About design, usability, marketing and relativity
Recently I met a very vivid example of relativity in such a holivar issue as design and usability.
I have one client involved in the implementation of automation in construction companies. His company develops and implements a specialized ERP-system for builders. Task management, workflow, process control and everything else. And for this very system they decided to make a new interface. In a modern, beautiful and comfortable. We hired an interface designer, with an excellent portfolio and for good money. How long, if short, the interface is done. Nice. Convenient. Modern.
One thing is bad - clients categorically did not want it. But "with a bang," the customers and their employees went to the prototype version - a table-like form, terrible as war.
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What is the matter? Very simply - the vast majority of clients used “automation” to be implemented in Excel tables. And seeing something similar in appearance, the client felt more confident - this is “almost the same”, only better. And therefore, the decision on implementation was much easier. And the transition to the system was much easier for the staff, because it looks familiar, not scary. And the “beautiful interface” was scary - everything was unusual there. Although objectively and more convenient. But in order to appreciate it, it was necessary to sort it out, to penetrate, to master.
And now the moral and how this story is related to marketing.
Attitude is the most direct. When we bring something new to the market to replace the old, there is always the temptation to do something revolutionary, absolutely different from what it was. Completely change the interface, the logic of user interaction, place the controls in new places. And always this desire will rest on the inertia of users who have become accustomed to what was. Yes, in a formal comparison, the new can be much more convenient than the old. However, the old is already familiar and understandable, and you need to deal with a new person. And no one ever wants that.
Therefore, when developing design and usability, do not act "in a vacuum". Do not do "design for the sake of design" or "so that only others do not seem to be." Take into account the previous experience of your customers. Rely on him. Save the mental energy of users, do not force them to relearn again with each update of your product - and things will go easier.
I have one client involved in the implementation of automation in construction companies. His company develops and implements a specialized ERP-system for builders. Task management, workflow, process control and everything else. And for this very system they decided to make a new interface. In a modern, beautiful and comfortable. We hired an interface designer, with an excellent portfolio and for good money. How long, if short, the interface is done. Nice. Convenient. Modern.
One thing is bad - clients categorically did not want it. But "with a bang," the customers and their employees went to the prototype version - a table-like form, terrible as war.
')
What is the matter? Very simply - the vast majority of clients used “automation” to be implemented in Excel tables. And seeing something similar in appearance, the client felt more confident - this is “almost the same”, only better. And therefore, the decision on implementation was much easier. And the transition to the system was much easier for the staff, because it looks familiar, not scary. And the “beautiful interface” was scary - everything was unusual there. Although objectively and more convenient. But in order to appreciate it, it was necessary to sort it out, to penetrate, to master.
And now the moral and how this story is related to marketing.
Attitude is the most direct. When we bring something new to the market to replace the old, there is always the temptation to do something revolutionary, absolutely different from what it was. Completely change the interface, the logic of user interaction, place the controls in new places. And always this desire will rest on the inertia of users who have become accustomed to what was. Yes, in a formal comparison, the new can be much more convenient than the old. However, the old is already familiar and understandable, and you need to deal with a new person. And no one ever wants that.
Therefore, when developing design and usability, do not act "in a vacuum". Do not do "design for the sake of design" or "so that only others do not seem to be." Take into account the previous experience of your customers. Rely on him. Save the mental energy of users, do not force them to relearn again with each update of your product - and things will go easier.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/92901/
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