Six challenges facing user-oriented industrial design

Much has been written about the need to address the requirements of the user when designing information appliances (mobile phones, MP3 players, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and so on), but less is written about the challenges designers face in bringing this about. Using case studies, this paper will examine six of the problems facing design teams in consultancies, Small- to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and multinationals tasked with the design of complex computer embedded products. A case study of the successful implementation of a technology-based product is presented. The factors that make it an example of good practice and the ways in which the designers have overcome the six challenges are examined. In conclusion, the challenges for the successful design and development of information appliances are summarized and ways in which they might be addressed discussed.