Opinion Article on Lessons Learnt in NM4210

NM4210 is a module in which I learnt many useful lessons regarding user experience design, from analyzing the needs of the user to applying various design principles to improve the product and using various user evaluation methods to gain a better insight about how the product should be improved to better suit their needs.

In particular, the final project is a valuable and enriching experience which not only requires us to apply all the lessons we have learnt about user experience design into a tangible product that meets user needs, but has also taught me about the dynamics of working in a team of people of different attitudes, backgrounds and working styles. The product that my team has designed, the ePan, is an entertainment system for Fish & Co. restaurant that caters to the entertainment needs of a broad range of diners who often frequent the restaurant. Hence, I learnt that while targeting such a broad group can be risky as the ePan is a “flexible” rather than a “specialized” system, it can also be a good strategic move for the company since we do not leave any diner out, and hence will continue to attract these different groups to continue patronizing the restaurant, in turn boosting profit margins. Having said that, designing for this product has been a challenging and eye-opening experience and the lessons that I have learnt from it, such as how to prioritize and balance the different and somewhat conflicting needs of different groups of users, are useful in gaining an insight into how real design companies work towards providing a value-added experience that leverages on brand image and visceral appeal, not just on the functionality of the product. I also believe that these lessons learnt will be useful to me if I should ever venture into the product design market in the future.

On a more general note, the course has increased my sensitivity to both good and bad designs around me in everyday life. I also think more deeply about more subtle design and usability issues in these designs in terms of the different dimensions – visceral, reflective and behavioural, that could either make or break the user experience. Hence I believe that such knowledge will be able to help me in future situations involving user experience, such as making more informed product or service choices or aiding my future company in assessing the effectiveness of our marketing or branding strategies such that they are more geared towards addressing the customers’ spoken and unspoken needs. Furthermore, I feel that lessons from user experience design can also be applied to non-tangible services as well, such as the choice of good-looking people to be customer service personnel that can also define the user experience.

Lastly, I feel that Reddy’s flexible and open-minded approach to this course is crucial in helping us better exercise our creativity in choosing a solution to address user needs. His tolerance for frequent experimentation and failures also makes it less intimidating for us to try different approaches, even if that means making mistakes along the way. That being said, the most important thing is for us to learn from our mistakes, as good designers in the real world would have done so, and never give up in pursuing a path that would lead to a satisfactory outcome for both the designer and the user. I believe that my teammates and I have done that, and hence we are satisfied with the whole learning experience. The road to producing our final product might have been a long and arduous one, but the lessons learnt and enjoyable experiences shared will stay with me for a long time to come.