would be nice to think that managers actually had to use thier own products during their development cycle, i.e. ate their own dog food. If this happened all the time then perhaps then we would have more powerful and elegant gadgets that were simple to use? I'm doubtful, but what do you guys think? Do we need simpler gadgets or should we demand smarter users? Now excuse me while I search out the 300 page instruction manual supplied on CD-Rom with my new gadget. :?
Quel surprise? I wonder if this was before or after Philips rebranded to focus on 'sense and simplicity'? :lol: It would be nice to think that managers actually had to use thier own products during their development cycle, i.e. ate their own dog food. If this happened all the time then perhaps then we would have more powerful and elegant gadgets that were simple to use? I'm doubtful, but what do you guys think? Do we need simpler gadgets or should we demand smarter users? Now excuse me while I search out the 300 page instruction manual supplied on CD-Rom with my new gadget. :?
