Hidden in Plain Sight - How to Create Extraordinary Products for Tomorrow's Customers

Chapter 1

Crossing State (of Mind) Lines

You and I may never have met before. I have no idea where you are or how you’re consuming this book. I will, however, venture a guess: wherever you may be reading this, you’re not doing it in the shower. If I’m wrong, well, bravo for you. But if I’m right, my question to you is this: why aren’t you in the shower right now?

It may seem like a dumb question, but in design research it’s exactly the sort of foundational inquiry that allows us to get at the core of user behavior. Unless you’re designing wedding rings or pacemakers, there’s no such thing as a 24-7-365 user. My colleagues and I spend a great deal of time thinking about touchpoints—the times and places where users would likely be interacting with ...