Best and Worst Designs List

Things I love and things that drive me mad

TOP 3 DESIGNS

WHATSAPP

10 years ago, an app called WhatsApp launched and changed our worlds. With innovations like voice messaging, “read tick” feature and video calling, communication was no longer restricted by finances, geography or telecom operators.

Why I rate WhatsApp highly on design:

1. Evolving design: From a basic, text focused app, WhatsApp has kept evolving continuously, adding VMs, “read” feature, video calling, always on point on what its users want.
2. Minimalist (and obvious) design: The basic WhatsApp screen is very minimal, with 90% of the screen available for messaging and minimal typography, using intuitive icons for features. Yet, the interface is instantly recognisable across the globe.
3. Inclusive and Conscious design: WhatsApp is very easy to install, setup and use for most people, irrespective of digital literacy, age or language. It has also included encryption features, keeping in mind the need for secure communication across its 1.6bn user base.

ABITACALO (“Little House”)

designed by Bruno Munari

A bed design from 1971, it is assembled with only 8 screws, and meets all the living needs of boys and girls in a minimal space.

1. Minimalist and straightforward design: it is extremely minimalistic, blending in easily in any interior.
2. Customisable and user centric design: while originally designed for a child’s room, the bed has endless variations and can be used from ages 3years- adult. The included baskets and shelves are also customisable in use and placement.
3. Conscious and evolving design: Made to last, with environment friendly materials, it is easy to dismantle, transport and set up, saving the need for the user to upgrade every few years.

We have this bed in our nursery (a lucky steal from Markplaats) and have already used to sleep from 1 toddler to 2 adults, a toddler and a baby. Currently in use as a bunk bed+coat rack+bookshelf for kindergartener and toddler, making it an amazing resource for space starved inner city parents.

NESTED OR STACKING CUPS

Nested or stacking cups started out as weight measures used by merchants in 15th century and have now evolved to be ubiquitous in pantries, nurseries and even the Olympics.

1. Customisable and inclusive design: endlessly customisable as a toy, measure, utensil, crockery, bowl, it is usable from age 0+ to seniors.
2. Obvious and straightforward design: the design is self explanatory and obvious, crossing language and literacy barriers.
3. Conscious and evolving design: as the cups can be used in any number of ways, without needing to be customised or deformed in any way, they are continuously evolving and reducing waste in our environment.

BOTTOM 3 DESIGNS

NANOLEAF APP

Here is an example of a brilliant product, brought down by its app design. Nanoleaf is a modular smart lighting solution, controllable through Siri/Alexa/Google and through its own app. However, its Android app is annoying enough, that it gets only 2.3 stars in the Google play store and top ranking in our Bad Design list.

1. NOT straightforward and obvious: the app is needed by users to connect the device for set up. However, multiple users have found this difficult and time consuming, making it fail at its initial user goal.
2. NOT customisable: in theory, the app is endlessly customisable. However, while in use, the app disconnects from the panels and fails in reconnecting/keeps crashing. This makes is hard to customise the panels- a key goal of the app.
3. NOT inclusive: in its current form, the app is hard to use for digitally undereducated, as the headers in the app are not self explanatory. Also, because of its frequent crashing and disconnections, it is difficult to use for less mobile savvy users.

TOASTER

An ubiquitous product in most households and cafes, it is also a repository of chaos and monstrous design flaws.

1. NOT intuitive and user centric: the toaster has a simple job- intake bread slice, toast and return. However, it is impossible to tell when the bread is correctly toasted, leaving a feedback gap in the process. Also, since each toaster is unique, the learnings from the previous one are not useful.
2. NOT straightforward and obvious: the controlling panels on the side of the toaster are never self explanatory, needing a period of trial and error before the user can figure out how to get the right toast (and even then, it’s never guaranteed).
3. NOT customisable: toasters do one thing- make toast, making them a waste of counter space for most space conscious environments.

PAYPAL

I can confidently state that my very first grey hair was a gift from Paypal, as I was trying to set up an account for my online business. You would think that a behemoth like Paypal would get its UX right, but sadly not, as evinced by the reams of articles, blogs and “I HATE PAYPAL” clubs in existence.

1. NOT straightforward: being a legacy system, Paypal has design inconsistencies and archaic input fields galore, which make it hard for a user to navigate without second guessing.
2. NOT customisable and user-centric: adding accounts in Paypal remains a labyrinthine process, with multiple hoops to jump, at the end of which it will invariably inform you that the service cannot be currently used. It is also email id+country specific, making it obsolete in today’s global world.
3. NOT humble: Paypal is also famous for its horrendous customer service and refusal to accept user reviews.