‘They don't make them like they used to', we declare when a product fails to meet our expectations. I have spent all too many weekends sat on the floor surrounded by bits of flatpack furniture, staring at assembly instructions that are as useful as a chocolate teapot.
Mind you, that’s not quite as irritating as the juice cartons that seem to pour half their contents onto the table rather than into the glass. Whoever “they” are, they don’t appear to use the products they design, or they too would have sticky tabletops and cupboards with screws missing. Designing a product – whether it be a tin of beans, a car or a house - around how the user will use it is fundamental to that product’s success. User-centric design - particularly of websites where we all have a shorter attention span and endless choice at our fingertips - can tip the balance between prof...
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