Product Management Blog

Design Thinking...the video

Just stumbled across this...  Apparently Tim Brown gave this presentation at the MIT Sloan School (not sure why he didn't do this at HBS).

 

Dear Evoluent PM

You know I love my iPhone more than my tv but I think my constant use (I think it's never more than 5 feet away from me) has led to a quasi-carpal tunnel where my pinky is now in great pain from perpetually supporting the phone in my hand.  

Here's a picture of how I hold my phone.  I think I'm in this pose probably 4-6 hours a day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I prototyped a skanky though comfortable solution.  Imagine a phone attachment that you could connect to the back of the phone for extended use (e.g. on a plane, long bus ride, or in an airport lounge).  As you can see from the picture below, it's extremely dorky, bulky, and unattractive but it's quite comfortable.  

Yes, I'm in software but...

I can't help but worship industrial design.  Something about the 3D and tactile magic of "real" products that appeals to the more primal side of humans.  As an example, check out this super cool stroller concept. How many of us would die for this thing.  Not to mention it looks pretty sweet as well.  A great example of a product that could evolve as your needs do.  Not sure what the analogous software product would be -- maybe LinkedIn or Google Reader?