Today’s user experience design is tomorrow’s information design

The importance of user experience is increasing in every industry. Many success stories are related to user experience design. Take the iPhone or Airbnb, for instance. Could the material handling industry learn something from the B2C segment, particularly these pioneers in user design? Johannes Tarkiainen, Industrial Design Manager at Konecranes, opens up about user experience trends in industrial design and the best B2C practices everyone should know about.

User experience design has driven some companies to great international success, but it has also forced others near bankruptcy. The popularity of Airbnb, an online accommodation marketplace, is strongly based on its attractive design and easy usability¹ while the iPhone’s success is based on its captivating user interface. Today, the effectiveness of the user interface can really impact the competition for market share.

User experience is not only about attracting users and customers with fancy design or easy usability. Enhancing user experience can lead to better productivity and an enhanced safety level, thus benefitting the whole company.

User experience can also increase working efficiency. In the material handling business, for instance, visibility in different working spaces in factories as well as the possibility of remotely monitoring devices and machines have a direct impact on the working efficiency. In addition, the chosen materials as well as lighting, air conditioning and low noise level are also part of the user experience and as such, they can increase the employee productivity in the long run. “Good user interface is also a safety feature. From a safety perspective, it is important to be aware of your surroundings. You need to have a good view of the space, be able to see in all directions and hear all relevant sounds”, Tarkiainen argues.

Industrial Internet increases the need for information design

Johannes Tarkiainen is convinced that the industrial internet will also have a significant impact on industrial design. “Most importantly, industrial internet will increase the need for information design, regardless of the industry in question. As the amount of information and the amount of data driven, connected machines increase, we need to find a way to present extensive amounts of information in a smart and appealing way all the while keeping the information understandable. Without comprehensible information, there really is no information to be passed on. The role of operators is also changing. Before, operators were actively involved in the machines’ routine operations, but today, thanks to the increasing level of automation, operators are merely following and monitoring the processes. These automation trends will have a great impact on industrial design and its focus in the future”, Tarkiainen continues.

Today, user interfaces have to be natural and meaningful – in general, they have to be motivational. This is enabled by existing display technology and touch screens, but careful knowledge about the industrial processes also have to be factored in. Tarkiainen assumes that in ten years, utilizing virtual reality in industrial processes will also come into play. He views it as a natural next step, considering the current demand for naturalness in user experience.

Tarkiainen is convinced that the material handling industry can learn a lot from the B2C segment. He lists some of the most important issues that need to be taken into consideration when creating an effective user interface.

1. Think about what your customer really wants to achieve

Even though this might seem self-evident, it is not. When designing user interfaces, the focus must be on the user’s point of view instead of the device itself. So think about what the users really want to do with the system and help them achieve their goals. In order to build great user experiences, it is most important to really understand the context and purpose of the product for a certain customer segment.

2. Interact with your customers

Today, user research is everything. The more information you have on your users and customers, the better your products will be. Of course, the most important way to get information on the users is to interact and have conversations with them. In addition to traditional user research, luckily there are millions of innovative options to keep in touch with your customers. Online technology can provide companies with new kinds of services and interaction opportunities. For instance, operators can interact with the machine vendors in real time. You can also build a better understanding of your customers, give prototypes of the product to chosen customers and gather feedback from them before launching anything. And while you’re at it, why not even build joint online initiatives with your customers?

3. Make it simple

Smart phone apps aim at making your life easier. But how many of them really do so? Too often the user interface is so complicated that instead of actually helping out, they make your life even more complicated. Many think that modern user interfaces require hundreds of features – the more, the better. However, it is actually the complete opposite. Customers want quick solutions to their daily needs and that’s why they are on the lookout for a simple, clear and understandable user interface.

4. Plan the whole trip

Think about the customer journey, not just a single touch point but the whole trip. Keep in mind that the information is designed for people. Put the meaningful, trustworthy content in to a simple, beautiful format.

Sources:

¹ http://firstround.com/article/How-design-thinking-transformed-Airbnb-from-failing-startup-to-billion-dollar-business
http://www.wired.com/2014/07/why-airbnbs-new-branding-strategy-is-all-about-people-not-places/

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