Because I am in a Multimedia program I am taught to criticize site design, link placement, colours, typefaces and all that stuff only to finally learn from and apply this knowledge to my own work. I like to think I know what a good interface looks like and what it means for a site to be user-friendly. Everyday I see both good and bad sites, but today my design criticism went beyond the web and into my own car.
I just bought a 2004 Ford Focus. Before this car, I never listened to the radio; always to CDs. I also never realized why until this afternoon. My first car had an after market deck installed from Pioneer with tiny little buttons as most after market decks have. My new car's stereo has big, chunky buttons. It is so easy to preset radio stations to an allocated number and change stations whenever I want - I absolutely love it. In at least 3 years of having my first car I had never learned how to do this.
My question is this: why does every after market stereo deck manufacturer come up with a different version of the same complex faceplate with terrible button design year after year? I am 6'1'' with big, fat finger. Before my Focus I could easily press two, three, or even four buttons with one finger. I mean, I wouldn't want to put that much concentration into pressing a button even if I wasn't supposed to be focusing on the road ahead of me.
That's it. I'm quitting school and starting my own car audio business.
1 comment:
So how would you market yourself to car companies as a usability designer who could change the situation?
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