User Centred Design and the Fender Telecaster
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Transcript of User Centred Design and the Fender Telecaster
UCDUser Centred Design
By Mathew Devey
• Putting the user at the heart of the design process
• Combining user research and design methodologies to make informed decisions
• An iterative process that requires users to have input (directly and indirectly) early on and throughout the design process
What is UCD?
• Making informed decisions that reduce the business risks associated with high levels of assumption
• Leads to products users will actively want, use and recommend.
• Has been shown reduced development costs and time
Benefits of UCD
• Highly formal, drawn out research processes that blow project timelines out
• “I want it to do this”, “I always think of it like...” are phrases that should never be used in a UCD project. The user doesn’t care what you want!
• Restricted to interfaces or technologies
• A new idea
UCD Is Not…
UCD Design Process
Concept
Use research to develop a concept Initial design, prototype
evaluation and iteration
An iteration that learns from usability testing will result in a product we know users will use.
Research
Finds out what the business and user's needs actually are
Post-launchUsers needs and behaviour change over time so we need to keep track of it
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2
3, 4 & 5
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ImplementationOnce the design has been validated this is when recoding may be required
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UCD Case Study
The Fender Telecaster
• One of the most successful examples of industrial design
• Unchanged, yet still a market leader, 60 years later
• Iterated / evolved into the most popular guitar ever!
• A true David and Goliath battle
The Fender Telecaster
Then (1952)
The Fender Telecaster
Now
Designed in 1952 by
Clarence Leonidas "Leo" Fender
Leo…
• Didn’t play the guitar
• Owned a radio repair shop
• Studied accounting
• Wasn’t cool!
Played By
Competing Against
Gibson Guitar Corporation
• Experienced Instrument Manufacturers (since 1894)
• Established Market Leaders
The Fender Telecaster
“Leo got it right the first time”
– Keith Richards
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The UCD Advantage
The Design Process
Problem statement
• Design a guitar that can be heard in busy / noisy venues
Proposed solution
• A solid body (rather than traditional hollow body) guitar with electronic pickups
The Design Process
Current state of the market
Traditional hollow body ‘Spanish’ style guitars
The Design Process
A new idea? Yes and no…
• Electronic pickups had recently been invented fed back at high volumes (on hollow body guitars)
• Solid body designs had briefly been considered (by a couple of manufacturers) but being such a strange concept (at the time) were quickly dismissed; based on the assumption consumers wouldn’t like/want them
The Design Process
Rickenbacker’s “Frying Pan”
The Design Process
Les Paul’s “The Log”
1. Research
Leo spoke to customers and discovered…
• Most professional musician don’t earn a lot of money!
Many wanted a ‘work horse’ instrument that’s reliable, tough enough to survive touring and easy to maintain and repair
Not the expensive, ornate, hand crafted instruments offered by Gibson
1. Research
Leo involved users in the design process
• He drew two lines on a piece of paper (representing the ‘bridge’ and ‘nut’ that all guitars must have) and asked musicians to sketch different designs.
2. Concept
Initial prototype
2. Concept
Very different from
2. Concept
Key Features
• Simple design that’s easy/cheap to mass produceBand sawn body rather than hand carved
• One piece, replaceable, bolt on neckEasier to build, service and replace than a traditional glued on neck
• Easy to setup / adjustCan be done by the musicians themselves
• Indestructible. Built like a tank!Roadworthy
3, 4, 5. Evaluate and Iterate
Leo tested his prototype with users
• By inviting local hillbilliesmusicians over to play prototypes
3, 4, 5. Evaluate and Iterate
Then incorporated their feedback into his design
6. Implementation
Finally releasing his product into the market (once the necessary QA was conducted)
And changing the sound of popular music forever!
7. Post LaunchLeo canvased feedback from his customers
They told him…
• The square edges of the guitar dug into their ribs and forearm (by the end of a long gig)
• They wanted a wider tonal palette
• They wanted more control over micro adjustments
• They wanted a whammy bar!
7. Post Launch
Leo incorporated this feedback and designed the most popular guitar ever!
• By designing ingenious solutions
• And copying the solutions others came up with*
…innovation and plagiarism collaboration* One musician cut contours into the body of his telecaster (to make it more comfortable). Leo incorporating these exact contours into this new guitar.
Subsequent iteration… The Stratocaster
The most popular guitar ever!
Designed by
A non musicianWho didn’t have a lot in common with his customers!
Used by
The worlds most successful musicians
…and me!
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Conclusion
Lessons
User input is important
Although Leo conceived the initial idea…
• The success of both the telecaster and Stratocaster was due to the involvement of real users at every step of the process. They essentially co-designed the instruments (so it’s no surprise they appealed to other musicians too)!
• Leo’s ability to canvas user feedback, facilitate (and listen) was just as important as his ability to ideate.
• Without speaking to users Leo would never have known there was a gap in the market for affordable ‘work horse’ guitars
LessonsAssumptions are risky
Although Gibson were the market leader…
• They assumed their customers were only interested in what they currently bought. In reality many musicians wanted something different but there was no viable alternative
• They assumed what had previously made them successful would continue to do so
• They placed too much confidence in their collective experience and failed to engage their customers (to fully understand the nuances of their needs and expectations)
• They were too close to the problem!