Notes on the Lecture: Product Design and Habituation

Introduction

• Reference to the movie "The Blues Brothers" where John Belushi visits Dan Aykroyd.
• Highlights habituation: we get used to everyday things quickly.

Personal Experience as a Product Designer

• Importance of noticing and improving everyday products.
• Example: The fruit sticker, initially helpful but ultimately creates frustration when trying to eat the fruit.
  • First experience: annoyance with the sticker.
  • Subsequent experiences lead to numbness and acceptance of the hassle.

Understanding Habituation

• Definition: Process by which our brains encode everyday activities into habits to free up cognitive space.
• Positive aspects of habituation:
  • Learning to drive: Initially stressful but becomes second nature with time.
• Negative aspects: May lead to overlooking problems around us.

Importance of Noticing Details

• Comedians like Jerry Seinfeld highlight unnoticed details in daily life.
• Designers and innovators should not just notice but also aim to fix these details.

Case Study: Mary Anderson

• Story of Mary Anderson who invented the windshield wiper in 1902.
• She noticed an invisible problem: cold air entering the streetcar when the driver opened the window to clean the snow.

Learning from the Past: Steve Jobs' Philosophy

• Emphasis on seeing products through the eyes of customers.
• Importance of addressing small details to enhance user experience.
• Example of iPod:
  • Addressed the common issue of needing to charge before use by ensuring products shipped fully charged.

Tips to Combat Habituation

1. Look Broader:
   • Examine the entire process around a problem.
   • Example: Thermostat design changed from programming to machine learning for better energy savings.
2. Look Closer:
   • Focus on tiny details that may seem insignificant.
   • Example: Custom screw design improved product installation.
3. Think Younger:
   • Embrace the curiosity of children to challenge norms.
   • Young minds ask questions that lead to innovative solutions.

Conclusion

• Importance of pushing back against habituation to enhance product design and user experience.
• Encouragement: "How can I experience the world better?"
• Final thought on eliminating unnecessary complications (e.g., fruit stickers).

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Applause