4-Daniel Hill

In this chapter of Designing the Obvious, Robert Hoekman throws a bit of a curveball at the reader. Up to this point, most of what had been covered was centered around the wants and needs of the user. Here, Hoekman tells us that the user is not always correct, and it is important to approach things based on a specific situation's context.

Hoekman says that people are unpredictable, even if they say exactly what they want. He uses a perfect example which some people here have already cited. In short, a fast-food company asked customers if they would buy a healthier sandwich as opposed to the less healthy burgers they already had. The customers said yes, so the sandwich was released, but it bombed. It just goes to show that oftentimes, customers/users are not entirely sure of what they want. They might even feel more comfortable giving a less honest answer, so they will lie. In addition to this, it is impossible to design a product fit for everyone. We talked in class about how just because a small portion of a user base is adamant about the implementation of a new feature does not mean it should be added, even if it means the loss of a few users. After all, the loss of these few would be heavily outweighed by the loss of the faithful many who would potentially be annoyed with the new feature. For all these reasons, it is important to try to get inside the minds of the users as best as possible. Hoekman even goes as far as saying, "Learn as much as you can about how people think and work and make decisions. Read fewer design books and more psychology books," which really demonstrates how much he means what he says, seeing as he writes design books (page 76).

It is tricky to determine what features should and should not be added. While no one wants a product that is riddled with unnecessary applications, it is important to listen carefully to potential user needs, as has been demonstrated throughout the rest of the book. Hoekman offers solutions to this problem such as detailed use cases, considering the context surrounding a given situation, and being careful with personas. It really comes down to trying to stay focused on what kind of service you are trying to provide and not straying too far from that in the first place. If you can properly contextualize the given situation compared to the grand scheme of things, chances are you will be able to make the right decision for your design.