Slight change in direction

This blog used to be called "Technology for Seniors." Although I remain interested in the development of products for seniors, I have decided to change the format for this blog and shift it in a slightly broader direction.

Whereas products for seniors need to encompass those who are not as technically oriented as the younger generation, my attitude now is that all high-tech products need to be simplified more. Consequently, I am exploring how technology evolves from leading edge new products that have yet to be proven in the marketplace, to the other end of the spectrum where a product has been refined many times in response to customer feedback and achieves a state of design excellence in regard to ergonomics and ease of use.

My observation is that we are beset with products that are both difficult to understand and poorly designed for our evolving lifestyle. Of course there are exceptions, but for the most part new technology immediately goes through a transformation powered by consumer feedback, both positive and negative. Some is marketplace driven, some is from data collected by technical service people. Companies that understand this try hard to stay connected with their customers through a good customer service system.

Therefore, I am moving toward a discussion of how products travel this road toward perfection with an effort to define what that state of design excellence is. Also, I am interested in ways to shortcut the process. In some ways the design community is already addressing this through better education and a thoughtful evaluation of what makes a successful product. If you read previous posts, you will see many that highlight products that have serious design flaws and are desperately in need of a push toward better ergonomics or simplification.

The name for the blog is still relevant. Mature Technology is that which has undergone the transformation to design excellence. General use products that have achieved that goal don’t necessarily have to be ubiquitous, but their features and controls must be intuitive and easy for non-technical folks to use and enjoy. The things is, when you have designed your product to those standards, it is appropriate for anyone and everyone, including seniors. From there it is a short path to making modifications for those people who have hearing or eyesight or motor skill limitations. Example: I just upgraded my cellphone and although it is smaller and the buttons are closer together, it has a feature where you can have the phone speak the numbers as you press them so you can confirm that you hit the right numbers. A very simple improvement that addresses these types of problems elegantly.

I encourage interested people to e-mail me with suggestions for topics or just to discuss these issues.