Review of "The Perfect Product"

1) From start to finish, this article follows the design process of one of the most successful products on the planet. Each careful step taken by apple is illustrated and it is clear why each of those steps had to be just right to make the iPod into the product it is today.
The first step taken by Apple was to research their competition and see what worked and what failed. At the end of this process they concluded that other MP3 players “generally held too little music, had impenetrable interfaces, and looked like the cheap plastic toys given to losers at carnival games.” They had found the changes, but needed to find positive attributes as well, for that they turned to Fadell. Fadell was the head developer for the PDA, a successful product that could be mirrored by Apple. These positive and negative factors then had to be turned into the product they wanted, an efficient, aesthetically pleasing machine that fits in your pocket.
After getting a rough idea in their heads, it was time for Ng and Fadell to make their ideas tangible. This next step consisted of creating models and finding out which features fit and which don’t. In the end they came up with three visuals.
One of the biggest parts of the design process was then touched on, presentation. Two of the visuals were used as “sacrificial lambs” to boost the reception of the top idea. This idea of presentation is very important, a poor product can seem like a good one through superb presentation and a great product can be turned into a waste.
Design of the iPod included work from many people in many departments, another key to the design process. In order to make a sufficient product different people from different areas must work together, each bringing their expertise to the table.
Lastly is the idea of being revolutionary and the willingness to take a risk. For example, Jobs’ decision to exclude a power button may have seemed crazy, but it was risks like that that made the iPod what it is.
2) When looking for the “perfect thing” there are too many factors to name them all. To me though, I think a perfect product is firstly a product that efficiently and consistently does what it is supposed to. These two areas are probably the most important as easy-to-use products seem to please their users for obvious reasons. Next would be cost efficiency; people are willing to pay the price for top-of-the-line products, but there is a fine line between a deal and a rip-off. A third aspect is the uniqueness of a product. Sure a copied product can be a good one, but when looking to really create some buzz, a product must be revolutionary, head-turning, and simply special. In my opinion, if a product can be efficient, consistent, cost friendly, and unique it can be perfect.
3) The iPod is clearly above the rest when it comes to MP3 players. Its ease of use and storage capacity make it a product that can be used by any and all types of people. Design on the surface makes it a cool, hip looking product; the sleek, compact design fits in with today’s style and people’s lifestyles. Overall it is pretty difficult to find flaws with the iPod, it may nearly be a perfect product. Still, there are some bugs that could be worked out. I will admit that these bugs are often an infestation of my own doing, but part of creating a perfect product is making it as user friendly as possible (sometimes that means keeping the user from messing things up). Anyway, I often come across times when my iPod freezes, or just stops working, or songs take forever to upload. These are all factors of the efficiency and consistency realm. Again, I will admit that these problem are often of my own doing, but one improvement that could be made to the iPod is keeping me from myself.