Description

Design has a huge impact on the usability and usefulness of anything and everything. We know that user-centered design produces usable products and services. Whether or not something is usable has significant potential to make our day better or worse. Sometimes, our lives even depend on it.

Consider, for example, gear shifters for cars. You use these to put your car in park, reverse, or drive. It’s important to know which gear your car is in at all times, and to have your car remain in the gear you choose until you decide to change it.

To the left is an example of a well designed gear shifter. You can immediately see which gear you are in, and the notches are clearly meant to keep your car in the gear you choose.

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Source: World Usability Day