Learn the Not-So-Basics

To be successful and safe, automated systems need to work as a team with a human partner.

Now that we’ve established the value of user research, let’s talk about how to do it right.

One of the most frequent questions we hear from entrepreneurs is about the design cycle and how long it will take to develop an idea into a real product or product prototype.

Insights from our MD&M Minneapolis panel highlighted the challenges and benefits of merging hardware and software design, emphasizing how an integrated approach can improve patient outcomes and meet the evolving demands of modern healthcare.

This tendency to want to innovate around every single aspect of a product stems from passion for the product and its mission. But while passion is indispensable, it needs to be tempered with rational thinking.

Having done all the research and scaled the considerable Kickstarter learning curve, I wanted to compile what I found to be the most useful resources.

The biggest pitfall for aspiring hardware entrepreneurs isn’t the funding part; it’s the hardware part and clearing the production hurdles.

As the products we use every day become increasingly complex, the art of user onboarding has taken on greater significance. But there’s more to consider than simply front-loading your product with all the information your users might need to know.

How do you create an in-car interface that is engaging, exciting, easy to use, and doesn’t distract the driver?

Headless provisioning is part of the unboxing experience — specifically, it’s the part when a user connects the device to the Internet for the first time. Unfortunately this process is often confusing for users.

We use FigJam to collaborate and share our sketches and early thinking internally and with our clients. Here’s how we do it.

In certain industries, a poor user experience isn’t just suboptimal—it's dangerous.

We’re passionate advocates for user research and the critical role it plays in product design. But not all research is equal.

Why do we regularly transform our usability lab into a kitchen, hospital room, garage, bathroom, living room? It’s not because we’re filming a movie.

Now that everything from phones to automatic sprinkler systems have functionality that requires an internet connection, most of our clients’ products need some kind of communications rig. Most often, that means a radio frequency antenna.

People often think of brand consistency as it relates to advertising and communications. But it’s just as important for designers of products to consider brand consistency when creating a new design.

Prototyping for user research is a major consideration of product development and one that often confuses, because it’s not an exact science. There’s always a question of what to test and when, and there’s no one “right answer.”

Utilizing this role to its fullest could minimize project risk and speed your product to market.

In a research session, a moderator’s goal is to acquire as much knowledge as possible from potential users of the product based on their experience (or even a lack of experience).

Research enables you to make good decisions throughout new product development, speeding up product development and creating a product that resonates with users. Here’s what research-driven NPD looks like.

We will test a part, remove material, then test it again, and iterate that process until it eventually breaks. At that point, we know just how thin, light, or inexpensive a part can be.

How much agency should a machine be allowed? For both medical devices and cars, the potential to save lives is very real. But the consequences of things going wrong could be catastrophic.

A few months ago, we discussed three UX trends reshaping medical product design. Here’s how to incorporate them into your device UX efforts.

Diagnosing problems in failing products that have already been released for manufacturing can be a tricky business.

Designers love to talk about the needs of the user. But what if the end user isn’t the person making the decision to buy your products?

When offshore manufacturing works well, it can be fast, cost-efficient, and deliver good quality. But often speed, price, or quality is sacrificed without the right vendor, relationship, and process.

A question we get often from new clients while drafting industrial design proposals is how many concepts they’ll be reviewing in the early phases of a project.

A couple of weeks ago I did a shop presentation to share techniques I’ve developed for making models come together in a more professional way.

Medical device usability testing serves different — and equally important — purposes throughout the product design process, from generative through evaluative research.

Our team relies on the Pugh Matrix to simplify complex decisions in medical device development. Learn how it works and download our customizable template for free.

Product design and manufacturing are always more challenging when the wet stuff is involved.

While a final product may appear to stand on its own, it’s actually buoyed by tiers of development. These include rounds of prototyping and testing.

A click is a universally recognized cue that an action is complete. Here's how to get the right sound and feel.

In a world of “ubiquitous computing,” how might technology communicate information without hijacking a person’s attention?

Connecting a device to the Internet adds layers of complexity.

It’s not uncommon for a new client to want to see 20 or 30 concepts during the initial design phase, believing this represents better value.

Regardless of what you're designing, the options you present to users should be simple and straightforward.

The Pareto Principle is a great tool for project teams when they’re trying to decide where to focus their energy and efforts.

