Product-usage design: how to innovate with the user?

A change in the way a product is used, or a new need in terms of use, can be the impetus for the design of a new product. If the user of this product (or service) is an expert user (e.g.: an airplane pilot, a surgeon...), he or she possesses field knowledge, sometimes very implicit, which is inaccessible to design engineers. It is therefore essential to design a usage solution in parallel with the technical solution, integrating the expert user into your project.

This sheet will help you :

• identify the potential for a change in use ;

• establish a product-use design scenario ;

• observe the user in his working environment ;

• validate the solution with emulations.

Start by asking yourself: can the user of my future product be qualified as an expert user? If not, integration approaches may suffice (see How can customer usage and behavior drive innovative design? [FIC 0272] ).

To identify your user, a few questions may help:

• Is the usage procedure too complex for you to carry out yourself?

• Are there any special requirements for use? For example, special equipment?

• Is the object used by a single person or by a team?

• Is there a specific or professional language used in the environment?

The more complex the application, the more important it will be to communicate with the expert user, to maximize mutual understanding of product requirements. The following steps are designed to help you better integrate the expert user, and share design problems and solutions.