Chapter 5. Step 2: Making Life Simpler
IN CHAPTER 2, WE DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM OF DISTINGUISHing between a function and a task. We saw that the function is what a product does and the task is what a user does with the product. All true product innovation takes place at the task level because innovation is in the eye of the user, not of the engineering department. Improvement in function is not a bad thing, of course. A faucet that lasts longer or needs less maintenance is a good thing. But this is not really innovation from the user’s perspective. Users expect good functioning in the products they buy. They expect that they will finish their task using the product. But they want to finish their task efficiently. And since users are the ones who ...
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