Convincing discerning consumers to buy a home robot isn't easy. To earn a spot in our homes and our lives, “home bots” (and those designing them) must answer four important questions.

Users often go rogue, using products in ways they weren’t designed to be used. Design for misuse is a way to counteract this.

Creating product requirements can seem like a straightforward task, but it has plenty of potential pitfalls.

More often than not, designing your cool new product relies on some new widget. You’re not sure if you should design your own or buy one from a supplier. What if there was a straightforward way to decide?

Often, users don’t know why they made a mistake. Human Factors researches use the art of Root Cause Probing to uncover what went wrong.

You’ve vetted your MVP design through low and medium-fidelity prototypes. Now use high-fidelity prototypes to amplify your MVP into a truly compelling offering.

Affordance is the relationship between what something looks like and how it’s used. The user should be able to figure out how to use something just by looking at it.

It’s important to prototype and test soft materials at various stages in the product development process.

To develop the best version of your product, have you considered leveraging softer materials?

The “fuzzy front end” of product development can pose some unique challenges for engineers.

How to create a successful product – whether you're designing a product that's physical, digital, or somewhere in between.

40-90% of consumers base their buying decisions on color. Learn how to apply user-first design thinking to finding the right color in product design.

A simple open-sourced design had a massive social impact—40 million face shields were produced for front-line workers fast and without expensive tooling investments.

A primer on what, how and when the discipline of human factors is used in the design and development of products.

We’ve compiled some advice for those facing, or anticipating, the semiconductor shortage. These workarounds are useful when facing any kind of hardware part shortage.

We've been doing remote research since before COVID-19, but the pandemic gave given us a great opportunity to hone our craft.

How does the new EU Medical Device Regulation relate to human factors and usability? It depends if your medical product is existing or new.

Humans are drawn to anthropomorphic form in product design. Here's how industrial and interaction designers can use this as a tool.

At Delve, we support our clients not just through Strategy, Design and Engineering, but also with the ‘intangibles’ along the way.

Good mapping makes products easier and more intuitive to use. Done well, it can create a powerful connection between a product and its users.

Medical devices are commonly recalled due to usability issues that can be prevented with human factors plans and uFMEAs.

How can product designers apply Maslow's theory of human motivation to their work? A design won't succeed if it doesn't meet users' most basic needs.

Nudge is a concept rooted in behavioral science that describes how minor changes in product design can markedly affect individual behavior.

Video is a great way to share a story with your audience. Learn how our Visual Communications team approaches making a video that breaks through the clutter.

Engineers constantly balance two roles: the engineer responsible for understanding and mitigating risk, and the product developer considering the ideal customer experience and wanting to delight.

Explore some of the issues that need to be dealt with and acknowledged before a quick-turn electronic prototype can be put into high-volume production.

What's the dome of awesome? It’s that place where your expectations have been met (nay, exceeded!) and you are having a great experience throughout.

Launching a restaurant is the ultimate personal exercise in user-centered design.

“Do you know a place to get this made?” That’s a question we hear a lot from entrepreneurs looking for a manufacturing solution. It’s actually a very complex question.

For many entrepreneurs and inventors, focusing on patent protection may obscure the need to keep improving your product.

When applied appropriately aesthetic design enhances the sophistication, functionality and overall value of a product. Try tuning into the following core aesthetic design trends to inspire your next creation.

How do we know the difference between a designer handbag and a knockoff?

Kickstarter and Indiegogo are littered with cool concepts that never hit the shelves. How can you navigate that chasm between vision and reality?

Delve's Model Shop creates a wide variety of models for concept validation and user testing. Learn more about the types of models we create.

When you have to make something where failure isn’t an option, you better make sure that it will work.

No matter what your title is, a significant part of your job is making decisions and justifying them to others.

A Minimum Viable Product approach to product development can speed things along—if you know what you need to learn.

Finding meaning is what transforms research insights into insightful tools for initiating change.

Smart startups spend on prototypes. Different levels offer different benefits along the process journey — here are six of the most important to make.

The more real something looks and feels, the more likely it is that you’ll receive actionable feedback to validate your design or inform your next iteration.

We recently changed the name of our user interface design team to Interaction Design. The latter encompasses the dynamics of a user’s interaction with a system — including the user’s perceptual, cognitive, and physical interaction with the system, as well as the system’s response to the user.

User interface design patents are more important than ever. Here are tips for designers on how to make the UI patent process work for you.